Current lava flow info?

[Alex]

Thank you,Greg.I appreciate the information.

[csgray]

The lava is meandering down the mountain in zig zag fashion, and was igniting brush on the far side of the kipuka next to the current viewing area. One area about half way down the ridge the was very large and glowing red and orange, and you could see the flow all the way from the ridge top down to the plain. Depending on the topography and the Deflation/inflation cycle, I think it will resume ocean entry fairly soon.

The parking area has now been pushed quite a ways back from the old trail head, and there is much less parking at the trail head, they've striped a 2nd set of parking spaces all the way back on the other side of the closest lava flow to the trail head and as we were leaving some people were being parked there and had to walk in. The new trail is much rougher and longer than the old one, it is more like the old days when we used to hike out from the parking at roads end.

I do think that next time we will just drive out part way to one of the "older" flows and watch from there, the obnoxiously loud and rude behavior of the big crowd Roberts bussed in while we were there was hard to take. If I want to be around that kind of behavior I'll go to a rowdy bar, not one of my favorite natural wonders. I do miss the old days when we could walk out to a lava outcropping and watch the moon rise and the lava flow down the pali in relative solitude, the view was the same but the company was better.

Carol

[Frankie Stapleton]

Thanx for the info, Carol. And I agree with you re: the good ole days of viewing!

[Chuysmom]

Hi Carol - I like your description of the moon and lava on the pali...romantic vision. thanks.

Carrie

http://www.sapphiresoap.etsy.com

http://www.carrierojo.etsy.com

[Carey]

The Trib Herald has a front page article on the flow today, not yet on the online www.hawaiitribune-herald.com page... but something to look for!

[TheodoreJay]

Here's what my friend reports as of 4/27/10:

"Went out to Kalapana yesterday around 6 pm. The lava is breaking out in numerous places from up on the mountain down to within 50 - 75 yards of the viewing area. Saw a couple of trees burst into flames. So far, the weather on the Hilo side has been perfect, with lots of sunshine and little rain"