Access to Mauna Loa Observatory restored

[TomK]

Not a discovery, not Mauna Kea,, so it's a new thread and good news for science:

"Access to NOAA’s world-renowned Mauna Loa Observatory restored"

"More than three years after lava from Hawaii’s erupting Mauna Loa volcano buried a mile of the road leading to NOAA’s Mauna Loa Atmospheric Baseline Observatory (MLO), road crews have carved a temporary road restoring access to the site. 

NOAA technicians, who had to be ferried by helicopter to the facility since 2023 to maintain limited operations, have begun restarting many of the science activities that were suspended on November 27, 2022.

“The reopening of the road to MLO on March 26, 2026, is a monumental win for NOAA and our long-term environmental observations,” said Vanda Grubišić, director of NOAA’s Global Monitoring Laboratory (GML), which operates the site. “After more than three years since being cut off by the 2022 volcanic eruption, the restoration of land access allows us to focus on the future of this pristine observational site and the planned site upgrades.”" 

https://www.noaa.gov/news/access-to-noaa...y-restored

[randomq]

According to page 25 of this PDF, there is no funding. What changed?

https://www.commerce.gov/sites/default/f...ission.pdf

[kalakoa]

Three years? Has to be some kind of record.

[punikahakaiferret]

Wow, that is news, and fast!

Just the heck of it, a couple years ago I and my significant otter drove up that road to where it ran into the wall of lava, just to see it. Wondered when access would be restored.

Question: Is the road only open at this time to MLO official staff, or can just any ol' ferret drive up for a look-see around?

[TomK]

randomq - I'm not sure, but the current administration is trying to stop funding to many science-based organizations, including the NSF. Funding of the observatory on Mauna Loa, or lack of it, is likely related.

punikahakaiferret - I don't know. I might be wrong, but I believe it's a state road, so it may be open to the public, though I cannot say for certain.

[punikahakaiferret]

Ok, mahalo! May make some inquiries if a holoholo thataway is on the radar.

[ironyak]

Just as an FYI, this is the current message on for the MLO Road Conditions.

https://gml.noaa.gov/obop/mlo/LatestNews...tions.html
""The 2022 eruption of the Mauna Loa volcano cut off road access to the Mauna Loa Baseline Observatory. Construction on the temporary Mauna Loa Access road was completed on 26 March, 2026.

At this time, there is no site access for the general public to the Mauna Loa Observatory and NOAA has not yet established a public opening date. GML and scientific partners are working together to bring mission critical scientific projects back online. It is still unclear when utility infrastructure will be replaced and power re-established to the site."

[punikahakaiferret]

Aha! Mahalo for the update, Yak!