Good afternoon Jill, 

Thanks for reaching out to Ask Extension! 

The splitting in the bark isn't something to be concerned about, as it can occur for a variety of reasons. 

Looking at the pictures of the base of the trunk, it does look like this tree was planted close to the grafting union. If the union is buried (I.E there is any Honey Crisp trunk in the ground) it can cause a condition called adventitious rooting. This is where the tree begins to throw roots from anywhere other than the radicle (embryonic root). The main issue with this is that if the Honey Crisp begins to root, you've lost the function of the rootstock it was planted on. 

Because I can still see the union, I don't think there is a lot of cause for concern, but I wouldn't recommend putting any more soil on it. 

Thanks, 

Logan Bennett