点评:Walking across the grey fractured surface of Kilauea Iki whilst Kilauea Halemaumau is smoking a couple of km away is quite an experience. The evidence of its violent past is everywhere if you look, as is the ability of life to find a foothold in the most inhospitable of environments. We had the occasional drizzle of rain as we crossed on an overcast day, which I imagine is a lot better than a hot, sunny day. It can get horrifically hot in the crater, so it is best done in the morning. The trail crosses east-west, and I would strongly advise to descend at the eastern end and climb out up the western path. The eastern path zigzags gently down through a lush forest full of apapane honeycreepers calling (and the occasional amakihi). You might think that it was an easier climb out, but it is long, and the walkers we met coming up always asked 'when will it end?' It's not very steep but it is very long when every step is upwards.
The western end, by comparison, is quite steep but short. Coming down it would be horribly jarring on knees and ankles. Going up, it's a series of short switchbacks, and you gain height very quickly. Pause for a minute at the end of each switch to get your breath if you need to, and you'd still be at the top in 15 - 20 minutes. Short and sharp. Then it's an easy ramble back to Volcano House.
It's an incredible landscape, and well worth the effort. Just make sure you carry plenty of water and wear decent shoes.
翻译:徒步穿越基拉韦厄伊基火山灰暗破碎的火山口,而几公里外的基拉韦厄哈雷茂茂火山仍在冒着浓烟,这真是一次难忘的体验。只要你仔细观察,就能发现它曾经遭受猛烈撞击的痕迹,以及生命在最恶劣的环境中顽强生存的能力。我们穿越火山口时,偶尔会遇到毛毛细雨,我想这总比炎热的晴天要好得多。火山口内温度会非常高,所以最好在早上前往。步道东西走向,我强烈建议从东端下山,然后从西端上山。东端的步道蜿蜒而下,穿过一片茂密的森林,森林里到处都是阿帕帕尼吸蜜鸟的鸣叫声(偶尔还能听到阿玛基希鸟的叫声)。你可能会觉得上山的路比较轻松,但实际上路程很长,我们遇到的上山的徒步者总是问“什么时候才能到头?”。虽然坡度不算陡,但每一步都是向上,所以感觉非常漫长。
相比之下,西侧的山路虽然陡峭,但路程很短。下山时,膝盖和脚踝会非常颠簸。上山则是一系列短小的之字形弯道,海拔上升很快。如果需要,可以在每个弯道的尽头稍作停留,喘口气,这样15到20分钟就能到达山顶。路程短而陡峭。之后,可以轻松地漫步返回火山小屋。
这里的景色令人叹为观止,绝对值得一游。只需确保带足水,并穿舒适的鞋子即可。