Hilo Off The Beaten Path Tips by BlueCollar

Have You Ever Seen a Mountain's Shadow?

You can see Mauna Kea's (kay-uh) shadow as it grows in the photo to the left. You will need to travel to the top for this unique sight. Why is this so unique here when there are taller mountains in the world? Because this mountain stands 13,797 feet above the flat ocean so there is nothing blocking its claim to what little sunshine is left as the sun settles below the horizon.

You could drive to the top yourself if you like as long as you have rented a 4WD since the road to the top is not paved all of the way and has a large section of loose gravel. You may also encounter fog, rain or even snow and ice so the driving conditions can be dangerous. You'll void most car rental agreements by driving up here so if you have a problem, don't call the rental company. Also, because of the high altitude, some folks may experience altitude sickness for which your remedy is only more oxygen. The tour companies carry oxygen tanks just in case. However, the real danger of coming up here is not the trip to the top. It's the drive back down. The steep grade may cause many to drag their brakes and eventually they will fade or fail. You may just end up making a straight path through the trees at the next turn in the road if you're not careful.

So, to avoid some of these pitfalls, we opted for the Sunset and Stargazing Tour with Arnott's Lodge. We rode in their van to the end of the road. Then I hiked to the summit while the wife stayed behind. At this altitude, I was quite winded for what seemed like such an easy hike up the short trail. The thin air really worked me over.

Be sure to pack warm clothes for this trip. It can be below freezing at this altitude while it is 80° F. at sea level. It was only about 40° F. with light wind while we were here but our trip to the top of Haleakala on Maui was much colder. There the winds were gusting to 25 MPH with an air temp already at 38° F. That put it below freezing with the windchill factored in.

Website: http://www.arnottslodge.com