Rain, Mauna Kea, Skiing, and Altitude Sickness

[leilanidude]

Looking at the cameras now - there are a lot of vehicles already at the top. 6:50am Sunday

[randomq]

What was going on at the VIS? Just crowded?

[leilanidude]

The gathering of snow into pickup trucks!

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

The gathering of snow into pickup trucks!

Now would be the perfect time to conduct an informal poll on or near the summit, about Mauna Kea access and resources, with such sample questions as:

* Does snow removal from the summit area affect Mauna Kea's water table and the level of Lake Waiau when you, personally, remove the snow, or is the water table and lake only affected by zero waste facilities?

* Part 1 - Do you think the act of snow removal was formerly kapu under the ali'i, and
Part 2 - would you like to return to a Hawaii ruled as it was in that era?

"You all just got a lot richer." Donald Trump, Dec 23, 2017, speaking to friends, donors, and sycophants who could afford the $200,000 yearly membership fee at Mar-a-Lago.

[1voyager1]

Mauna Kea Ski Report, ...

...Or, what will have to pass for one.

I got up there about 10/10:30am, or there abouts.
My topo, photo, web cam recon had me liking Pu'u Poli'ahu for my first try.
It looked to have a pretty moderate slope down the South side of the "bowl", the area with the white minerals, or what ever on it in the summer pics, and few large rocks and boulders.
Plus, it looked to be the shortest distance to get to it.

I have since changed my mind.
One reason is that the West slope of the bowl shows signs of slab avalanches.
The dry snow will not stabilize quickly.
But, it is probably safe.
You go first.
The other is that I've seen what seems to be a better Pu'u to try.

Now, Some might be tempted to say the dotty old fool is not a young buck any more.
I'd rather interpret it as, I need more conditioning both physical and acclimation to the altitude.

I have been a 140# hyper active most of my life.
So, I have never carried much, if any, body fat, until recently.
I am now the proud owner of a moderately small pot belly, the most expensive thing I own.
Plus, I am very stiff jointed.
When I bend over to put my socks and boots on, I can't breath and go hypoxic until I straighten up and take some deep breaths.
I could pass out trying to buckle my boots.
A higher red cell count might help with that.
I have never been and never will be limber.

The snow isn't all that good.
It is wind blown with shiny reflective areas all over it, except where the wind blown particles are covering it, giving a mildly variable snow.
The temps and radiation are warm enough for the snow to melt.
But, because of the very low humidity, I think the snow sublimates instead of melting.
No moisture in it, just dry water ice crystals.
I've skied worse.
But, it was a long time ago.

Alpine gear should be able to handle it nicely with moderate skills.
I liken a snow board to using a 20# hammer.
It should smash anything.
It will take polished skills to do it with finesse using telly gear.
my skills are a bit corroded right now.

I traveled about 1/4 mile maximum [round trip] before deciding that the road and terrain that needed to be crossed, to get to the area I wanted to get to, were too steep.
And, I was too out of condition.
I was pretty shaky and wobbly when I started out, but muscle memory seemed to be coming back by the time I got back to my vehicle.
My muscles were getting their memory back but they were also tiring very quickly.

There was a thundering herd up on top.
Surprisingly, a very high number were up there shoveling snow into the back of their trucks to take home for their kids' Xmas day.
I liked that.

On the way out, I was surprised to see that most of the line of vehicles stopped at the highway turned towards Kona.
I guess Mauna Kea doesn't belong to just Hilo and the East side.

I'm thinking of doing something that is not me, exercising to condition my legs to be able to go up the hills and make the turns.
Then, going back up to spend more time at altitude to condition for that facet.
We'll see. Talk is easy.
I might be more tempted if the snow had more moisture in it, so that it would soften in the sun.
I am thinking of going back up on Tuesday, though, to take a closer look at Pu'u Hau Kea. It looks to have a nice moderate slope and easier to get to.
But, the snow surface is covered with shiny reflective snow, not very inviting.

To be honest, I'm ambivalent, now that I'm back home.

[Rob Tucker]

There must be a version of "Turn around, don't drown." that applies to this situation.

[1voyager1]

Hi Rob,
I think "Turn around, don't drown" is a bit extreme for what I saw and did today.
Survival was never part of today's equation, except that the recognition of avalanche signs might have pushed it into that area.
But, nobody was going into that area.
It would be too much work to do.
I appeared to be the only one contemplating it.
My knowledge and experience made me too cautious to do more than think about it.

Maybe getting back into the Hilo and south traffic might have qualified for it.
Something of that nature goes through my head every time I drive to town.

[TomK]

Thanks, for the report, voyager!

randomq - the crowd at the VIS would have been people at the VIS expecting to be able to drive to the summit but being prevented from doing so - for reasons that were not made obvious. The gate is just above the VIS (around 9,000 ft).

It's a tough call to make but I'm starting to think the MK rangers are disregarding their responsibilities and now expect MK observatory staff to do their job for them. It's certainly the feeling from observatory staff that still work up there at night. The rangers used to drive up to the summit every morning around 4 am but now just call observatory staff at the summit for a report.

Observatory staff are not in a position to make the call if the road should be closed or not. It's up to the OMKM rangers.

Sorry, a little pissed off right now, but Merry Christmas everyone!

[1voyager1]

Morning after reflections on "skiing" Mauna Kea

I am not sore, only a bit fatigued, much less after effects than I had expected.

Altitude was the limiting factor as I had expected.
But, its effects were not obvious in the ways I had expected.

The thin dry air caused rapid dehydration through breathing, not perspiration.
I don't think I ever broke a sweat.
My mouth would dry out quickly every time I opened it.
I drank a lot of water just to dampen my mouth.
It would follow that a lot of body water would be lost directly through the lungs' surfaces while breathing.
This morning I am still a bit dehydrated.

The muscle tiredness was not so much being out of shape, as the anoxic conditions restricting muscle energy.
As tired as I was from my activities as I was yesterday, and my present state of poor conditioning, I should be stoved up this morning.
I feel too good for what I was feeling yesterday.
I'm only a little fatigued.
Nowhere near the payback I was expecting from what I was experiencing.

I am feeling a bit asthmatic [with a little fluid being produced this morning], as I did yesterday towards the end of the day on the mountain.
Possibly minor pulmonary edema, but I'm more inclined to think its just an after effect of the drying out the lungs surfaces.

I'm glad I used my old tube of SPF5 sun block.
My face has darkened up a small amount with no burn.
That is a big win.

If I had found a way to supplement my O2 intake, my activities probably wouldn't have been as restricted.
Then, I would probably have been badly stoved up this morning, not sure if that's a win or not.
I may whine a lot about it while I'm hurting, but knowing its coming has never stopped me.

There might be more to this that doesn't come to mind right now.

I'm again thinking about going back up tomorrow with much lower expectations.
Should be fewer people up there.

Anybody have any red kick wax?
I threw all mine out as well as my cambered skis before moving here.
Don't think there'll be any available locally that I could buy.

A merry Christmas back at you Tom, and to everyone else.
It's a good day for recuperation.

[TomK]

Did you go back up, voyager?

Incidentally, on 23rd Dec a pickup truck with plenty of snow in the back lost its brakes driving down from the summit and flipped off the road requiring the emergency services to attend. I've not heard about injuries and hopefully, there were none, but another warning to drive safely, especially on the way down and use your gears and engine to slow your vehicle and don't rely on the brakes.

I'm sure there must be an equivalent warning for skiing MK, like don't rely on rocks to slow your descent!