Show HIGHEST PEAK ON CONTINENT mighty mount mckinley rears its snow covered head high into the clouds reaching an altitude of 20 feet above sea level the peak is the major attraction of mount mckinley national park one of the two parks located outside the continental limits STUDY IN CONTRASTS lush tropics frozen arctic E in overseas oversells ens parks features two of the great national parks which belong to the people of the united states lie in our territories overseas hawaii national park on the islands of hawaii and main maui in the hawaiian archipelago and mount mckinley national park in alaska these two parks present a shudyin study in contrasts hawaii within the tropics basks in perpetual spring its forests with lush ferns 40 feet high are gay with birds of brilliant brilli arft plumage mckinley on the other hand enjoys a brief summer season of warmth and during most of the year sleeps in arctic silence here in winter some of the birds and small animals even don white habits to travel like spectres spec tres over the snowy landscape hawaii national park was dished by act of congress on august 1 1916 and w a s placed national parks under ad ministration ninth of national in a series park service which also was created in the same month main features in the park are two spectacular vol canoes frequently active kilauea and mauna loa on the island of hawaii and one of the world s larg est dormant volcanoes haleakala on the island of maul maui the total area within the two sections of the park is about square miles kilauea probably older than its neighbor towering mauna loa ere cre ates the impression of being a crater in atille side of the higher mountain although it is itself a mountain with an altitude of 4 feet this illusion is the result of a broad depression at its top and of its gentle slopes caused by lava flows from many lateral vents within the depression is a vast pit Hale maumau or house of fire which often contains a boiling bub bl ng mass of molten lava whose surface fluctuates from bottom to rim until 1924 molten lava was usually visible at any time in Hale maumau but activity since then has been spasmodic its risings are accompanied by brilliant fountains and inflows of liquid lava and its lo lowen by tremendous avalanches which send up enormous dust clouds to the west of kilauea rises the vast dome of mauna loa whose summit crater is included in the national park in eluded also is a broad connecting belt between the two volcan volcanoes mauna loa thrusts it great volcanoes b bulk lk 13 feet above the surrounding pacific by eruptions in its summit crater and by flank outbreaks it is constantly add ng to its mass in action mauna loa is even more spectacular than kilauea and steam vents continually send feath ery clouds into the air extending northeast and southwest from the summit are volcanic rifts with many deep rents formed by earth quake and eruption as well as many brilliantly brill antly colored spatter cones some feet in height twice since 1880 the city of H lo 10 at the base of the volcano has been threatened by great rivers of lava which have flowed down the sides of the moun tain HALEAKALA SECTION of ha wan wall national park is on the island of M maul jul this volcano derives its name means house of the boyi bubil 1 a legend about the poly demigod maui who climbed to the top of haleakala ensnared the rays of the sun and forced it to travel more slowly in its course so that his mother might have chent time to complete her day days s work haleakala now rising more than 10 feet above sea level was once a mush much higher mountain an aam A mi fn collapse of the dome many y yc years ars ago formed a great crater 7 miles long and 3 miles wide with walls over 1000 1 feet big high within these gorgeously col ored walls lies a superb vol came spectacle covering th floor are giant red black and orange cinder cones which al though hundreds of feet high are dwarfed by the immensity of their surroundings the crater has a circumference of 21 miles and an area of 19 square miles both sections of the park are reached from honolulu by island boat or airplane from hilo port of hawaii island one may rent an au to mobile for the trip to kilauea or take a regular bus MOUNT mckinley national park situated in south central alas ka ica was created by act of congress in 1917 it contains an area of a little more than 3 square miles principal scenic feature of the park is mighty mount mckinley highest peak on the north american con this majestic mountain rears its snow covered head high into the clouds reaching an altitude of 20 feet above sea level and rises 17 above the timber line on its north and west sides mckin ley springs abruptly from a plateau only 2 to 3 feet high for two thirds of the way down from its summit mount mckinley is enveloped in snow throughout the year benali home of the sun was the name given to this impressive moun tain by the early indians near mount mckinley are mount foraker with an elevation of 17 feet mount hunter 14 feet and mount russell feet great gliders glaciers fed by the high snow fields of this mountain range flow many miles both to the north and to the south during the park season which ex tends from june 10 to september 10 with more than 18 hours of daylight each day there is a wealth of flow ering plants the park is also the home of many interesting animals and birds prospective visitors to mount mckinley national park probably will make the trip to alaska by steamer from seattle to use the war constructed alaska highway through canada requires a special permit from the canadian govern ment and permits are not yet granted to mo motor tor tourists business men settlers and bus passengers may apply for permits to L E drummond traffic control D dm sion alaska highway edmonton alberta wa VAST PIT or house of fire Is a vast pit tn in the crater of kilauea volcano hawaii national park |