Ben Schuck spends most of his day in pain.

The aches in his hips, feet, and knees are caused by chronic arthritis, and Schuck, who will turn 80 next month, must avoid painkillers due to his history of kidney disease.

Instead, Schuck seeks treatment in a certain kind of homeopathy. Every day, Schuck drives from his home in Ventura, California, to the local beach, where he dons a wetsuit and steps into the Pacific Ocean with his kiteboarding gear. For an hour or two, he zips through the breaking waves, pulled along by the offshore breeze.

“I never think about the pain out there,” Schuck toldĢż°æ³Ü³Ł²õ¾±»å±š.Ģż“I feel the presence of God Almighty when I’m in the water. I always have.”

Schuck speeds along the coastline, over whitecaps and sand bars. He then returns toward the shore and rides breakers as they tumble toward the beach. From the shoreline, you’d never guess that he was born during the final months of World War II.

“It’s exhilarating and it’s a bit scary,” he says. “So you get that pleasure that comes from doing things that are fast and also are a little bit dangerous.”

Schuck has no idea if he’s the oldest kiteboarder in California, but he’s pretty sure he’s the most senior rider in Ventura. Last year he retired from his longtime career as a real estate lawyer, and since then he’s been able to kiteboard four or five days a week, depending on conditions. Some of his kiteboarder buddies are in their mid-sixties, he says. Yep, they’re just whippersnappers.

He found the sport later in life, at the tender age of 68. Schuck grew up surfing, and spent 56 years riding waves along the California coast. But hip surgery and a shoulder replacement left him unable to paddle his board through the choppy water. After his shoulder operation, he spent several months feeling discouraged and depressed.

From the back window of his house, Schuck can gaze down at Ventura’s famed Surfer’s Point at Seaside Park. And on breezy days after his operation, he’d see kites flitting in the sky. He was intrigued by the scene, and spent a few afternoons at the beach, chatting up local kiteboarders. They told him that it was never too late to learn.

“Some were very encouraging to me,” Schuck says. “So in my late sixties I decided to take a lesson.”

It took Schuck a few months to get the hang of flying a kite, and a few years to feel confident riding a board. Over time, kiteboarding became his passion. He traveled to Maui, Mexico, Florida, and all across California to hunt for the best breeze.

The sport filled the void in Schuck’s life that was once taken up by surfing. kiteboarding, he says, has several advantages over surfing. You never have to wait for a ride, or deal with bad vibes in the lineup.

“When you go surfing, you’re competing with the other surfers for a wave. That sucks,” he says. “When you get old and there are young guys out there, the chances of you being able to compete with them for the waves gets a lot harder.”

“With kiteboarding you go fast the whole time,” he added.

He also learned that his new sport alleviated the aches in his hips and legs. When the flying kite tugs his body upward, it lessens the force of his body on his joints. The upward forceā€”when combined with the thrill of the rideā€”makes the daily discomfort melt into the background.

But flitting across the water on a kiteboard also brings dangers that are not present in surfing. Over the years, Schuck has crashed into sunken rocks and sandbars, and been dragged like a rag doll across the ocean. He’s yet to break a bone riding his kiteboard, but he also knows that a wrong move could lead to a hospital visit. Since his shoulder operation, he’s also had his back fused and had a knee replaced.

“I know that if I fall and tear up my knee, that’s the end of kiteboarding for me,” he says. “I have to be extremely careful.”

So Schuck lives by a rigid set of guidelines that govern his kiteboarding. He goes out around midday, before the after-work crowds hit the ocean. If the surf is pounding, he stays home. He rarely attempts to jump when riding his board.

He lifts weights every day to strengthen his core muscles and legs. He maintains a strict diet, and tries to keep his body weight around 150 pounds. When wind speed surpass 25 miles per hour, he watches other riders from the safety of the beach.

“Other guys love it when the wind is that strong,” he says. “It might be great for them.”

And Schuck never takes a single ride for granted. Toward the end of each kiteboarding session, the aches and paintsĢżreturn to his feet and legs. That’s when he knows it’s time to get out of the water, peel off of his wetsuit, and head home. Sometimes, Schuck says, he’s so sore at the end of a ride that he can barely walk out of the ocean.

“I don’t care,” he says. “I know it was worth it.”

The post This 80-Year-Old California Kiteboarder Savors Every Ride appeared first on ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Online.

Born and raised in Wichita Falls, Texas, I grew up chasing after horned lizards, flying off inflatable tubes pulled behind boats, and camping in triple-digit-degree summers. Family vacations were a mix of relaxing on the Galveston coast and testing my athletic abilities slalom water skiing on Lake Arrowhead.

Texas sometimes receives eye rolls and groans from the rest of the country, and I get it. We can be a little loud and braggy, and Iā€™ve got a bone to pick with some state policies. But the thing Iā€™ve never understood is why more people arenā€™t aware of the bounty of outdoor experiences here. Thereā€™s something indisputable about the diverse geography of the Lone Star State that Iā€™ll defend time and time again. Weā€™ve got outdoors to rival them all, yā€™all.

My state has some of the biggest and best landscapes in the country, filled with diverse wildlife, awe-inspiring views, and adventurous activities. I am proud to put on my braggart Texan cap to explain how to experience it all. These are my favorite places and experiences to get outside in Texas.

1. National Parks

It was hard to believe Texas had ā€œrealā€ mountains until, in the most spiritual experience Iā€™ve ever had in a state where churches sit on every corner, I saw them rising gloriously out of the desert in Big Bend National Park. On my first visit, seven years ago, I stayed with an 80-year-old in Terlingua whom I found through couchsurfing.com. He took me to the national park for a hike and we gazed at exposed ancient pictographs, which seem to show darts or arrowheads for hunting, in red pigments on the gold limestone.

Then we soaked in the Langford Hot Springs, outdoor baths above ancient faults where Tornillo Creek enters the Rio Grande. Big Bend National Park offers float trips through canyons, horseback riding, hiking, and stargazing; itā€™s an International Dark Sky Park.

That night I joined Terlinguan locals and national-park visitors on an impromptu walk through old mining tunnels, followed by porch-side singing of 1990s classics, and then a swim in the Terlingua Creek. I had thought Iā€™d spend most of my time in Big Bend hiking alone; instead I was surrounded by a host of characters with big personalities. Sometimes a trip to a Texas national park takes you on a journey you donā€™t expect.

You can find many of the same activities at our other national park, Guadalupe, two hours east of El Paso. Guadalupe National Park has eight of the ten highest peaks in Texas, the worldā€™s most extensive Permian fossil reef, and 80 hiking trails through unique geological formations, like thousand-foot cliffs and rocks with dark water-ripple streaks.

2. Kayaking and Canoeing

In 2021, I paddled a folding kayak on a voyage under the downtown Dallas skyline for a 12-mile portion of the 130-mile . The serenity of the experience was only interrupted by a few car honks when I floated under bridgesā€”and the sight of a passing gator.

Texas has located throughout the state, and with 3,700 streams, 15 major rivers, and 3,300 miles of tidal shoreline, an abundance of other places to paddle or row as well. You can kayak with dolphins in the Galveston Bay or canoe with gators through , home to one of the worldā€™s largest cypress forests, the trees covered in Spanish moss. Autumn paddle trips are ideal for fall-foliage views and cooler temps, not to mention a chance to witness thousands of monarch butterflies migrating to Mexico over the Devil’s River in West Texas.

3. Climbing

Rock climbing has become popular in Texasā€”you now see just as many dating profiles with rock-climbing photos as you do of folks holding up dead fish theyā€™ve caught. Climbers from here and elsewhere are scrambling to places like , a bouldering hub 30 miles east of El Paso featuring problems (meaning short routes done ropeless) from V0-V16, and near Austin, which offers bolted sport climbs. Some Texas property owners are opening their private lands to climbers for limited camping and use. For instance, new routes are being developed among the granite cliffs and boulders at .

4. Hiking

Iā€™ve hiked through flat North Texas fields of bluebonnets, across dinosaur tracks at , and up hills and limestone canyons full of Uvalde bigtooth maple trees at . Even within our cities there are spectacular hiking trails: like Austinā€™s ; or, just an hour-and-fifteen-minute drive from Houston, the 129-mile Lone Star Hiking Trail, which winds through the , the largest national forest in Texas.

For less crowded hikes, aim for natural areas in the South Texas Plains, Pineywoods, Panhandle Plains, and Big Bend Country. I hiked about eight miles on that follows the rim of Seminole Canyon in in Big Bend Country and saw only two other people.

East Texas holds the four national forestsā€”Sam Houston, Davy Crockett, Sabine, and Angelinaā€”with the Caddo-Lyndon B. Johnson National Grasslands, also Forest Service-managed, located in northeast Texas. All are laced with hiking trails.

Texas hiking tips: Always pack more water than you need, and then pack an extra bottleā€”and if you hear a rattle, move your ass. We have 15 varieties of venomous snakes, so be careful. But to keep it in perspective, more people die in Texas from lightning strikes than snake bites. So donā€™t chance the storms, either.

5. Cycling and Mountain Biking

You have to admire how most Texans arenā€™t fazed about cycling and biking in extreme temperatures in outdoor environments. Take meā€”I rode 100 miles in 100-degree-heat for a cycling ride aptly called in my hometown. My parents thought itā€™d be a ā€œfunā€ challenge for us to do together. They took me to a cycling shop and urged me to buy a bike. ā€œItā€™s a good investment,ā€ my dad said. ā€œYouā€™ll use it all the time.ā€

My mom and I completed the Hotter Nā€™ Hell Hundred ride more handily than I expected, while my dad, who was 60 at the time, outshone us by completing the Triple Threat (a 12-mile mountain-bike ride on Friday, 100-mile road ride on Saturday, and a 12-mile trail run on Sunday).

Our big olā€™ state has cycling trails of all kindsā€”like the 30-mileĢż, which passes by historic Spanish missions in the San Antonio Missions National Historic Park. The challenging 133-mile follows the old Union Pacific and Chaparral railroad right-of-ways through small towns and over railroad bridges from northeast of Dallas to Texarkana.

Letā€™s not forget mountain-biking trails. Looking for steep hills, granite outcrops, and other forms of technical terrain? Hit up Hill Country State Natural Area for 40 miles of mountain-biking trails like the .

6. The Coast

The Gulf of Mexico is warmer than the Atlantic or Pacific oceansā€”so why suffer the cold when Texas has 367 miles of shoreline and sandy beaches. Camp on the beach at places like or the remote , made up of 56,000 acres of offshore barrier islands and bayside marshes. You can swim, parasail, surf, water ski, boat, fish, kayak, and go horseback riding.

Despite what you may think, there is surfing along Texasā€™ coastline, at Surfside Beach, Port Aransas, and South Padre, especially during hurricane swells. Corpus Christi has among the largest number of kite-able days in the U.S., making it a well-known kitesurfing destination.

Dying for a surf experience but canā€™t make the drive to the coast? Do what I did and catch waves at located between Austin and Dallas, an hour and a half from each. The two-acre surf lake makes waves for beginners, intermediates, and pros. I easily caught 10 smooth waves in an hour and had a blast cheering other surfers between the ages of 10 and 78.

7. State Parks

Years ago, my friends and I packed our tents and drove to the Texas Panhandle to stay in the United Statesā€™ second-largest canyon, . During the day, we hiked through red strata rock formations, and at night we marveled and sang:

The stars at night

Are big and bright (clap four times)

Deep in the heart of Texas

Texas has 89 state parks, natural areas, and historic sites that display its geological variety. near San Antonio is a tropical getaway with dwarf palmetto plants, while has a 70-foot waterfall and 400 underground caves. Board across sand dunes in the , see the Texas State bison herd roaming in , or jump into the worldā€™s largest spring-fed swimming pool in .

8. Lakes, Rivers, and Springs

Weā€™ve got every flavor of water you could want, from the picturesque swimming holes of to the crystal-blue reservoir at . I have many memories boating on Lake watching daredevil youths (and some adults) jumping off cliffs, sticking my backside in an inner tube to , and trying not to fall off paddle boards. There is scuba diving in , which has 200 artesian springs and the densest population of turtles in the country.

Come on out! Hope to see you on the trails.

Ģż

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ĢżAlex Temblador was born and raised in North Texas, the traditional homeland of the Caddo, Comanche, Kiowa, Tawakoni, and Wichita peoples. She lives in the Dallas area, a short drive from hills, rivers, lakes, and springs, and continues to find beautiful places in her state to paddle, hike, and explore.Ģż

The post Texas Is a Great Outdoor-ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų State. I Would Know. appeared first on ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Online.

Crazy though it may sound, my coldest memory ever is from Maui. Yes, the islandā€™s shores are gloriously sunny and warm, but temperatures drop as you ascend the slopes of Haleakala, an active volcano currently in a non-eruptive state whose name means ā€œhouse of the sun.ā€ Haleakala has become synonymous with sunrise, and like many visitors, I was originally drawn to seeing the dawn up there, nearly 20 years ago. I rallied a crew of friends to set out at 2 a.m. for the winding 50-minute drive from the town of Haiku up to Haleakala National Park. As we entered the park gates, the weather changed from mild into something reminiscent of a Scottish mizzle. By the time our car reached the 9,800-foot lookout, just past 3 a.m., we were bundled in fleeces and blankets and pouring thermoses of hot tea.

We stood out on the viewpoint eagerly awaiting the first hues of golden light to peek past the craterā€™s edge. Crater is a misnomerā€”the massive valley was carved by water erosion, not a volcanic explosion. In the dark, it looks like a vast black hole, but sunlight reveals swirls of obsidian lava flows layered with red, orange, and green cinder cones. I zipped up my fleece and snickered when I saw other visitors bundling up in hats, gloves, and even snow pants, as if a blizzard were coming. Five minutes later I regretted laughing when the clouds rolled in to dump a bone-chilling hail on us. My teeth chattered and my fingers went numb, but we stuck it out for another two hours only to realize the sun had already risen behind the thick wall of clouds. Weā€™d been skunked. Despite my failed first visit, I went back a few months later to score my first sunrise (the weather was dry this round) and have returned many times since, for everything else the park offers.

When people tell you to anticipate all weather in Haleakala National Park, they mean it. Your preparedness can be the difference between a miserable and magical experience. And to avoid disappointment, donā€™t plan a trip solely around sunrise. Yes, watching those first rays burst through sherbet-hued clouds is a somewhat spiritual experience. But now I always line up an adventure or great meal afterward, be it a hike or trail run in the park or an indulgent breakfast just outside of the gate, to justify the drive.

Haleakala commands attention. Occupying nearly half of the sky, the volcano feels omnipresent. You see it through the airplane window when you approach the island, from your car while driving, out in the lineup surfing. The more time you spend on Maui, the more you feel its pull. Haleakala beckons to be explored but also understood, present and past. According to Hawaiian legend, the demigod Maui stood on the volcanoā€™s summit and lassoed the sun from its journey across the sky, slowing it down to increase the growing season.

With stunning hiking trails, dramatic waterfalls, spectacular stargazing, and bucket-list birdwatching, youā€™ll want to tick off more than the summit. Most people donā€™t realize the park is divided into two completely distinct districts, each with its own entrance separated by miles of dense forest. A visit to Maui feels incomplete without spending time exploring both sides.The lunar-like Summit District, which contains the dormant volcano, comprises a massive valley (what most incorrectly call a crater) carved by water and landslides and dotted with rust-hued puu (cinder cones). Itā€™s a geological wonder and home to rare species like the extraterrestrial-looking silversword, a plant youā€™ll only find here, and endangered endemic birds such as the Ź»akohekohe, or crested honeycreeper. On the islandā€™s east side, the Kipahulu or Coastal District, is trapped-in-time Maui, with its verdant gulches, bamboo forests, and cascading waterfalls.Ģż

What You Need to Know Before Traveling to Haleakala National Park

Figure Out Your Logistics

To go from one district to the other, you need to exit out of the park and drive around the island to the other entrance.

Stop in at one of the parkā€™s (all wheelchair accessible; more accessibility info can be foundĢż), particularly the one on the edge of the crater, to learn about Haleakalaā€™s native lore and mythology, as well as its native birds and 850-plus species of plantsā€”more than 300 of which are found nowhere else in the world.

Make a Reservation to Watch Sunrise

One of Mauiā€™s bucket-list activities, sunrise viewing was drawing such large crowds that the park now requires advance , which often sell out. Reservations cost $1 per vehicle and can be made online up to 60 days ahead. A portion of reservations for any given day is also set aside and released 48 hours in advance. Yes, people do arrive when the park opens at 3 a.m., to score a prime spot in one of four viewing locations.

Prepare for All Weather

If you think you donā€™t need a jacket in Hawaii, think again. It may be sunny and 80 degrees by the beach, but the temperature drops about three degrees for every 1,000 feet of elevation gain. Year-round summit temps range between subfreezing to highs of 65 degrees, and windchill and overcast conditions often make it feel colder. The weather is also completely unpredictable. The parkā€™s offers a live feed of conditions, but they can change quickly. Iā€™ve started many hikes and runs on the Halemauu Trail, which descends to the crater floor, in blazing heat only to have clouds roll in minutes later: the temperature dropped and low clouds drenched me in rain. The high elevation means intense solar rays, so pack sun protection (sunscreen, hat, shades).

ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶųrs Mike Chambers and Jason Antin offer their gear recommendations for an active trip in Maui. (Video: Courtesy ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų TV)

Fuel Up in Advance

Pack enough food for the day, because there is no food for sale within the park, and the only drinking water available is at the visitor centers, so make sure your water bottles are full. There are no gas stations inside the park, either. The last chance for gas on the way to the Summit District is the town of Pukalani, 18 miles before you reach the park. For the Kipahulu District, the last chance for gas along the Hana Highway is the town of PaŹ»ia, 45 miles before the destination. Electric-car users take note: the park has no charging stations, and most electric vehicles with a full charge have been unable to make it to the summit of Haleakala. See driving information .

How to Get to Haleakala National Park

The more remote Kipahulu District of Haleakala National Park can be accessed by driving 12 miles past the town of Hana, on the famous Hana Highway that circumscribes the northeast coast of the island of Maui. The 64-mile infamously narrow and curvy Road to Hana begins in the North Shore surf town of Paia and can be jammed with traffic, so leave early and build in time to stop for banana breadā€”stands are ubiquitous. I personally like the loaves from Aunt Sandyā€™s in Keā€™Anae because theyā€™re served warm. To reach the Summit District entrance, it takes between 50 and 90 minutes from Mauiā€™s main tourist areasĢżvia the Haleakala Highway.

If you love a grind, you can cycle to Haleakalaā€™s summit via what Strava has deemed ā€œthe worldā€™s longest paved climb.ā€ From Paia, the road climbs 10,000 feet over 36 miles and reaches gradients of 18 percent. The ascent typically takes six to eight hours. rents road bikes ($65 a day) and hosts weekly guided rides ($250) with a support vehicle leaving from its shop in Paia and concluding at the park entrance at 6,500 feet.

Thereā€™s no shame in requesting a ride back down to town. Youā€™ll be exhausted at the top, and when the weather is wet and bone-chilling, Iā€™ve found my frozen hands barely able to squeeze the brakes on the steep descent. If youā€™re super hardcore, you can break from the group and continue to the top for Strava bragging rights.

The Best Time of Year to Visit Haleakala National Park

Winter and summer are typically the busiest seasons on the island, and a trip to Haleakala National Park is on most visitorsā€™ agendas. However, if you visit during off-peak hours (anytime other than sunrise and sunset), with the exception of the summit the park rarely feels crowded. I always recommend late fall, when temperatures range between 50 to 60 degreesā€”perfect for hiking. Youā€™re also more likely then to spot the circular rainbow at Rainbow Bridge, a viewpoint along the Halemauu Trail. This natural occurrence, known as the Brocken Spectre, takes place in just three places in the worldā€”on Maui and in Germany and Scotland. On Maui, it only shows up in the late fall to early spring because of the direction the sun rises in the sky.

Where to Stay In and Near Haleakala National Park

Campgrounds

The campground in has a dreamy perch on ocean cliffs so you wake up to the sound of crashing waves and the smell of salty ocean air. Located a short distance from the visitor center, the grounds have 20 sitesā€”15 for car camping and five walk-ins. are required ($20 per night with a three-night max stay). Sites have picnic tables, charcoal grills, and pit toilets, and drinking water can be collected at a filling station outside of the visitor-center restrooms. If you need basic supplies, two general stores are a 10-mile drive away. The campgroundā€™s proximity to some of the areaā€™s main natural attractions, including ‘Ohe’o Gulch, which is a 10-minute walk, makes it a perfect base.

Less than a five-minute drive from the Summit District entrance, is the only wheelchair-accessible campground in the park, reached via a paved path. The campground is set at nearly 7,000 feet in a cloud belt, so again be prepared for the elements. If you have the right gear, the misty mornings in the forest are straight out of a storybook, and a mellow, self-guided approximate half-mile nature loop through eucalyptus and cedar stands begins right from camp. Six designated sites have picnic tables, grills, and access to potable water, and there are pit toilets in the parking lot. Ģżare required ($20 per night, three-night cap). Also be aware that just because youā€™re already in the park doesnā€™t mean you can drive to the summit for sunrise. Youā€™ll still need a sunrise reservation.

There are two primitive within the park, both of which require ($20 per night, maximum of three nights). The easiest to access, Holua, is 3.7 miles one way down the Halemauu Trail. The other is the often rainy, 9.3-mile one-way hike to the Paliku campsites via the . Youā€™ll need to be a strong and fit hiker with backcountry experience to attempt that one.

You donā€™t need to be a mathematician to guess there is only a small probability of scoring an overnight in one of three 12-person wilderness cabins in a park that welcomed 853,000 visitors in 2021. book up six months in advance ($75 a night). But sleeping under a glittery star-filled sky is worth the constant effort to score a spot, as well as the strenuous hike inā€”a minimum 3.7-mile effort.

Hotels

Hotel-Maui Resort

The only hotel on Mauiā€™s east side, the historic Hana-Maui Resort, was recently taken over by Hyatt and is a convenient and cushy base for exploring the Kipahulu District. All 74 rooms have lanais (verandas), and itā€™s worth splurging for an ocean view. The resort has two huge pools; a fantastic, albeit pricey, spa; free hatha-based yoga classes; and mostly complimentary cultural activities, like spear throwing and lei making. The complimentary cruiser bikes are my favorite way to reach Hamoa Beach, a slightly hilly 3.3-mile ride from the hotel. Two on-site restaurants can feel redundant and expensive after a few nights. Rooms have mini fridges, so I buy breakfast basics and snacks in Paia, where prices are lower and choices more extensive. Food trucks dominate Hanaā€™s limited dining options and only stay open for lunch; all are walking or biking distance from the hotel (most park across from the hotelā€™s Hana Ranch Restaurant). In the past, Iā€™ve requested a microwave in my room so I can reheat food for dinner, and the hotel has accommodated.

Price: From $409

Kula Lodge and Restaurant

Just a 30-minute drive from the Summit District entrance, five cabin-like cottages at Kula Lodge and Restaurant have ocean views, and all are surrounded by gardens (from $310).Ģż This is an amenity-rich lodge for exploring the park and upcountry region.

Price: From $310

Malu Manu

For something more remote and romantic, and a similar distance from the park, book a few nights at Malu Manu, a one-bedroom log cabin set at 4,250 feet with a wood-burning fireplaceā€”yes, youā€™ll need it at this elevationā€”and what in my opinion is Mauiā€™s best sunset bicoastal view.

Price: From $395

Lumeria

A bit further away from the park, yet closer to the shops and restaurants of Paia, is Lumeria, a 24-room retreat in Haiku with a holistic spa, saline pool, and gorgeous landscaped grounds featuring a meditation garden, Buddha statues, and views of the West Maui Mountains.

Price: From $449

What to Do in Haleakala National Park

Hiking

This is a hiking paradise, with over 30 miles of trails for all fitness levels. If youā€™re looking for more than a workout and awesome photos, I highly recommend booking a hike with a local operator like . Knowledgeable guides pack in three hikes over seven hours and will school you in all kinds of subjects, from endangered species, like the fiery red Ź»¾±Ź»¾±·É¾± bird and nene (Hawaiian goose), to geology trivia about the dormant volcano. Fun fact: standing 28,000 feet above the sea floor, itā€™s the third-tallest mountain on earth.

is a low-effort hike that delivers big rewards. Parking for the trailhead is just a quarter mile from the Summit District entrance, and the half-mile loop is lined with aromatic pine, eucalyptus, and pine forest. It is home to the native Hawaiian honeycreeper, found nowhere else on earth.

The Ģż(Gaia GPS trail seen below) sits at 8,000 feet and is named after the rare Hawaiian fern species found here. This path requires steady footing and stamina, as it descends 1,400 feet over two miles of switchbacks, and the climb back out at altitude can be challenging. If youā€™re feeling fatigued early on, itā€™s smarter to stop half-way down just past the first viewpoint to Rainbow Bridge. Go early for the best chance of seeing the famed rainbow halo that forms just below the bridge as the clouds come up the valley to your left.

If you continue on the steep ridge to the crater floor (proven by scientists to be the quietest place on earth), youā€™ll reach Holua, on the parkā€™s three . Just keep remembering that youā€™ll have to trek back out and up.

or Sliding Sands is my favorite hike for its otherworldly landscapes of technicolor lava and always-changing light. If you want to do the full 11.2 miles you have two options. You can make it an out-and-back and descend 5.6 miles straight down into the Martian-like floor of the crater (or however far you choose). Be warned: the hike back up is a calf-burner. You can also combine it with the Halemauu Trail for an 11.2-mile point-to-point trail across the crater floor. Youā€™ll just need to arrange for someone to pick you up, as the park doesnā€™t offer shuttles.

Hikes in the Kipahulu District offer completely different scenery. The four-mile round-trip is a quintessential Hawaii hike, winding through bamboo forests and with multiple views of waterfalls. Download the NPS App to take a self-guided tour of the Kuloa Point Trail (see map below) so you can learn about plants brought by Polynesian voyagers and observe hale (houses) built by early people, en route to the stunning Ź»OheŹ»o Gulch.Ģż

Sunrise and Sunset

When Iā€™m on Maui, I typically watch the sunrise while catching waves at my favorite surf spot. But Iā€™ve rarely regretted skipping a dawn patrol session to glimpse the first golden rays spill across the craterā€™s summit. Scoring a reservation can feel like playing the lottery, but persistence pays off. There are four viewing locations in the park. The Puu Ula is the highest at 10,023 feet and often fills up first. The Leleiwi Overlook is accessed via a ten-minute hike from its parking lot. I like to arrive early and head here first for my pick of viewing options. Despite the hype of the summit, I think the best sunrise position is just below at Haleakala Visitor Center. If you canā€™t score a reservation for a DIY visit, book a sunrise tour through the local operator Ģż($209).

Locals consider sunset even more colorful than sunrise. You donā€™t need a reservation and it can be bookended with a hike in the park and stargazing. The sunset view is great from nearly anywhere in the park, but if youā€™re set on a summit vista, park in the lot below the summit. The uphill walk to the top is just ten minutes and lets you avoid the inevitable Summit lot traffic jam once the sun goes down.

Stargazing

The high altitude and minimal light pollution at the summit often makes it look like someone tossed a sequined scarf across the night sky. The stars dazzle, the Milky Way shines, and meteor showers dance above. Simply staring and taking it all in is wondrous, but if youā€™re a nerd like me and want more context, book a tour with Ģż(from $235). Five-hour tours begin at sunset. As the sky darkens, your guide uses a super-strength Dobsonian telescope to zero in on planets, nebulae, star clusters, and even other galaxies.Ģż

The Best Places to Eat and Drink Around Haleakala National Park

While the park itself doesnā€™t offer any type of food services, there are a handful of fantastic, farm-fresh restaurants and markets upcountry. If you plan to pack a lunch, Hosmer Grove, in the Summit District, has a covered picnic area with grills. On Saturdays, I love to hit the Upcountry Farmers Market in Pukalani ahead of a hike in the park. Youā€™ll find every imaginable fruit (lilikoi, mango, pineapple), hand-crafted kombucha, and prepared foods, like red pumpkin Thai curry and empanadas.

, a working farm specializing in honey with a bountiful stand and coffee bar, sells produce as well as homemade foods, including peanut butter-energy bars (sweetened with honey, of course), Ayurvedic balance bowls with mung beans and kale, and hand pies. Itā€™s worth planning ahead and booking a reservation to attend one of Maui Beesā€™ weekly farm dinners. The communal event kicks off with a farm tour at 4 p.m., followed by a six-course meal featuring inventive dishes like rhubarb banana curry with ono and kabocha squash. The farmā€™s high perch offers bicoastal views of neighboring islands including Kohoā€™olawe and Lanai, and the West Maui Mountains, and dessert is timed to sunset.

Located outside of the park on the slopes of Haleakala, is a casual local spot with Italian trattoria vibes. Breakfast hits include mahi eggs Benedict and loco moco, a hearty Hawaiian staple of eggs, a beef patty, and steamed rice smothered in a rich gravy. Lunch and dinner menus offer a little of everything, from Caesar salads and turkey and avocado paninis to Bolognese and chicken parm.

The aforementioned Kula Lodge and Restaurant has a beautiful garden terrace. The signature goat cheese and caramelized onion quiche is my go-to post-sunrise breakfast. At lunch, I like to order healthy and get the grilled fish sandwich (usually ono) with a harvest salad, so I can justify a slice of lilikoi pie for dessert. Next door, Kula Marketplace is stocked with locally made crafts, like hand-thrown pottery, honey and jams made from island bees and fruits, and quick grab-and-go drinks and snacks.

After a big effort in the park, treat yourself with a Neapolitan-style pizza and beer from the restaurant . The chef, Jeff Scheer, does everything from scratch, from milling whole wheat berries for the sourdough crust to hand-stretching the mozzarella and growing the toppings. You can eat in the Scandi-minimalist dining room, or Scheerā€™s menu is also available next door at , and the tap room regularly hosts live music. My perfect pairing: the Idaho Hazy IPA and Arrabbiata pie topped with shaved Parmesan, garlic, and Calabrian chili.

If You Have Time for a Detour

If youā€™re planning on visiting the Kipahulu District, consider spending a night or two in the town of Hana to truly sense Mauiā€™s slower pace. Day trip from Hana to nearby , a photo favorite for its black-sand beach and blowholes, and hit up some of the areaā€™s fantastic food trucks, which serve everything from mahi mahi tacos to BBQ ribs. Youā€™ll want to arrive early at Thai Food by Pranee, as the fresh-catch curry specials often sell out before noon.

The upcountry town of Makawao provides a glimpse of Mauiā€™s paniolo (cowboy) past and boasts some of the islandā€™s best indie boutiques, such as Holoholo Surf and the Monarch Collective, and beloved bake shop, Maui Cookie Lady. Itā€™s also home to the 2,093-acre Makawao Forest Reserve, my go-to spot for and .

If youā€™re into wind sports, tack on a few days on Mauiā€™s North Shore. Hoā€™okipa beach is the windsurfing and wing-foil mecca, drawing talent from around the world. , Mauiā€™s oldest and largest water-sports school, offers lessons for windsurfing, kiting, stand-up paddling, and wing-foiling. And when it comes to one-on-one kitesurf instruction, Brett Sheerin, owner of , is worth booking in advance. If youā€™ve already mastered the basics and came to play, you can rent gear at . The nearby artsy town of Paia is packed with funky shops, like Mickā€™s House of Fleetwood, an eclectic boutique opened by, and namesake of, the music legend; surf shops; and locally loved healthy food spots like Choice Health Bar and the natural grocer Mana Foods.

Maui boasts some of Hawaiiā€™s most spectacular beaches, and its resort enclaves hug most of them. On the islandā€™s southwest side, Wailea is known for its designer shops and beachfront resorts, including Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, where the hit series White Lotus is filmed. Itā€™s also near my favorite beach, , or Big Beach. This wide, 1.5-mile swath of sand rarely feels crowded and has a serious beach break for surfing.

Continue south of Wailea and you run into La Perouse Bay, an awesome snorkel spot. Rental packages at in Wailea Village include fins, goggles, and even a fish I.D. card. The parking lot at La Perouse is also the start of or the Kingā€™s Trail, an ancient footpath created by King Piā€˜ilani that once stretched around the entire island of Maui. If youā€™re interested in the history, book a guided photography , a local photographer who authored a book on the historic highway.

On the west side, the surf is up in summer. You can hole up in a five-star resort at the exclusive and .

In the winter, Mauiā€™s warm waters welcome so many migrating humpbacks that youā€™re nearly guaranteed to see some serious tail-splashing. uses small rafting vessels capped at 18 passengers, and a portion of each ticket sale goes back to whale research. If you want a more lounge-y experience aboard a catamaran that includes snacks and cocktails, book with .

How to Be a Conscious Visitor

Ever since Covid-19 restrictions were lifted, Maui has been overwhelmed by tourists. Island life runs at a slower pace than the mainland. Be patient and respectful. Roads to and within the park are winding, and the views can be spectacular. Locals and others on the road will appreciate it if you pull over in designated pull-outs to take photos or, if youā€™re driving slowly, allow other vehicles to pass. While driving in the Summit District, be extra careful of wildlife, such as nene (Hawaiian goose), on the roadways. When hiking, stay on the trails. Theyā€™ve been designed to protect visitors from cliffs and rockfall danger, and to protect cultural sites and native species. Please never take anything, whether lava rocks or silversword plants, out of the park.

If youā€™re booking a tour, consider first inquiring how the operator gives back to the region. Humble Tours, for example, donates a portion of its profits to a local nonprofit that supports conservation internships for Mauiā€™s youth. And if youā€™re lucky enough to have a local share a secret spot, be it a beach or surf break, please keep it a secret by skipping the social media posts and geotags.

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In mid-July, a massive southerly swell pounded Hawaii with once-in-a-decade waves that prompted some surfers to label it the best of all time. Aboard his custom-built survival craft, surfer and ocean adventurer Chris Bertish got an up-close view of the heaving ocean.Ģż

Bertish was in the final stretch of his , a historic 2,465-mile solo crossing from California to Hawaii in a small survival craft powered by a handheld wing. He was rounding the island of Molokai, in the final stretch of his voyage, when he encountered the most radical ocean conditions of his life.Ģż

ā€œI was taking off down waves on a craft that wasnā€™t meant to surf, and I was going like 16-18 knots,ā€ Bertish said. ā€œAt one point the craft broached (an abrupt change in course) when I was inside the cabin, causing me to hit my head, concuss myself and start bleeding.ā€Ģż

Inside his 20-foot craft, called the ImpiFish, Bertish pushed on across the Molokai channel to Oahu in waves that were even bigger than those he experienced that day. The terrifying journey was an appropriate final leg of what had been a punishing test of skill and nerve. He had crossed 2,400 miles of open ocean from California to Hawaii in just over 48 days.Ģż

Bertish already has a long history of weathering high seas. The 48-year old South African vaulted onto the international surfing stage in 2010 when he won Californiaā€™s famed Maverickā€™s International big-wave tournament. Bertish surfed 50-foot waves on a borrowed board to win the event.Ģż

Then, seven years later, Bertish again generated international acclaim for recordingĢżthe first-ever crossing of the Atlantic aboard a stand-up paddleboard. His 4,050-mile journey from Morocco to the island of Antigua took 93 days to complete, and he did it aboard the ImpiFish, a custom-built SUP designed by naval architect Phil Morrison and inspired by elements of open-ocean rowboats. At four feet wide, 20 feet long, and 1,350 pounds unloaded, it took four months to build and cost nearly $100,000.Ģż

Bertish says that expedition was a valuable stepping stone for his biggest project yet, the Trans-Pacific wing voyage.Ģż

ā€œPeople forget when something’s never been done before, you’re pioneering and having to create new systems,ā€ said Bertish. ā€œI was able to apply all the knowledge and insights I learned from the transatlantic crossing to upscale, upgrade, and remedy my ImpiFish, enabling me to deal with the new challenges I faced in the Pacific.ā€

The Pacific crossing from California to Hawaii is notoriously one of the most difficult in the worldā€”particularly for small vessels like the ImpiFish. To date, sea kayaker Ed Gillett is the only person to successfully paddle across in a kayak, a 1987 crossing that took 63 death-defying daysā€”recounted in harrowing detail in Dave Shivelyā€™s gripping book, . Others have tried, sometimes suffering tragic fates. In 2020, Paralympic rower Angela Madsen died while attempting to cross the Pacific on her rowboatĢżRow of Life, a project that was supposed to inspire others and produce a documentary film.Ģż

Currently, Frenchman Cyril Derreumaux is amid his quest to become the second solo kayaker to make the crossing. In late July, for the fastest four-rower team in the Great Pacific Raceā€”an annual 2400-mile rowing race from California to Hawaii.

A wing-foil is an entirely different craft with an entirely different set of challenges. Bertish first attempted the crossing last year, but an electrical malfunction forced him back to shore after completing only 212 miles. To put into perspective just how new wing foiling is, Bertishā€™s failed attempt last year was still enough to claim a world record for longest distance traveled on a wing-foil, solo and unsupported.

In preparation for his wing-powered voyage, Bertish had to upgrade the ImpiFish craft. He added a series of metal foils to the side and bottom of the craft to increase its speed and stability in the water. He also added various apparatus and harnesses to help secure him to both the vessel and his handheld wing, which he used to power through the surf.Ģż

ā€‹ā€‹ā€œI had eight wings that were built specifically for this journey by Armstrong,ā€ said Bertish. ā€œThey were Carbon Mylar-reinforced and ranged in size from 5.5 meters down to 1.25 meters. Thereā€™s not even a training wing that exists on the planet thatā€™s 1.25, but I used it all the time.ā€

But those upgrades couldnā€™t prepare Bertish for some of the challenges he faced on the high seas. He departed Santa Cruz, California on May 31st and immediately found himself amid cold, foggy, and overcast conditions. The miserable weather lasted for the first three weeks of the journey, slowing his progress as Bertish inched towards better conditions created by the trade winds.Ģż

Bertish spent roughly 12 hours a day ā€œwingingā€ā€”an enormously challenging task requiring him to balance on the deck of the ImpiFish while contracting and tweaking a handheld wing to catch wind and propel his craft forward. When Bertish wasnā€™t winging, repairing his craft, or catching a couple hours of rest, he managed to send out several social media updates with .

Bertish also endured a series of technical calamities that nearly ended his journey. During his time at sea, he battled countless systems failures, nearly lost all communications, and narrowly avoided serious injury during multiple fallsā€”including one that took out his VHF radio antennae only three days into the trip.

At one point, his ā€”an underwater generator that uses a propeller to produce energy and recharge the craftā€™s battery banksā€”began to separate the base plate off the transom and cause a leak into the stern of his craft, where all his main electronic systems were located.

ā€œIf I hadnā€™t checked and just went another night with that issue in place, it wouldā€™ve flooded my back compartment without me even knowing,ā€ said Bertish. ā€œThen that would have shorted all of my systems and I probably would have sunk.ā€

Bertish found the issue during his daily maintenance check and after a quick repair jobā€”using an emergency underwater epoxy repair kitā€”he averted disaster.

Not everything went wrong. His food situation was ā€œlike cordon bleu compared to the transatlantic.ā€ He lived for two months on a backpackerā€™s diet consisting of nuts, dried fruit, supplements, and freeze-dried meals that had to be prepared inside his tiny cabin.

ā€œWhen youā€™re in a cabin as wide as your shoulders and the craft is getting bashed around by waves, itā€™s challenging to hold a Jet Boil with a live flame and pour boiling water into a pouch,ā€ he said. ā€œFortunately, Iā€™ve been doing this for quite a long time.ā€

Nothing comes easy on the high seas but reaching the trade winds put the wind at his back. Bertish tied off his wing like an ā€œinverted Spinnakerā€ and managed to enjoy a few days of hands-free winging. It would prove to be the calm before the storm, the punishing southerly swell served up a daunting final test once he reached the Hawaiian Islands. Bertish leaned on his most valuable asset to navigate this perilous final legā€”a lifetime of experience in heavy ocean conditions.ĢżĢż

Once he finally docked at the Hawaii Yacht Club in Honolulu on July 17thā€”after spending 48 days, 15 hours, and 15 minutes at seaā€”he didnā€™t stay on land for long.

ā€œAbout three hours after I landed, I managed to go out and get a couple waves with Jamie Mitchell at one of the outside reefs. That was pretty epic.ā€

Following the massive accomplishment, Bertishā€™s work is only just beginning. The Trans-Pacific Wing Project was dedicated to raising both money and awareness for ocean conservation, with proceeds from the journey going to ,, , and .

ā€œI had several very scary situations that I encountered on my journey, but the most terrifying thing I saw was the amount of plastic pollution.ā€

Bertish said he only saw five fish, compared to 67 pieces of floating plastic debris. The contrast was shocking, and it inspired him to release an in hopes of raising awareness of an ocean pollution problem growing by the day.

ā€œWhen all youā€™re seeing is ocean pollution, in a place where people would expect the ocean to be in its most pure and abundant state, thatā€™s terrifying.ā€

Heā€™ll be taking that message on the road to support his new book coming outā€”ā€”which recounts his transatlantic expedition experience. The book is slated to hit bookshelves in January here in the States, with South Africa seeing a November release. At the end of his tour, Bertish plans on auctioning off the ImpiFish at the Miami Boat Show next April.

The ImpiFish may be headed towards a much-deserved retirement, but Bertish is already well underway with planning his biggest expedition yet: , aĢżsailing expedition around the world that will raise awareness for ocean education, conservation, and sustainability. The project is inspired by the United Nationā€™s

ā€œIt will start at the end of 2025,ā€ said Bertish. ā€œIt will go around the world and will probably be five to eight times bigger than all of the other projects Iā€™ve done, put together.ā€

While many of the details are under wraps, one thing is certainā€”Bertish will push the boundaries of human endurance and willpower, yet again.ĢżĢżĢż

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On November 10, 2017, Jeff Evans went kitesurfing with a friend at Baldwin Beach on the north shore of Maui. The 48-year-old was making his way out to the break, about a mile offshore, when he attempted to crest a large wave. Instead of getting over the lip, he wiped out, and then endured a violent thrashing that broke his will to live. His story is the latest in our survival series.Ģż

Evans is a Colorado-based physician assistant, motivational speaker, and professional mountain guideā€”he has also long been the primary adventure partner of Erik Weihenmayer, who became the first blind man to summit Everest while guided by Evans. Together, theyā€™ve had several close brushes with deathā€”ā€œweā€™ve entered one shitshow and exited that and then entered the next shitshowā€ā€”but Evans says this kitesurfing accident was the scariest outdoor experience of his life. ā€œThis event in Maui was the only time Iā€™ve given up. The only time Iā€™ve quit.ā€

Hereā€™s his full story, as told to ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų.

Iā€™ve become pretty close friends with several guys who live on Maui year round and who kitesurf and surf 300 days a year. Theyā€™re in the water all the time and are super capable and confident. The day that this happened, the waves were between ten to 12 feetā€”pretty average for my friends, but not for me. Thereā€™s a break thatā€™s just west of Jaws called Baldwin Beach. And my buddy Gray said to me, ā€œlet’s go, just the two of us, letā€™s go out there and get into these waves.ā€

It was probably hubris that took me there that day. I didnā€™t want to say no; I wanted to see if I could do it. My skills probably were not sharp enough, but I often put myself in these situations and they pan out. So, I was like, all right, letā€™s just see what IĢżcan do.

Iā€™d never surfed in waves that big before. Gray was in front of me, cutting and turning, and on my very first tack out there, I got into the body of the main break. I went out to my right. And the first big, massive wave crested in front of me, maybe 50 or 60 feet away.

Thereā€™s a moment of no return, where you have to either turn and ride it or charge and go over it, and I hesitated. Instead of either changing my feet on my surfboard and turning back so I could ride the wave, or committing by going over it, I paused. And you just canā€™t do that.

I got sucked up the face of the wave and then dropped from the top. My board was gone, but I still had my kite attached to me and it was fully powered, about 70 feet above me. This was a reef break, not a beach break. It occurred to me while I was in the air that there was a good chance I was going to smash onto the reef. So I put my hands over my head, and balled up as small as I could to try to protect myself.ĢżThen I hit the water, and I felt the wave hit me.

And then the immense power of the ocean took over. It was just this absolute feeling of helplessness. Any surfer whoā€™s been tossed by the waves knows this. I had no body control, no direction, no orientation, and no concept of up and down. It was just dark and black and violent. I got held down for what ended up being more than a full minute.

I do breath work in my training, so I can hold my breath for a couple minutes sitting in a meditative pose. But when youā€™re getting smashed around, even one minute under water is a long, long time. Your capacity is more like 30 seconds, 45 seconds when youā€™re getting blasted. I was fortunate enough to take a last big deep breath before I hit the water.

When youā€™re attached to a kite with a harness, like I was, the system allows you to release from it. The harness wraps around the front, and then thereā€™s a steel bar that attaches to this thing called a chicken loop. Thatā€™sĢża safety mechanism designed so when an accident like this happens, you can reach up and and grab this little plastic ring and push it away from you. It moves the whole bar away, which de-powers the kite, so that the kite wonā€™t fly but you’re still attached to the line.

I was getting tossed so hard that I could not bring my hands to my waist to push the ring. There was just so much force and power and violence. I wasnā€™t hungry for air yet. I thought I was going to surface soon. It had been maybe 30 seconds. Then I felt another massive pull.

It was like a rocket shipā€”bam, just blasting me in one direction. It could have been pulling me down to the center of the earth, for all I knew. But it was another wave that had hit my kite, which was in the water.

I still thought I was going to surface soon, but then it happened again. Bam! The next wave hit, I accelerated, and once again, I could not bring my hands forward to release the kite. I started to panic. I had been under water for more than a minute at this point. I was trying to fight so hard. Itā€™s emotional to remember, trying to get my hands to my waist to grab that release ring and I could not do it.

My wife is going to be so pissed at me, I thought. All these things that I have done, all these situations that I have been in, and Iā€™m going to die in the ocean, kitesurfing, of all things.

And then, I donā€™t know if I went limp, but the struggle stopped. I quit. I still think of that moment: how soft I must have been at that moment. How dare I even consider not fighting? But I just submitted to it, and gave in to it.

And then, I felt a pop. Like a reverberation through my body. A snap went through my waist and harness. I didnā€™t know what it was, butĢżI saw sunlight and I came up in the foam of the break. I took a big breath, and half of it was sea foam. I coughed, and I cried. This crazy primal cry-laugh thing happened, and I started choking on the foam. Then Gray came over and said, ā€œHoly shit bro, I kind of expected to see you face down, man. Are you all right?ā€ And I said,Ģż ā€œI donā€™t know. I think so.ā€

We were a mile offshore, and my board was long gone. I started pulling in my kite line, and when I got to my bar, it was in two pieces.

That pop I had felt was this carbon fiber bar breaking in half under the pressure of the wave pushing my kite. I still have the bar. I kept it. The only reason Iā€™m alive is because that bar broke. Iā€™ve told this story to a lot of kite folks and showed them the picture of the bar, and no one has ever seen a broken bar. You could run over a car with it, and it wouldnā€™t break. Itā€™s made for crazy forces. And it snapped.

The kite had a cut in it and was deflated. It took me two hours to swim back to shore. It was a tense couple hours.

Gray offered to tow me in, but Iā€™m a stubborn dude. And I was ashamed and embarrassed. Iā€™ll own that. I figured if I got myself into the problem, Iā€™d get myself out of it. After years of doing search and rescue in the Alaska range and in the Himalayas, I feel very adamant that people getting themselves into issues should be capable to at least try to get themselves out.

The whole thing was on me! It was hubris that got me into it. It was lack of talent that made it worse. And then it was stubbornness that required me to swim in all the way.

I could barely stand when I got back to the beach. I was tremulous, and a bit of a wreck emotionally. I slept all day and all night after, recovering from the adrenaline dump. It was the longest sleep Iā€™ve ever had. Gray was very understated, the same way I would be in the mountains if someone else had just had this massive experienceā€”Iā€™d be like ā€œcool, youā€™re good.ā€ Gray was like ā€œYouā€™re squared away. Bummer your kiteā€™s torn up and you canā€™t find your board, but youā€™re good.ā€

The next day, I was not keen on going back out. I was still a little shaken, and Gray was like, ā€œItā€™s no big deal.ā€ He wanted to go and rent me another kite and board. So we went outā€”to the normal break, the itty bitty one that Iā€™m used to. It was what I needed, getting back on the horse the very next day.

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Filmmaker is traveling around Australia in a bus outfittedĢżforĢżroad trips. This video, Road 2 ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶųĢżAustralia // DreamĢżTrip, follows Walton and his friendsĢżas they explore the countryā€™s beautiful landscapes.Ģż

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Itā€™s a hot, windless Saturday in September. You and your buddies wannaĢżgo play on the lake, but no oneā€™s got a boat or a Jet Ski. No matter: charge up an octocopter, lash on a tether, and hit the water for some drone surfing.

While not really a fad, drone surfing is at least a possibility, as illustrated in a recent YouTube video fromĢżSeattle drone manufacturer . In the clip, former professional kite surfer Henning Sandstrom of Swedenā€”a Freefly employeeā€”rides a skimboard across the glassy waters at Dash Point Park in Tacoma, Washington, carving back and forth as he is towed by a $17,500 Alta 8 octocopter.

The video caught fire this week, and has 400,000 views and counting. But is it a glimpse of the future or just a goofy one-off experiment? We posed that question and more to Freefly co-founderĢżTabb Firchau, 35, whose past work with drones includes filming the aerial scenes in the 2013 Leonardo DiCaprio movie The Wolf of Wall StreetĢżas well as various projects for the National Geographic ChannelĢżand the BBC.

OUTSIDE: How did the idea come about to drone surf?
FIRCHAU: I donā€™t deserve any credit. Iā€™ve been friends with Henning for years, because we were both working as drone cinematographers. Heā€™s kind of like the Swedish Matthew McConaugheyā€”he looks just like him, and heā€™s the most chill human being the world has ever created. He was goofing around one day and was like, ā€œHey, letā€™s pull me across the parking lot on a skateboard.ā€ They did that, and it worked pretty well, so he started kicking around the idea of skimboarding behind a drone.

Was that video the first time he tried it?Ģż
Yeah. I think it was one of those days when everybody had had enough time in front of the computer doing CAD and Excel spreadsheets, so we were like, letā€™s get out and shoot this. It worked pretty well, and when you do something like this and it works, you kindaĢżget this feeling like, oh, Iā€™m really excited to share this with my friends and family and my network, and we all had that feeling. So we hustled and put together a quick edit and pushed it out to the world the next day. I sent it to my friends and said, ā€œThis is ridiculous, check it out.ā€ And it just went crazy from there.

Can the drone pull more than someone on a skimboard?
That particular one is really purpose-designed to carry cameras.ĢżBut the idea is scalable; you could build a multi-rotor that was suited to carry almost anything.ĢżRight now its maximum ā€œall upā€ weight is 40 pounds, but I donā€™t think there are any technological or physical constraints.

Henning obviously weighs much more than 40 pounds, so how was it able to pull him?
He weighs about 140, but youā€™re not truly lifting all his weight. Because of the way the drag and buoyancy work as youā€™re surfing behind, when you pull someone on a low-friction surface it doesnā€™t take as much force to pull them.

Do you know of anyone else whoā€™s tried this?
People are always doing wacky shit with drones. Iā€™ve seen a few people who have done skateboard towing and maybe some snowboarding, but never surfing.

Are there any real-world drone applications related to this?
We werenā€™t really thinking about those; we were just screwing around. Right now we build stuff that moves cameras around the sky and thatā€™s really fun and great, but it would be cool to build something in the future that actually helps people. We kick around ideas all the time with that in mind. You could have a drone similar to, or maybe a bigger version of, the Alta 8 that sits on top of a lifeguard tower and then flies out if someone needs help and drops them a line and drags them in.

Have you sold more drones since this video came out?
Iā€™m not sure, actually. Weā€™ve had a ton of people say, ā€œI want to buy the Alta and drone surf,ā€ but weā€™re like, the Alta wasnā€™t really made for drone surfing. This was just for fun. Itā€™s like an automotive maker coming out with a concept car that shows what could be in the future.Ģż

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