I rode this trail when I visited Maui back in 2000. I rented a specialized Stumpjumper with flat pedals, had my parents drop me off at the start point and told them to pick me up in a couple hours. When I was finished riding, I remember thinking this was the steepest, hardest trail I had ever ridden. In hindsight I figured I was kind of heavy and out of shape back then so my memories of how hard it was were skewed toward the fact that I actually sucked at bike riding then.
Back in Maui in 2009 and like a dog that can always find his way home, I quickly find this trail and ride it again. I must admit my initial impressions from 2000 were dead on. This is no joke, it’s one of the steepest roads I’ve ever ridden. I think Greg LeMond said, “it doesn’t get easier, you just get faster.” Right on brother.
Waipoli road is the road you take to get to the trail and if you can’t wait to get to the dirt road, park your car on the side of the road and start riding. That’s what I did. Waipoli road is paved for 5.8 miles and ascends about 3500 feet. If you do the math, that is steep. Think switchback after switchback seeming to never end.
Eventually it does end and the paved road turns to a fire road. Here it levels off for several miles and you can shift it to the big ring, get your climbing muscles some recovery and cruise for 5 or 6 miles. Beautiful views of the ocean and the island are below as you ride along. This part of the ride is similar to the flume trail in Tahoe, but not quite as harrowing. At the end of this section you can choose to go right and descend a mile to the Poli Poli camp ground or you can go left and keep climbing.
If you go left you made the right choice. You are in for more epic climbing, the only difference is you are now doing it off road on loose gravel. After a couple miles you choose to go left or right. Right will take you to on Kahua road and you will top out at 7,126 feet. Go left and you will take the skyline trail to the peak of Haleakala. As far as I’m concerned, this is the only way to go.
I don’t know if it is cumulative fatigue that starts to set in, or if you start to feel the effect of elevation, but from here on out you are in your smallest chainring and largest cog. As you climb the terrain changes from forested area to barren, lava rock filled desert. You have clear sightlines when you look up and you keep thinking you’ve just about reached the top until you get to the top of that ridge and see you still have more work to do. You’ll keep getting tricked like this and now you will have to battle fierce winds in addition to the loose terrain, steep grades and elevation. You will hit some unridable switchbacks uphill that you will have to walk and the only thing that allows you to keep going is the determination to conquer the mountain.
Eventually you’ll come around a ridge and see a shiny silver dome at the peak of the mountain. This is the space station atop the peak of Haleakala, elevation 10,023 feet. Congratulations you made it. Now get ready for a white knuckle decent back to your car. No pedaling required.
I’ve never been to France but I think this is the mountain bikers version of Ventoux, a barren moonlike landscape with ridiculous elevation gains. Nothing scenic or remarkable about the trail, just a test of your will to keep going, God’s gift to the self loathing.
Back in Maui in 2009 and like a dog that can always find his way home, I quickly find this trail and ride it again. I must admit my initial impressions from 2000 were dead on. This is no joke, it’s one of the steepest roads I’ve ever ridden. I think Greg LeMond said, “it doesn’t get easier, you just get faster.” Right on brother.
Waipoli road is the road you take to get to the trail and if you can’t wait to get to the dirt road, park your car on the side of the road and start riding. That’s what I did. Waipoli road is paved for 5.8 miles and ascends about 3500 feet. If you do the math, that is steep. Think switchback after switchback seeming to never end.
Eventually it does end and the paved road turns to a fire road. Here it levels off for several miles and you can shift it to the big ring, get your climbing muscles some recovery and cruise for 5 or 6 miles. Beautiful views of the ocean and the island are below as you ride along. This part of the ride is similar to the flume trail in Tahoe, but not quite as harrowing. At the end of this section you can choose to go right and descend a mile to the Poli Poli camp ground or you can go left and keep climbing.
If you go left you made the right choice. You are in for more epic climbing, the only difference is you are now doing it off road on loose gravel. After a couple miles you choose to go left or right. Right will take you to on Kahua road and you will top out at 7,126 feet. Go left and you will take the skyline trail to the peak of Haleakala. As far as I’m concerned, this is the only way to go.
I don’t know if it is cumulative fatigue that starts to set in, or if you start to feel the effect of elevation, but from here on out you are in your smallest chainring and largest cog. As you climb the terrain changes from forested area to barren, lava rock filled desert. You have clear sightlines when you look up and you keep thinking you’ve just about reached the top until you get to the top of that ridge and see you still have more work to do. You’ll keep getting tricked like this and now you will have to battle fierce winds in addition to the loose terrain, steep grades and elevation. You will hit some unridable switchbacks uphill that you will have to walk and the only thing that allows you to keep going is the determination to conquer the mountain.
Eventually you’ll come around a ridge and see a shiny silver dome at the peak of the mountain. This is the space station atop the peak of Haleakala, elevation 10,023 feet. Congratulations you made it. Now get ready for a white knuckle decent back to your car. No pedaling required.
I’ve never been to France but I think this is the mountain bikers version of Ventoux, a barren moonlike landscape with ridiculous elevation gains. Nothing scenic or remarkable about the trail, just a test of your will to keep going, God’s gift to the self loathing.
There are single track trails around these dirt roads, but not what I was looking for at this point in time. I rode the Waiakoa loop trail and it was pretty decent. Very technical - Steep switchbacks, loose dirt, off camber riding, lava rock. I would rate this more of an all mountain trail rather than a cross country trail. Very slow riding whether you are going up or down.
I also hiked the boundary trail. Even though the sign says mountain bikes are allowed on this trail I am glad I hiked it instead of riding it. Very steep, bumpy and doesn’t have much flow. If you try to ride this you will be pushing your bike a lot.
I recommend you stick to the jeep roads and work on your climbing.
There is no preriding the Xterra World Championship mountain bike course, and I never did it before, but I think this trail will prepare me both mentally and physically for the demands of the course.
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