Drove up with my dad. Nice daddy-daughter peak. Plan to return and do the hike.
crnhlio - Sep 2, 2008 10:35 am Date Climbed: Nov 25, 2003
Good workout
Great day with family
TLP - Jun 11, 2008 5:08 pm Date Climbed: Jun 4, 2008
Got it done
Hiked the Mauna Kea trail, which was great! It was a tough hike mentally, but I made it through. When I was going up the final part of the road, the ranger drove up to check how I was doing. I appreciated that. I was thinking of hitching a ride back down, but I hiked back down as well. All right, 39 State highpoints. There was still a bit of snow left on the final ridge, so I can say I touched snow in HI in June. How cool is that?
Levi - Apr 22, 2008 5:32 pm Date Climbed: Apr 21, 2008
Great Sunset!
While I did reach the summit I cant say I climbed it. My brother, my mom and I drove up from Hilo just in time for the sunset. Going from sea level to the summit in about 2 hours I really felt the altitude. Went down to visitor center and star gazed. Not so much of a climb but it was an amazing trip.
I like it on top - Apr 5, 2008 5:44 am Date Climbed: Mar 24, 2008
Sand to Snow
Beautiful day. Interesting to be playing on the beach in 80 degrees, then be playing in the snow in 37 degrees. Due to time contstraints had to drive up instead of hiking but hopefully return again for the hike. Wonderful views.
SpiceMan - Feb 24, 2008 4:37 pm Date Climbed: Feb 22, 2008
No stopping
We had to get past the visitor center by 5:30 before they closed the road so we drove up Saddle Road from Kona at about 70 MPH. They told us to acclimate for 30 minutes there!...pah!...we flew through and went straight to the summit. Saw the sunset, it was awesome...look at my pictures.
jimegan - Feb 7, 2008 11:09 am Date Climbed: Jun 9, 2007
MAUNA KEA
CLIMBED ON RETURN LEG OF CRUISE TO MIDWAY WITH WIFE AND RAY HARRINGTON
MountainHikerCO - Dec 30, 2007 10:47 pm Date Climbed: Oct 17, 2004
Mauna Kea
We slept in the back of an SUV at the Visitor Center the night before. The visitor center bathrooms (with hot water) were left open overnight. That's high end trailhead camping! The observatories were an awesome sight.
SFMountaineer - Nov 24, 2007 8:06 pm Date Climbed: Oct 1, 2007
Made it
After 3 failed attempts during my lifetime (family members getting altitude sickness, dense clouds) I finally drove up on a clear day with nothing to impede the short walk to the summit. The view was nice...not too much different from where you drive to, but nice to actually bag the summit.
dobsonian - Aug 20, 2007 5:40 pm Date Climbed: Nov 19, 2006
No Luck Try Another Time
See trip report, a little light altitude sickness did me in so turned around at ~11,700' or so.
hiked up the Mauna Kea trail with my girlfriend, breaking her elevation record in the process. We really enjoyed this hike and how we got a nice workout midway through our ocean-focused vacation. Did not see any other hikers on the trail, but did see plenty of tourists and grad-student-types at the observatories near the summit. Pretty cool! Check out the Kona brewery if you're on the island.
My wife and I debated allocating the time to do this. On the last full day of our trip we woke to an unusually clear day and decided to head up. After the summit, we checked out a few observatories - cool. Both the University of Hawaii and the W. M. Keck Observatories allowed minimal entry and had informational posters (W. M. Keck also had a video). Glad we did it.
SFMountaineer - Apr 17, 2007 12:17 pm Date Climbed: Aug 28, 2006
Drove to the top
Alas, my sister got altitude sickness so I didn't have a chance to walk over to the actual summit. However it doesn't really matter, it is one of the most serene and beautiful places in the world.
JPFINN81 - Apr 3, 2007 8:32 pm Date Climbed: Mar 13, 2007
Mauna Kea Summit
This was unreal! The views were amazing and the landscape was out of this world. I felt like I was on the moon, not on a tropical island! The air was thin and the final push was tough, but it was all worth it.
I actually felt some altitude sickness. It doesn't help to go from sea level to the summit in <6 hours.
Jerry S - Mar 26, 2007 7:55 am Date Climbed: Mar 24, 2007
Welcomed the ride down
Left Kona around 6:30am, arrived at visitor center at 8:00. It doesn't open until 9, but there was a ranger there to provide instructions to the trail head.
After that, it was a pretty straight forward hike to the summit. I took the detour to the lake at 13,000ft, and it was well worth it. Hung out there for 20 min to eat, then made my push to the summit. I was huffing after 12,500, but made it to the summit after a total of about 4:45. Left the summit at 1:00pm, at about 12,500ft, the ranger drove by and offered a ride down, I took it.
Nice hike - the ranger said they get about 5-7 hikers a week, so if you want solitude in HI, this is the one.
Saw two patches of snow covering a total area of about 2ft.
GW
The edge - Mar 14, 2007 3:54 pm Date Climbed: Nov 9, 2002
HP #36
Right in the middle of a school session...
We flew there and stayed two days...
One day to summit and the other one to tour the island...
Thanks again Philip for the opportunity!!!
Yeah, we drove it, not very sporting. The telescopes were in interesting though.
Wallylongridge - Feb 15, 2007 10:47 pm Date Climbed: Nov 5, 1984
The Road
The road and the trail. Feel a little slow at about 12,000ft, but was able to made it to the top. Saw lots of people sitting around in Downsuits and me in shorts and a tee-shirt.
Kadee - Nov 10, 2008 9:08 pm
Drive UpDrove up with my dad. Nice daddy-daughter peak. Plan to return and do the hike.
crnhlio - Sep 2, 2008 10:35 am Date Climbed: Nov 25, 2003
Good workoutGreat day with family
TLP - Jun 11, 2008 5:08 pm Date Climbed: Jun 4, 2008
Got it doneHiked the Mauna Kea trail, which was great! It was a tough hike mentally, but I made it through. When I was going up the final part of the road, the ranger drove up to check how I was doing. I appreciated that. I was thinking of hitching a ride back down, but I hiked back down as well. All right, 39 State highpoints. There was still a bit of snow left on the final ridge, so I can say I touched snow in HI in June. How cool is that?
Levi - Apr 22, 2008 5:32 pm Date Climbed: Apr 21, 2008
Great Sunset!While I did reach the summit I cant say I climbed it. My brother, my mom and I drove up from Hilo just in time for the sunset. Going from sea level to the summit in about 2 hours I really felt the altitude. Went down to visitor center and star gazed. Not so much of a climb but it was an amazing trip.
I like it on top - Apr 5, 2008 5:44 am Date Climbed: Mar 24, 2008
Sand to SnowBeautiful day. Interesting to be playing on the beach in 80 degrees, then be playing in the snow in 37 degrees. Due to time contstraints had to drive up instead of hiking but hopefully return again for the hike. Wonderful views.
SpiceMan - Feb 24, 2008 4:37 pm Date Climbed: Feb 22, 2008
No stoppingWe had to get past the visitor center by 5:30 before they closed the road so we drove up Saddle Road from Kona at about 70 MPH. They told us to acclimate for 30 minutes there!...pah!...we flew through and went straight to the summit. Saw the sunset, it was awesome...look at my pictures.
jimegan - Feb 7, 2008 11:09 am Date Climbed: Jun 9, 2007
MAUNA KEACLIMBED ON RETURN LEG OF CRUISE TO MIDWAY WITH WIFE AND RAY HARRINGTON
MountainHikerCO - Dec 30, 2007 10:47 pm Date Climbed: Oct 17, 2004
Mauna KeaWe slept in the back of an SUV at the Visitor Center the night before. The visitor center bathrooms (with hot water) were left open overnight. That's high end trailhead camping! The observatories were an awesome sight.
SFMountaineer - Nov 24, 2007 8:06 pm Date Climbed: Oct 1, 2007
Made itAfter 3 failed attempts during my lifetime (family members getting altitude sickness, dense clouds) I finally drove up on a clear day with nothing to impede the short walk to the summit. The view was nice...not too much different from where you drive to, but nice to actually bag the summit.
dobsonian - Aug 20, 2007 5:40 pm Date Climbed: Nov 19, 2006
No Luck Try Another TimeSee trip report, a little light altitude sickness did me in so turned around at ~11,700' or so.
StarMan - Aug 9, 2007 8:33 pm
December 2003The Most awesome sunset!
cdog - Jul 23, 2007 11:35 pm Date Climbed: Jul 11, 2007
alone on the trailhiked up the Mauna Kea trail with my girlfriend, breaking her elevation record in the process. We really enjoyed this hike and how we got a nice workout midway through our ocean-focused vacation. Did not see any other hikers on the trail, but did see plenty of tourists and grad-student-types at the observatories near the summit. Pretty cool! Check out the Kona brewery if you're on the island.
rkymtn - Jul 20, 2007 9:56 pm Date Climbed: Jul 18, 2007
Last minute decisionMy wife and I debated allocating the time to do this. On the last full day of our trip we woke to an unusually clear day and decided to head up. After the summit, we checked out a few observatories - cool. Both the University of Hawaii and the W. M. Keck Observatories allowed minimal entry and had informational posters (W. M. Keck also had a video). Glad we did it.
SFMountaineer - Apr 17, 2007 12:17 pm Date Climbed: Aug 28, 2006
Drove to the topAlas, my sister got altitude sickness so I didn't have a chance to walk over to the actual summit. However it doesn't really matter, it is one of the most serene and beautiful places in the world.
JPFINN81 - Apr 3, 2007 8:32 pm Date Climbed: Mar 13, 2007
Mauna Kea SummitThis was unreal! The views were amazing and the landscape was out of this world. I felt like I was on the moon, not on a tropical island! The air was thin and the final push was tough, but it was all worth it.
atavist - Apr 2, 2007 11:23 am
ams in paradiseI actually felt some altitude sickness. It doesn't help to go from sea level to the summit in <6 hours.
Jerry S - Mar 26, 2007 7:55 am Date Climbed: Mar 24, 2007
Welcomed the ride downLeft Kona around 6:30am, arrived at visitor center at 8:00. It doesn't open until 9, but there was a ranger there to provide instructions to the trail head.
After that, it was a pretty straight forward hike to the summit. I took the detour to the lake at 13,000ft, and it was well worth it. Hung out there for 20 min to eat, then made my push to the summit. I was huffing after 12,500, but made it to the summit after a total of about 4:45. Left the summit at 1:00pm, at about 12,500ft, the ranger drove by and offered a ride down, I took it.
Nice hike - the ranger said they get about 5-7 hikers a week, so if you want solitude in HI, this is the one.
Saw two patches of snow covering a total area of about 2ft.
GW
The edge - Mar 14, 2007 3:54 pm Date Climbed: Nov 9, 2002
HP #36Right in the middle of a school session...
We flew there and stayed two days...
One day to summit and the other one to tour the island...
Thanks again Philip for the opportunity!!!
lizrdboy - Mar 5, 2007 3:22 am
Road TripYeah, we drove it, not very sporting. The telescopes were in interesting though.
Wallylongridge - Feb 15, 2007 10:47 pm Date Climbed: Nov 5, 1984
The RoadThe road and the trail. Feel a little slow at about 12,000ft, but was able to made it to the top. Saw lots of people sitting around in Downsuits and me in shorts and a tee-shirt.