If you fly into Hilo airport (located on the Big Island of Hawaii) on a clear day the first sight that will greet you as you drive out of the parking lot is a massive dormant volcano that towers nearly 14,000-feet above sea level (from its base on the ocean floor it rises 32,000 feet). Its Hawaiian name is Mauna Kea or White Mountain. It got its name nearly 2,000 years ago from the natives who saw snow blanket its barren slopes.
These days Mauna Kea is more than just a scenic backdrop to sleepy Hilo town; it is a mecca for astronomers and home to the planet’s largest astronomical observatory. It is also one of Hawaii’s most popular tourist attractions. However, getting to the summit can be a bit tricky… make that very tricky. (Only 4-wheel-drive vehicles are permitted on the summit.)
If you are visiting the area and want to experience the otherworldly sights located at the top of Mauna Kea your best bet is to sign up with a guided tour operator. Several companies offer guided tours, which last about eight hours. The guided tours are by far the safest and most educational way to explore Mauna Kea (believe me I was born and raised on the Big Island and know many people who have died trying to navigate the mountain alone).
The tours will take you to the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy (the center was named after NASA Astronaut Ellison Onizuka, one of the seven crew members who died in the 1986 explosion of the “Challenger” space shuttle), which is located at the 9,000-foot level. All tours stop here to allow visitors a chance to acclimate to the drastic change in altitude and temperature. (Because of the thin air tours will not accept anyone under the age of 16 or people suffering from respiratory or heart conditions.)
From the center it is about a 30-minute drive to the summit on a very steep, winding, unpaved road. It is a treacherous journey, but the views from the top are unparalleled. What’s more, it is deadly silent. There is absolutely no ambient sound—-no leaves rustling, no birds chirping, and no traffic–nothing but pure silence. Look around and you’ll see 13 massive multi-million dollar telescopes housed in white dome-shaped structures surround you. Look down and you’ll see a bank of white, fluffy clouds isolate you from the city below.
It’s a great place to gain a new perspective on life and an experience you won’t soon forget.
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