brochill wrote:I'd go with Mauna Loa. I didn't hit Mauna Kea but the with the road to the top I'd imagine it's a lot more crowded. In 3.5 days on Loa I only saw 3 or 4 people.

There is a trail that you can use to avoid the road (which is dirt and sorta blends in from a distance.) I didn't encounter anyone on the trail on M.K. and only noticed a few vehicles on the road. I left so early in the morning that the Keck Observatory still had it's bay doors open when I summited.

Visiting the great Keck Observatory or even just being at the Site would be an awesome experience. Visitor info:

<a href=http://keckobservatory.org/education/visiting>Visitor Info - Keck</a>

Thanks for all the advice, folks. We decided on Mauna Loa and it was a damned cool hike. I suppose the lava did get a little monotonous but with so many kinds and so much different terrain it was fairly interesting the whole way. Though it's odd going up a mountain that's so gradual and flat that it's hard to tell where the summit might be. Still, the caldera up top was nothing short of spectacular. I'd definitely recommend it.

Who the hell can find time to go to Hawaii ???


I just made it back from my wife's island in the "Ring of Fire."