Show STUDY IN CONTRASTS lush tropics frozen arctic embraced in overseas 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 maui in the hawaiian archipelago and mount mckinley national park in alaska these two parks present a 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 plumage mckinley on the other hand enjoys a brief summer season of warmth and during roost 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 established by act ot of congress on august 1 1916 and w a a placed national parks under administration ninth of national in a series park service I 1 which also was created in the same month main features in the park are two spectacular volcanoes frequently active kilauea and mauna loa on the island of hawaii and one of the worlds largest dormant volcanoes haleakala on the island of maui the total area within the two sections of the park is about square miles kilauea Kilau ea probably older than its neighbor towering mauna loa creates the impression of being a crater in the side of the higher mountain although it is itself a mountain with an altitude of 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 pith pit Hale maumau or house of fire which often contains a boiling bu bubbling mass of molten lava whose surface fluctuates from bottom to rim until 1924 molten lava was usually visible at any time in but activity since then has been spasmodic its risings are accompanied by brilliant fountains and mows inflows of liquid lava and its lo 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 included also is a broad connecting belt between the two volcanoes mauna loa thrusts it great bulk feet above the surrounding pacific by eruptions in its summit crater and by flank outbreaks it is constantly adding to its mass in action mauna loa is even more spectacular than kilauea Kilau ea and steam vents continually send feathery clouds into the air extending northeast and southwest from the summit are volcanic rifts drifts with many deep rents formed by earth quake and eruption as well as many brilliantly colored spatter cones some feet in height twice since 1880 the city of hilo at the base of the volcano has been threatened by great rivers of lava which have flowed down the sides of the mountain HALEAKALA SECTION of hawaii national park Is on the island of maul maui this volcano derives its name which means house of the sun from a legend about the polynesian 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 sufficient time to complete her days work haleakala now rising more than feet above sea level was once a much higher mountain A collapse of the dome many years ago formed a great crater 7 miles long and 3 miles wide with walls over 1000 feet high within these gorgeously colored walls lies a superb volcanic spectacle covering the floor door are giant red black and orange cinder cones which although 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 ot of hawaii island one may rent an automobile to tor for the trip to kilauea or take a regular bus 0 0 MOUNT mckinley national park situated in south central alaska was created by act of congress in 1917 it contains an area of a little more than square miles principal scenic feature of the park Is mighty mount blount mckinley highest peak on the north american continent this majestic mountain rears its snow covered head high into the clouds cloud reaching an altitude of feet above sea level and rises above the timber line on its north and west sides mckin ley springs abruptly from a plateau only 2500 to feet high for two thirds of 0 the way down from its summit mount blount BIc mckinley Kinley Is enveloped in snow throughout the year denall home of the sun was the name given to this impressive mountain by the early indians near mount blount mckinley are mount foraker with an elevation of feet mount blount hunter feet and mount russell feet great glaciers fed by the high snow fields of this moun mountain taki range flow many miles both to the north and to the south during the park season leasco which extends from june 10 to september 10 with more than 18 hours of daylight each day there is a wealth of flowering plants the park is also the home of many interesting animals and birds I 1 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 canad a requires a special permit from the canadian government and permits are not yet granted to motor tourists business men settlers and bus passengers may apply tor for permits to L E drummond traffic control division alaska highway edmonton alberta iii VAST PIT Hale liale maumau or the house ouse of fire Is a vast pit in the crater of kilauea volcano hawaii national park |