R is for Red Ferns: hiking out of Haleakala Crater

View of the fern forest from the switchbacks on the Haleamau'u Trail

Switchbacks climbing 1400 feet.

John and John on the trail.

The most surprising part of our hike was the transition from the alpine cinder desert of the vast Haleakala crater to a virgin fern forest!

The wonderful ocher and ashen colours in the crater transitioned to grassy fields and endemic shrubs around Holua Cabin. We had dropped from just under 10 000 feet into the crater and we then started to climb the switchbacks to the Haleamau'u Trail parking lot, a climb of about 1400 feet over 4 miles to around 8000 feet! 

And these eastern reaches of the crater are a lush green, virgin fern forest! The new leaves of the ferns are a bright red!

Red fern detail.