If you’re looking for an off-the-beaten-path adventure, a road trip to the summit of Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii is an unforgettable experience. Mauna Kea, Hawaiian for “white mountain,” is a dormant volcano that rises 13,803 feet above sea level. Almost a fourteener and the tallest, not the highest, mountain on earth!
While the drive to the summit is not for the faint of heart, the breathtaking views, the snow near the summit, and the thrill of seeing daring people snowboarding and sledding down the volcano’s slopes make it all worthwhile. While it’s not uncommon to see snow on the summit during the winter months, it’s still a rare and thrilling sight. These are sacred lands for Hawaiian people and your journey must be respectful. The observatories are largely viewed as unwelcomed and protests continue to block further expansion of observatories on Mauna Kea.
Mauna Kea’s observatories are world-renowned for the important work they do in studying the universe and there are a lot of them at the summit. It is an ideal location for telescopes and other astronomical instruments due to its high altitude, clear skies, and lack of light pollution. Many of the observatories are open to the public for tours, providing an intriguing glimpse into the cutting-edge research being conducted at the summit.
One thing to remember is the altitude. The summit of Mauna Kea is over 13,000 feet above sea level, so altitude sickness is a possibility. If you’re not used to high altitudes, take it slowly and be aware of the symptoms of altitude sickness, which include headache, nausea, and shortness of breath.
As you make your way up the mountain, stop at the visitor center (9,200 feet above sea level) for important safety information and some pretty sweet shopping. Pick up a custom embroidered Mauna Kea beanie – it’s cold at the summit! Also, do a self-check to see if you are feeling any effects of the high altitude. Kiwe reported her nose and partial face started to tingle and feel a bit numb!! She stayed behind while Mia, Molly, and I prepared to make the journey to the summit of Mauna Kea. Almost forgot. The bathrooms are pretty decent!
The rangers can advise you on how to stay safe during your ascent and tell you things to watch out for. We were directly told that while they can’t legally stop us from doing so, they highly recommend not taking children under 12 to the summit. We erred on the side of caution which meant that Molly would need to stay behind with Kiwe.
Now it was just Mia and I!
The rangers also indicated what they were responsible for and what we were responsible for. As an example, if you get stuck or can’t proceed or return from beyond the visitor’s station, the Rangers would come to collect you and bring you back to the visitor station. This meant that your vehicle would stay on the volcano and you would be responsible for having it towed back to you. It was also STRONGLY recommended that you have a 4X4 vehicle as weather and surface conditions can change rapidly. While an AWD or all-wheel drive vehicle can make the ascent, they are not all created equal. Use common sense.
We arrived with gusto and full of intent to summit Mauna Kea. But the Volcano had a different opinion. The rangers had closed the access road due to black ice. It was necessary for it to clear up before we could proceed. Our excitement to make it to the summit quickly became, let’s go as far as we can safely go. Once the barricades were removed and we went ever-onward the road quickly changed from paved to crushed volcanic gravel. The road was dry. Bone dry. Where was this black ice? In a very slow high angle crawl in our vehicle up the Mauna Kea access road, the views of the valleys below and the landscape repeatedly inspired us with their beauty.
After several miles and thousands of feet gained in altitude, the road changed back to asphalt! This must have been where the black ice was spotted earlier in the day. By the time we arrived, it had all burned off and the roads were smooth and clear all the way to the summit. An easy ride for us, but still a little bit of a struggle for our rented AWD Nissan Murano. We felt the snow, and watched the snowboarders race down pristine snow-covered slopes — on a VOLCANO! The observatories dotted the ridgelines and the view of the valley and ocean in the distance was stunning. We only stayed at the summit for 15 minutes or so, made some snowballs, took several deep breaths and knew it was time to depart.
As we prepared for our descent, I recalled that the rangers highly recommended turning off any automated descent controls for the return trip as this would cause your brakes to literally burn up and your brake fluid to boil. Keep your car in low gear and let the engine do the work. Watch the temperature and you should be good to go. Pay attention to the smell of hot brakes and watch out for smoke! Once returning back to the visitors center the Rangers used a laser-guided thermometer to get the temperature of our brake rotors. If they were over 300 degrees we would need to wait in a cool-down pull-out so we could safely head back down to the base of the volcano.
A road trip to the summit of Mauna Kea on Hawaii’s Big Island is an adventure that provides breathtaking views, exciting activities, and a unique glimpse into the world of astronomy. This is an experience you won’t want to miss, whether you’re a seasoned traveler or a first-time visitor to Hawaii. For a safe and enjoyable trip, remember to take it slowly, be aware of the altitude, and follow the rangers’ safety advice. 
Resoundingly respected among my peers as the ‘go-to’ guy. Tom McGuire is a creator, explorer, and citizen scientist focused on the use of technology and emerging methodologies to capture the natural world so that it may be experienced in different ways.
© Tom McGuire •