At the top of the West Maui Mountains is the summit of ‘Puu Kukui’ This is the highest point in the West Maui Mountains lying at an altitude of about 5000′. Although there are a few places on the planet that will alternately share this milestone, Puu Kukui is often the single wettest spot on earth. It can rain as much as 460″ up there in a single year. It does not take a brain surgeon to realize that if it rains that much it is likely to be covered in a rain cloud on any given day. For this reason, it is not a super reliable location for a scheduled flight. To be sure, on most days there will be areas you can navigate a helicopter along the mountain’s periphery but what you may miss is the most important and impressive part.
From the top center of the mountain at Puu Kukui the island has ridges that drop down to the seacoast in every direction like spokes on a wheel. Between these steep ridges are enormous valleys and sheer cliffs that are covered completely in a dripping emerald green rain forest. Waterfalls abound here and in fact in one location called the ‘wall of tears’ there may be between 20 and 30 waterfalls all magnificently dropping thousands of feet to forest pools below. The more rain up above, the more waterfalls. To get to see these waterfalls and cliffs, it is obviously important that the weather be clear. Since it is not on many days, these trips are often downgraded to a much lesser version of their potential self.
Let’s make this clear. This is an amazing place to visit in a helicopter. Perhaps the most amazing place. But if you have ever been to Las Vegas you know about playing the odds. On many days your potential jackpot is on the downside with regard to getting into those valleys, which for all intents and purposes would seem to be a land where gods would dwell. A great way to mitigate those odds would be to take the West Maui flight in tandem with the Haleakala/Hana flight in what is known as the Circle Island flight. By doing this you are not putting all your eggs in one basket with the potential of being disappointed. Though the Circle Island flight can also be canceled due to weather as well, it is much less likely and you are almost always able to see some of the most amazing portions of the island. You also hold the possibility open to see the spectacular interior of the West Maui Mountains.