The Snows of Mauna Kea

[timkona]

Holy Cow ! 4 foot in some places. White and beautiful.

We left S. Kona at 9 AM. Got to the Visitor Center before noon. Then up to the top for playtime. Everything covered in a blanket of white. The bright sun glinting off the snow made it impossible to see without sunglasses.

We brought the boogie board and had a blast. Carved out a run after 5 or 6 rides. It kept getting longer and longer down the shallow slope.

Kids got altitude sickness pretty bad. We left the summit after only 30 minutes. Down to the John Burns Way parking lot. Cooked up some water for hot chocolate. By this time, there was easily 2,000 cars on top of the mountain. It was packed to the point of dangerous. Every truck piled high with snow. If you wonder why the snows of Mauna Kea disappear so fast, it's because we truck it all to Pine Trees to have snowball fights in the sand.

Trip down the mountain took over 2 hours. Total traffic jam. Couple of 2wd rent-a-cars stuck in the side of the road. I got out and walked for about 2 miles down the hill, before the AF caught up to me. I had a blast talking to everybody I saw.

Clouds forming in the late afternoon. Sun setting. Snow falling. Getting colder. Still the line of cars stay stopping.

Finally down to the Visitors Center. Got there around 4:15. Potty stop, and whipped up some Cambells Chicken Noodle for everybody. Then home to S Kona by 7PM. What a day.

Warning - If you have children under the age of 12, you take a big risk running them uphill past 11,000 ft. Be sure to hydrate them early and often.

[Pua'i Mana'o]

Re: The Snows of Mauna Kea

We are headed up at the end of the week. It's too soggy on this side of the isle to make the trek. Glad you enjoyed yourself, Tim!

[MyopicJoe]

Re: The Snows of Mauna Kea

Thanks for sharing the story and the tips. My kids would love the snow, but they probably couldn't handle it.

[Amati]

Use caution on who goes to the top

http://irtfweb.ifa.hawaii.edu/observ...MK_Hazards.pdf

ALTITUDE

The summit elevation is 13,796 feet (4200 m), where the atmospheric pressure is 40% less than at sea level. Less oxygen is available to the lungs, and acute mountain sickness is common. Symptoms include headaches, drowsiness, nausea, shortness of breath, and poor judgment. The intensity of these symptoms may be lessened by spending at least 1/2 hour at the Visitor Information Station, 9,200 feet (3,000 m), before traveling to the summit. If these symptoms persist or become severe, immediately descend to lower altitudes. High altitude exposure is particularly hazardous for pregnant women, for persons in poor physical condition or with heart or respiratory problems, and for children and teenagers. Extended exposure to high altitude can cause permanent damage to younger persons whose bodies are still developing. For this reason, it is strongly recommended that none of these individuals (including children under the age of 16) travel above the Visitor Information Station.
CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 16, PREGNANT WOMEN, PERSONS IN POOR PHYSICAL CONDITION OR WITH HEART OR RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS SHOULD NOT TRAVEL ABOVE THE VISITOR INFORMATION STATION.
High altitudes can also cause the life-threatening conditions pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs) and cerebral edema (fluid on the brain). Symptoms include severe headaches, vomiting, breathing difficulties, coughing, blue lips or fingernails, disorientation, and extreme drowsiness that may lead to coma. Immediate descent is essential if any of these symptoms appear.