Photographs of a Mauna Kea drive-up on August 28, 2004
by John Roper and his family. Text and photo captions by John Roper.
At 13,796 feet Mauna Kea is the highest point on the island and state of Hawaii,
and is the second greatest prominence peak in the USA 50 states.
Only McKinley beats its prominence (Rainier is a close third).
Some point out that it is the tallest mountain in the world when measured from its base,
rising over 33,000 feet above the ocean floor.
Despite warnings about definitely requiring 4WD to get to the top
(and illegal to take your rental car here), high altitude sickness on such a
rapid elevation gain especially to those under 16, high winds and biting cold,
Karen, Aaron, and I summited this prize on 8/28/2004, doing 99.9 % in a rented wimpy Dodge Neon
largely on asphalt, with only one 5 mile section being nicely graded dirt-gravel.
It's a 2.5 hour casual drive from Kailua-Kona on the sea.
The top is studded with observatories to the heavens.
photo 1 - Karen and Aaron (age 10.9) step from the car,
approach the summit pitch. Karen wards off the bitter elements in her North Face beach towel.
photo 2 - John and Aaron on top. Mauna Loa ("Long Mountain"),
13,677 feet, only 119 feet lower, in back.
photo 3 - Looking from the summit to some of the observatories
(and our car, just above Karen's head).
