Hawaii - Driving to the top of Mauna Kea

Betsy tries to stay warm at sunset at the top of Mauna Kea, elevation 13, 000 feet.
Note observatories behind her.
 

Because riding in a helicopter over an active volcano wasn't enough adventure for us in a single day, we also decided to visit the very top of the tallest mountain in the world,*  Muana Kea.  To get there, you really need a four wheel drive**.  So we went to a local car and truck rental shop in Kona and rented ourselves a four wheel drive just for the purpose of getting to the top.  Never fear, if you have a regular car, you can still go to the Muana Kea Visitor's Center, which sits at a pretty elevated 9,000 feet. 

Betsy, Samuel, Benjamin. 
We're just about to get back in our car because it's really cold. 
But look at that sunset! 

The big draw is the sunset at the top, surrounded by otherworldly observatories.  In fact, it's such a big draw, that four wheel buses will take you up for a price and save you the trouble of driving yourself.  I just let Steven do the driving (with a lot of verbal instruction from Benjamin on downshifting.)  You'll need to stop at the visitor's center first, where you'll need at least a half hour to acclimate to the elevation. This gives you ample time to visit the center, where you can buy astronaut food and freeze-dried Kona coffee.  This is also where the astronomers sleep in housing during the day.  A helpful park ranger will also educate you on the symptoms of altitude sickness.  This is no joke.  (Side note: I did have instant Kona coffee, but then I gulped a whole lot of H2O. Hydration is key.) 

The way to the top. source: Cheap Kona Car Rental 

It's about six miles to the top from the visitor center over a bumpy unpaved road, followed by a narrow paved lane to the top. There are no trees or vegetation at this elevation, just a series of observatories and a very bitter strong wind.  We came in the summer, so no snow, but high 30s.  Only in Hawaii, can you go from 9 feet elevation and 90 degrees to 13,000 feet and 39 degrees!  Bring the wool socks. (Or, like the Japanese tourists we saw, book a tour bus that provides parkas.) 

After you watch the spectacular sunset, the park rangers shoo you back down the mountain. No camping!  (Not that anyone would want to.)  As we bumped our way down, the vans filled with graduate student astronomers were coming up the mountain to stay up all night observing the stars. 


On the way back, we hoped to stop at the visitor center again to participate in some star gazing, but the lot was filled with amateur astronomers bent on seeing the Perseid meteor showers.  We did a little star gazing at the parking lot at the base of the mountain.  The Big Island hates light pollution, so we craned our necks and were dazzled.         


*Yes, it is so the tallest.  Measured from the bottom of the sea floor, Muana Kea is taller than Mt. Everest.  So there. 

**And while I shouldn't be telling you this, it is not technically illegal to drive a regular car up to the top.  But really, you shouldn't and the park rangers will give you the evil eye if you do.