Mauna
Kea
This
is the scenery on the north side of Mauna Kea as I am
just getting on Saddle Road.
As
I drove south on Saddle Road, the climate changes to a
desert. It is extremely dry here, and very little
greenery. I even saw a good sized dust devil form.
I
am driving up Mauna Kea, and in the distance, I could
see Mauna Loa. The darker areas on Mauna Loa are
lava flows.
Up here on Mauna Kea, the visitor center is 9000 feet
up. You can not go any further up the mountain
without a 4x4. If you have a 4x4, and want to
ascend the extra 5000 feet, it is highly recommended
that you stay at this 9000 foot level for 45 minutes to
get accustomed to the altitude. Inside they have
video's playing, and souvenirs for sale. Also
inside, they have telescopes that they sometimes bring
out at night, and let you look through.
This
is me at the visitor center. I didn't go any
further up Mauna Kea. I will save that for next
time. Up on top of Mauna Kea, they have huge
observation towers, and plenty of snow.
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