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Just want to add that if you go to that last link I provided, you will see this:
http://mkwc.ifa.hawaii.edu/current/road-conditions/
"
This announcement is primarily used to inform the public about road closures. Road closures typically occur during winter months due to ice or snow on the road and occasionally for high wind situations."
Bolding is mine.
I am really angry about the misinformation being posted on TA. Destination Experts my foot. The observatories pay for the MKWC and as a public service they post the status of the road so that the public can visit - whenever they want if conditions allow. The observatories don't own the summit road although do pay for its upkeep, but this misinformation is damaging to the observatories and the tourist industry. I think I will have to bring this up with the other observatories and MKSS.
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I've emailed KathyH asking for an explanation of what's going on and also asked her to post here with the same explanation. I hope there is a rational explanation for all of this nonsense.
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TomK,
Go to page 7-31, Table 7-6. Permitted General Uses, to see what SheaG is referring to in the link PaulW provided. This document is dated April 2009.
If you can provide a link stating the road isn't closed at night to the public, I'll gladly post it to TA. They haven't banned me yet.
Wahine
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Is it ok for a rental car to go up there?
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Yes, don't waste your time posting it yourself Tom. KathyH and her minions will delete it immediately.
Rourk - unless you have rented a 4WD from Harpers, don't go to the Summit. Even though you'll most likely
make it up and back with no problems (assuming you know how to drive on very steep dirt roads), it's not worth the
risk of voiding your contract. Don't do it!
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At least the experts have taken the simple approach to Mauna Kea. The road is closed.
They could have fully Punacized the description, which I imagine would go something like this:
2. Re: Drive to Mauna Kea Summit
Nov 20, 2014, 4:03 AM
The first thing you will encounter on a drive up to Mauna Kea is the Army Pohakuloa Training Area. This is where soldiers practice firing live URANIUM tipped bullets. These are not marksmen awarded for accuracy, these are 18 year old kids shooting URANIUM all over the place because they are practicing. Proceed at your own risk. My husband still glows in the dark since our last visit 3 years ago.
Next you will need to drive up one of the most dangerous roads in the state, with twists, turns, dropoffs, no guardrails, and god help you if you miss a turn and go over the edge, it could take months or years before a hiker stumbles across your remains.
At the summit you may be subjected to a number of health related concerns. First and foremost is hypothermia, but also frostbit, altitude sickness, and cold hands. I really do not care for cold hands and I'm sure most of my fans don't either.
If snow is in the forecast, you can be expected to become disoriented, then lost, and as with a car accident, it could take months or years before a hiker stumbles across your remains.
The view is pretty, and there is great radio reception if you like the Maui stations.
3. Re: Drive to Mauna Kea Summit
Nov 20, 2014, 4:07 AM
I think it is important to remind all visitors that is takes at least 2 hours to drive to Mauna Kea from Hilo. If you were to get into an accident, or lost in a blizzard, or receive a severe case of the chillblains, imagine how you would feel, lying there in the cold, waiting for at least an hour and a half for an ambulance to arrive form Hilo. Your life flashing before your eyes, the regret you now feel because you didn't listen to your wife and take her to the $400 dinner at the hotel restaurant... instead of ... this.
4. Re: Drive to Mauna Kea Summit
Nov 20, 2014, 4:09 AM
I just wanted to add that on occasion all of the Hilo ambulances can be busy, in which case one will be sent up from either Keaau or Pahoa, which no gives me a chance to explain how hideous that might be, along with everything else in Puna District. Let me begin with...
"I'm at that stage in life where I stay out of discussions. Even if you say 1+1=5, you're right - have fun." - Keanu Reeves
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The rental dirt road ban is just a catch-all for the rental companies just in case you abuse the vehicle. I don't think avoiding unpaved roads on the BI is a realistic expectation. Driving a normal rental car to the observatories would, IMHO, be abuse. I rented a 4X4 Ford PU truck from harpers for a couple of days and made full use of it going anywhere I wanted and then went back to a regular rental but still hit plenty of unpaved roads in it, plus some paved roads that were more destructive than the unpaved ones.
The so called destination experts are putting the most extreme unrealisic interpretation on anything they can. An obvious bias. Outside of the resort areas the BI is much more "rustic" than other options. I think that's a main draw, as is the the sort of retro hippie feel of some of the areas. If the rental companies don't want people to drive on unpaved roads they shouldn't have rental offices on the Hilo side.
I think being DEs on TA is just a strange ego trip for some people. I think you have to feel sorry for them that it's come to that for them.
Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.
Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.
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Exactly!
Don't bother saying that on TripAdvisor, you'll be banned for "promoting illegal activities".
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Primal Edge,
That's hilarious and well written, thanks!
