Maui is one of my favourite places. The weather always seems to stay in the perfect range and the beaches are gorgeous. When I first traveled there in 2010, my wife and I drove up Haleakala, the largest volcano on the island and I immediately knew it was something I needed to ride up on my bike.
People come from all over the world to “cycle to the sun” because it is known as the longest, steepest paved road in the world. I don’t know exactly how they came up with that designation, but I can tell you that 3050 meters of elevation gain over 58kms is one heck of a long climb and I wanted my piece of it.
Well, this year I had my chance.
Preparing for the Incomparable
I did a lot of time on my trainer looking out at the rain and a lot of climbing on my mountain bike in the mud to prepare for this adventure.
There were, of course, some variables that were hard to prep for. First of all, because Haleakala is the “steepest paved road in the world”, there really isn’t anything to train on that even approaches comparability – especially when you consider that it was winter in BC while I was training.
The second thing to consider is the elevation. You really start to feel the oxygen deprivation at about 1800m (6000 feet) and it only gets worse as you get higher.
The third challenge is the temperature change. Between the town of Paia (the official start point) and the Haleakala summit range, the temperature can vary as much as 20-30 degrees Celsius . The day I rode, it was a gorgeous 28 degrees in town and a not-uncomfortable 8 degrees at the summit.
Climbing the Volcano
The ride starts in a very cool little town called Paia. Not unlike many little towns in Maui, Paia is full of restaurants, shops, and lots of opportunities to stroll in the warm Maui sun while looking at beach clothing and art galleries.
The “official” start point is the corner of Baldwin Avenue and Hana highway. The first stretch of riding is a gentle incline from Paia to Makawao which, it turns out, causes a ton of water consumption so, as many people do, I stopped in Makawao to buy some water and top up my bottles before the first steep section heading out of Makawao.
Once you have left this point and make the first section of steep climbing, you traverse over to Haleakala highway and you get your first and only taste of downhill: a bonus 60 seconds of glorious breeze and leg flushing!
Now the fun really starts. Once you take the left onto the real Haleakala highway, the climbing does not stop until the summit. This section is where I think a lot of people expend too much energy and use up too much fuel. You have to be cautious as there are no fuel-up points from here on out and you are basically only at the halfway point of your climb (1500m). I had the great benefit of a support vehicle (a luxury I would recommend to anyone) so I got a fuel-up point and was able to put on a jacket before entering the park.
Caution: they only take CASH so don’t show up with a credit card and a smile or you may be cutting your ride short.
The park entrance gate is at the 2100m mark and this is where the temperature starts dropping. For me it was just “add a long sleeve jacket” and I was happy, but, on colder days, I can see how leggings, long-fingered gloves, and maybe even a beanie or ear warmer could be needed. It might feel wrong packing these things when you are in the 28-30 degree weather of Maui, but if you don’t have them and the temperature drops, you will be very sorry.
Reaching the Summit
The push from the entrance to the summit is where willpower starts to become a significant factor. The views at this point are often obscured by clouds, the road is getting steeper, you are into the first of the 30+ switchbacks that will take you to the top, and the air is getting thin. You can’t turn back now, though, right??
Actually that is incorrect. If you are freezing at this point, you really should turn around and get off the mountain. Many people have reported getting hypothermia on the last leg due to the extreme temperature change. You don’t need to be a hero. Living to ride another day is always preferred! Thankfully, for me, it was nice weather so I didn’t run into this particular problem.
The last stretch from about 2400m – 3000m is a very tough push capped off by a 16% grade for about 300m to the very summit. At this point I was feeling a little light-headed and nauseous, but I pushed through and made it to the top (after getting passed like I was standing still by some stallion at about the 2800m mark). The summit was well worth it! 
Enjoying the Accomplishment
Overall riding up Haleakala was a great accomplishment and something that should be on the bucket list of every avid rider. The average grade is 5% for 58 or more kms and it should not be taken lightly. But with proper training and preparation, it is doable for most serious riders. Once you have accomplished this feat and burned thousands of calories (I burned 4800), you can go and enjoy Mai Tais and soak in the ocean.
Yoshia Burton, B. Kin.
Principal
Innovative Fitness Abbotsford
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