The West Maui Mountains, West Maui Volcano, or Mauna Kahalawai which means "holding house of water," is approximately 1.7 million years old and forms a much eroded shield volcano that constitutes the western quarter of the Hawaiian Island of Maui. Since its last eruption approximately 320,000 years ago, the West Maui Mountains have undergone substantial stream erosion.
The three moku or districts of west Maui are Lāhaina, Kāʻanapali, and Wailuku. Wailuku is also known as Pūʻalikomohana, or Nā Wai ʻEhā which means the four waters. The 4 waters are the ahupuaʻa, which are Waikapū, Wailuku, Waiʻehu, and Waiheʻe.
The port of Lāhainā lies on the southwestern slope.
The summit peak is called Puʻu Kukui, at 5,788 feet elevation. Pu'u Kukui translates into "candlenut hill".