Maui Elevation question

[Sushi Boy]

Planning some top-side activities for a trip there in a couple of weeks.

When traveling from Lahaina to Kahului, and then continuing on the road to Hana, are there any significant elevation changes to be aware of? We'll be finishing up several days of diving the prior afternoon and I want to make sure we don't ascend to elevation without enough time to off-gas.

 

[bmorescuba]

If you go the normal southerly route, you'll barely change elevation at all.

If you go the adventurous northern route, which most rental car agreements prohibit, then you'll get up to about 310m above sea level. Still not much to worry about.

You can use this site to check your exact route: Google Maps elevation for a route

It's cool to plot the drive to Haleakala summit in that tool - it's the shortest driving distance to 3,000m in the world!

 

[boulderjohn]

If you go the adventurous northern route, which most rental car agreements prohibit, then you'll get up to about 310m above sea level. Still not much to worry about.

Both DAN's guidelines and the old NOAA guidelines (which seem to have disappeared from their website) said that a 2,000 foot ascent is OK. I agree that I wouldn't worry about either route.

 

[Deinonych]

From Kahului to Hana, assuming you take the Hana Highway (aka the "Road to Hana"), there is little elevation change. If you go around the south side of Haleakala, you'll gain about 1000' of elevation. So, nothing to worry about, really.