We were up at 4:00 AM to witness the dawn along with about 200 other folks-- it's the "in" thing to do here! After dawn the more intrepid take a bike down the 1,000 foot crater to again say "I did it". We didn't. It was really cold up there and blowing fiercely... fortunately we brought warm clothes and blankets. Most spectacular is when the sky is clear-- unfortunately we had a cloud cover so we waited a bit longer as the sun made it over the clouds. So here is the sequence as dawn comes. If you look carefully at one picture (number 9 -- the one with the mountain silhouette on the left) you'll see the twin peaks of the "Big Island" of Hawaii peeking out of the clouds. Otherwise, enjoy the dawn in the warmth of your home as well as the drive back down the mountain in the relative safety of a car!