Can you do Mauna Kea by yourself?
Yes, but not with any car and only during daylight hours. On the road from the visitor center to the summit only 4WD vehicles are allowed, and the summit is off-limits from half and hour after sunset. Read more about driving to the summit here.
Is it hard to drive up Mauna Kea?
It can be dangerous to be up there. Mauna Kea is one of the only places in the world where you can drive from sea level to 14,000 feet in about 2 hours, so altitude sickness is a high possibility. At 14,000 feet visitors should acclimatize to the altitude before proceeding further up the mountain.
How long is the drive to the top of Mauna Kea?
A 43 mile scenic drive takes you from sea level in Hilo (or Kona or Waimea) up to the summit of Mauna Kea at 13,796 to the astronomical observatories at the top! The drive takes you through just about every ecosystem on the island.
Can you drive up Mauna Kea with AWD?
Yes! over a year ago. There is a sign at the beginning of the unpaved road that says, “2-WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES NOT RECOMMENDED BEYOND THIS POINT, EXCLUDE 4-WHEEL DRIVE”. This is just past the visitors center located at 9300 feet.
Can you hike Mauna Kea?
There are two major hikes on Mauna Kea that attract most hikers: The full Mauna Kea Summit Trail (Humu’ula Trail) and a shorter hike to Lake Waiau.
How cold is it on top of Mauna Kea?
How cold is it at the Mauna Kea summit area? The average temperature near the summit is 32 degrees Fahrenheit or 0 Celsius. The wind-chill factor may dip the temperature far below freezing.
How steep is the road to Mauna Kea?
15% grade
The Mauna Kea road includes a steep (15% grade) unpaved stretch that, beyond the visitor center at about 9300′, is restricted to 4-wheel-drive vehicles, and also has other restrictions to protect visitors and astronomers’ work at the summit’s many observatories (including a recommendation to hang around the visitor …
Can I drive rental car to Mauna Kea?
Rental cars are not allowed to travel beyond the visitor’s center. If you want to go all the way up to the Mauna Kea Observatory, you will need to find a commercial tour company or a car rental company in Hilo to rent you a 4WD and that also allows their vehicles on this unpaved portion.
Is Mauna Kea summit open?
The summit access road closes 30 minutes after sunset and re-opens 30 minutes before sunrise. The paved Mauna Kea access road up to the Visitor Information Station is open 24 hours.
Can you stargaze at Mauna Kea on your own?
Mauna Kea Summit on Your Own What is this? It’s easy enough to at least get to the visitor’s center on your own. The road is a little windy but completely paved. There is a stargazing program held for the public at the Visitor’s Center on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday evenings from 7PM-10PM.
Is Mauna Kea a difficult climb?
Reaching the summit is no easy feat. It is a 6 mile hike gaining 4,500′ of elevation to reach the summit from the visitor center. Furthermore, the starting point at the visitor center is at 9,300′, which gives hikers absolutely no time to acclimate.