News Release

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park's January 2018 Events

Restoring Native Forest in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park

NPS Photo

News Release Date: December 15, 2017

Contact: Jessica Ferracane, 808-985-6018

Hawaii National Park, Hawai‘i – Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park continues its tradition of sharing Hawaiian culture, After Dark in the Park (ADIP), and other inspiring programs with the public throughout 2018.  In addition, everyone is invited to lend a hand to save native rainforest through the park’s volunteer stewardship opportunities. 

January is Volcano Awareness Month, and four ADIP programs will be presented by USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists. Park programs are free, but entrance fees apply. Programs are co-sponsored by Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association. Mark the calendar for these upcoming events: 

Stewardship at the Summit. Volunteer to help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, a World Heritage Site. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants. Bring a hat, raingear, day pack, snacks and water. Gloves and tools are provided. Under 18? Parental or guardian accompaniment or written consent is required. Visit the park website for additional planning details: https://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/summit_stewardship.htm. 
When: Jan. 6, 13, 19 and 26 at 8:45 a.m.  
Where: Meet project leaders Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center on any of the above dates.

Morning Glory Vine at Kīpukapuaulu

NPS Photo/Michael Szoenyi

Stewardship of Kīpukapuaulu. Help remove invasive plants like morning glory at Kīpukapuaulu, home to an astonishing diversity of native forest and understory plants. Bring clippers or pruners, sturdy gloves, a hat, and water. Wear closed-toe shoes and clothing that you don’t mind getting permanently stained from morning glory sap. Be prepared for cool and wet or hot and sunny weather. New volunteer? Contact Marilyn Nicholson for more info: [e-mail].
When: Every Thursday at 9:30 a.m. (Jan. 4, 11, 18 and 25)
Where: Meet at the Kīpukapuaulu parking lot, Mauna Loa Road, off Highway 11 in the park.

Kīlauea Volcanos East Rift Zone

USGS Photo

Kīlauea Volcano's East Rift Zone: 35 years and still erupting. January 3, 2018, marks the 35th anniversary of Kīlauea Volcano’s ongoing East Rift Zone eruption. During its first three years, high lava fountains erupted episodically from the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō vent. Since then, nearly continuous effusion of lava has sent countless ‘a‘ā and pāhoehoe flows downslope, burying about 55 square miles of the volcano’s south flank. USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist Carolyn Parcheta briefly describes the early history of this eruption and provides an in-depth look at lava flow activity during the past year, including the Kamokuna ocean entry and lava delta. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ongoing After Dark in the Park series. Free.
When: Tues., Jan. 9 at 7 p.m.
Where: Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium

‘Ohe Kāpala

NPS Photo

‘Ohe Kāpala Demo: Hawaiian Bamboo Stamping. Learn to create beautiful designs using bamboo stamps (‘ohe kāpala). Originally used to decorate clothing with deep symbolic meaning, we now use ‘ohe kāpala designs to tell stories on a variety of modern materials. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ‘Ike Hana No‘eau “Experience the Skillful Work” workshops. Free.
When: Wed., Jan. 10 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Where: Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai

Steam Vents in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park

NPS Photo

Free Entrance on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The National Park Service announces today that the public will be invited to experience all national parks, without entrance fees on four days in 2018: January 15 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day); April 21 (first day of National Park Week); September 22 (National Public Lands Day) and November 11 (Veterans Day).

Kīlauea Summit Eruption

USGS Photo

Kīlauea summit eruption: story of the Halemaʻumaʻu lava lake. The story of Kīlauea Volcano’s ongoing summit eruption within Halemaʻumaʻu is the focus of a recently released USGS documentary that will be introduced by Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist Janet Babb, who co-produced and co-wrote the video. The story recounts the formation and growth of the summit vent, describes the fluctuating lava lake within it, and features USGS scientists sharing their insights on various aspects of the eruption. Following the 24-minute video, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist Matt Patrick, one of the featured scientists in it, will provide an update on what’s happening at Halemaʻumaʻu today and answer questions about the summit eruption. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ongoing After Dark in the Park series. Free.
When: Tues., Jan. 16 at 7 p.m.
Where: Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium

Ranger Dean Demonstrating Tī Leaf Lei Making

NPS Photo

Weave a Tī Leaf Lei. Learn how to create a tī leaf lei! Join park rangers and Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association staff as they share their knowledge and love for one of the most popular lei in Hawai‘i. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ‘Ike Hana No‘eau “Experience the Skillful Work” workshops. Free.
When: Wed., Jan. 17 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Where: Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai

Volcanic Ash from Kīlauea Summit

USGS Photo

Volcanic ash from Kīlauea Volcano’s summit lava lake: from the mundane to the unexpected. Pele's hair, Pele's tears, and other ash are produced by bursting gas bubbles in the lava lake at Kīlauea’s summit. The amount of ash erupted daily ranges widely owing to short-term fluctuations in vigor of spattering. The monthly amount of ash, however, varies systematically with time, reflecting changing lake level, which, in turn, varies with the rate of magma supply. The methodical collecting of ash unexpectedly discovered a magma supply that pulses over several-month periods—the first such pulsing recognized at any volcano. This illustrated lecture, presented by USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist Don Swanson, demonstrates how systematic, long-term collections can lead to surprising but fundamental discoveries. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ongoing After Dark in the Park series. Free.
When: Tues., Jan. 23 at 7 p.m.
Where: Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium

Looking for Whales - 2015 Sanctuary Ocean Count at Ka‘ena Point

NPS Photo

Count Humpback Whales for the “Sanctuary Ocean Count” at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Join park rangers and volunteers at Ka‘ena Point and count migratory humpback whales that swim by on January 27, February 24 and March 31. The Sanctuary Ocean Count is a signature outreach project that the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary hosts annually. Ocean Count serves to promote public awareness about humpback whales, the sanctuary, and shore-based whale watching opportunities in the Hawaiian Islands. Participants tally humpback whale sightings and document the animals’ surface behavior during the survey which provides valuable data to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Bring sun protection, water, snacks, and a cushion to sit on. Register at http://www.sanctuaryoceancount.org/. Free.
When: Jan. 27 (and again Feb. 24 and March 31), 7:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Where: Ka‘ena Point, at the end of Chain of Craters Road

Elsa and Will Oldham

Chistian Hansen

Musician and Textile Artist Offer Dual Performance as 2018 Artists-in-Residence. Musician Will Oldham (who performs as Bonnie “Prince” Billy) and his wife, fiber/textile artist Elsa Hansen Oldham, have been selected as the park’s 2018 Artists in Residence. The couple will present a dual multimedia performance for the public. Will Oldham will sing and play music while Elsa Hansen Oldham stitches on stage as her handiwork is projected on a movie screen. Mr. Oldham is an acclaimed singer/songwriter whose music has been described as an alternative blend of country folk and punk; his wife’s quilting and cross-stitch work puts a folksy pop-art spin on history and modern culture. Free.
When: Fri., Jan. 26 at 6 p.m.
Where: Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium

Milky Way Star Party

NPS Photo/Janice Wei

Kīlauea Star Party. Join Astronomer Dean Regas, co-host of PBS Star Gazers, as he hosts Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park’s first-ever Star Party at Kīlauea Overlook. Learn about an endangered resource and sacred cultural connection: our dark night skies. Journey through time as we explore nearby planets and deep-space celestial wonders above the glow of Halema‘uma‘u Crater. Dark Skies Rangers will answer questions and guide visitors through the night sky. Powerful telescopes will be available. Free, but subject to weather conditions.
When: Mon., Jan. 29 at 7 p.m.
Where: Kīlauea Overlook (Crater Rim Drive, before Jaggar Museum)

Volcanic Geology Along Saddle Road

USGS Photo

Volcanic geology along Saddle Road on the Island of Hawaiʻi. The new Daniel K. Inouye Highway, Route 200, commonly called the Saddle Road, crosses the center of the Island of Hawaiʻi between its two largest volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. Traveling this road takes you through a varied landscape of historically interesting geological features, including large and young lava flows, cinder cones, kīpuka, and ancient ice age dune fields. This contrasting scenery shows outstanding examples of how Hawaiian volcanoes mature and age. Join Rick Hazlett, affiliate geologist with the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, as he describes this “outdoor classroom” in which visitors can learn more about how our aloha ‘āina (precious land) came to be. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ongoing After Dark in the Park series. Free.
When: Tues., Jan. 30 at 7 p.m.
Where: Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium

Astronomer Dean Regas of PBS Star Gazers

Courtesy Photo

Witness the Lunar Eclipse. Join Astronomer Dean Regas, co-host of PBS Star Gazers, as he guides us through the January 2018 lunar eclipse atop Kīlauea Volcano. A lunar eclipse can only occur the night of the full moon, when the sun, earth and moon are aligned. As the earth’s shadow (umbra) passes across the moon, it creates a lunar eclipse. Every so often, this alignment is perfect or nearly so, and creates a total lunar eclipse. The park will provide an excellent vantage point to view the spectacle – weather permitting. Free.
When: Tues., Jan. 30 at 8:30 p.m. (following After Dark in the Park)
Where: Kīlauea Overlook (Crater Rim Drive, before Jaggar Museum)

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is open 24 hours a day. The park offers 155 miles of hiking trails, Kīlauea Visitor Center and Jaggar Museum, plus many opportunities to appreciate the volcanic landscape, native ecosystem and Hawaiian culture that define this World Heritage Site. Events that occur at facilities within the park, including the Volcano Art Center Gallery, Volcano House, and Kilauea Military Camp, are also subject to park entrance fees.

-NPS-