Mauna Kea ("White Mountain") is the highest peak in the state and its slopes are generally snow-covered in winter. The volcano rises about 5600 m (about 18,000 ft) from the ocean floor to the surface and continues up to a height of 4205 m (13,796 ft) above sea level, making its overall height from its base on the ocean floor to its summit 9,800 m (32,000 ft), higher than any other mountain in the world.
The summit of Mauna Kea is home to a dozen world-class observatories. The twin Keck Telescope domes are in the middle-left foreground. The 8-meter Subaru, with its cylindrical dome, is in front of the Kecks. Behind the Kecks are, left to right: the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF), the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, the under-construction Gemini 8-meter, the University of Hawaii 2.2-meter, and the United Kingdom Infrared 3.8-meter Telescope. In the lower-right foreground are, left to right, the Smithsonian-Taiwan submillimeter array, the James Clerk Maxwell 15-meter submillimeter telescope and the Caltech 10-meter submillimeter telescope.
The narrated drive to the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy over the "Saddle Road" offers spectacular views of the surrounding volcanoes. Unusual cloud formations fill the valley which primarily consists of recent lava flows from Mauna Loa volcano. The Center offers many displays about the observatories and night sky.
Leaving
the Center we arrive at the summit just before sunset which is
usually magnificent. After sunset we return to the Center for dinner
(provided) followed by some great stargazing. We'll view the planets
and stars for a couple of hours and then return you to your point of
origin having experienced all that the mountain has to offer.
Mauna Kea
Tours
& Prices
Services
Information
Photo
Gallery
All
Day Hike & Bike
Green
Sand Beach
Lava
Viewing
Half
Day Hike or Bike
Minimum
age 16
Afternoon
Departures
Some
restrictions apply.