The view from the summit of Mauna Loa on Hawaii Island is past examine. On a transparent day, the horizon stretches out endlessly earlier than you at 13, 678 ft above sea degree. On an exceptionally clear day you possibly can see the precise curvature of the earth itself. It’s astonishing and completely unforgettable, and it might be a once-in-a-lifetime expertise for anybody on Planet Earth who isn’t straight concerned within the day by day stewardship of the sacred mountain.
It’s also troublesome to get to the summit of Mauna Loa, and appropriate just for knowledgeable back-country hikers. The altitude itself may be lethal, and the summit is simply accessible by hiking trails that wind by means of many miles of lava fields which might be steep, sharp, and free. Tenting permits are required by the Nationwide Park Service for one of many eight (8) back-country websites on the mountain. Every is exclusive and worthy of the 3-night tenting allow dedication.
There are few companies or amenities out there within the back-country. Catchment water is offered in some areas however should be handled correctly earlier than ingesting. The summit is accessible solely from the Mauna Loa Street and the Mauna Loa Observatory Street. It ought to solely be tried by skilled mountaineers.
However there are numerous areas on and across the large defend volcano which might be rather more accessible and supply views and vistas like no others on the planet. They’re all difficult and require cautious planning and preparation. Hikers additionally face the potential of extreme climate, seismic and/or volcanic exercise, un-exploded WWII ordnance (!), steep slopes, overgrown trails, and warmth exhaustion/stroke. Towards the summit hypothermia and frostbite change into threats throughout winter storm warning.
And let’s not overlook the creatures and critters you might encounter on a hike within the Volcanoes Nationwide Parks back-country: centipedes, scorpions, Black Widow spiders, mosquitos, mongooses, mice, feral cats, and toxic sea urchins amongst others.
On some trails, just like the coastal Ka’aha Trail, there are scant few bushes for shade and solely a crude lean-to for shelter and water catchment. You will need to all the time test with park rangers about water ranges and all the time convey your individual, as water won’t be out there at occasions.
A lot of Volcanoes Nationwide Park is true and guarded wilderness, as wild because the meadows and of Yellowstone or Yosemite and as desolate because the barren Nice Salt Lake. However is vital for guests to keep in mind that additionally it is a protected Native Hawaiian cultural protect. Among the many petroglyphs and different historic websites, the park is house to historic spiritual gatherings and rituals, a sacred web site revered by native folks for 1500 years.
The mountain itself is, to make use of a Western time period, a cathedral. Fishing and different pure assets are restricted to Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners (don’t convey a fishing pole, you possibly can’t use it!). It’s a solemn place, as removed from the glowing sands of Waikiki or the flashy resorts of the Kona Coast on the opposite aspect of the Large Island as you may get.
In that respect, Mauna Loa mountaineering trails and cultural websites inside the park are delicate, pure reserves that deserve guests’ admiration and respect. Locations like these are why we are saying, “depart nothing behind” when hiking anywhere in Hawaii.
Mountaineering Mauna Loa may be one of the rewarding experiences of a customer’s life, however it will probably additionally flip deadly-dangerous for careless hikers in a second. It’s not for click on hungry selfie-seekers. It takes a plan, preparation, and knowledgeable recommendation from folks right here who’ve the expertise that will help you make it occur. Some elements of the realm round Mauna Loa could also be closed at any given time for quite a lot of causes, all the time with public security and cultural and pure preservation in thoughts.
And that’s what we at Hawaii Aloha Journey are right here to do, that will help you get pleasure from Hawaii’s magnificence in its fullest. Allow us to aid you plan your Mauna Loa Volcano mountaineering journey from the bottom up.
Posted by: Jamie Winpenny
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