NĀ MAUNA

HWST 100

HAWAIʻI ISLAND

Comprised of 5 mountains:• Kohala• Mauna Kea• Hualālai• Mauna Loa• Kīlauea

KOHALA MOUNTAINS• Oldest• It is thought to have

breached sea level 500,000 years ago

• Extinct volcano • Believed to have last

erupted 120,000 years ago

• At its highest elevation, Kohala is 5,480 feet above sea level

KOHALA MOUNTAINS

• As the oldest mountain, it has had the most exposure to the elements and therefore experienced the most erosion

• Large landslide about 250,000 to 300,000 years ago on the northeastern flank

KOHALA MOUNTAINS

• The Eastern part of the Kohala mountains are cut by multiple deep gorges, the product of thousands of years of erosion.

MAUNA KEA• ʻŌlelo Noʻeau #2147

– Mauna Kea, kuahiwi kū haʻo i ka mālieMauna Kea, standing alone in the calm

• ʻŌlelo Noʻeau #2687– Poliʻahu, ka wahine kapa hau anu o Mauna Kea

Poliʻahu the woman who wears the snow mantle of Mauna KeaPoliʻahu is the goddess of snows; her home is on Mauna Kea.

MAUNA KEA

• Dormant volcano• 13, 796 feet above sea

level• 28,795 feet from the

ocean floor• Prominent piko of the

islands• Mauna a Wākea• Home of Poliʻahu

MAUNA KEA

• Waiau– Lake at approximately

13,007 foot level• Puʻu Poliʻahu

– Puʻu that reaches 13, 612 feet above sea level

– Home of Poliʻahu• Keanakākoʻi

– Ancient adze quarry

MAUNA KEA TODAY• The observatories at Mauna Kea are

an independent collection of astronomical research facilities located on the summit of Mauna Kea

• The facilities are located on 500 acres

• Ideal location for astronomers• The University of Hawai`i manages

the site and leases land to several multi-national facilities which have invested more than $2 billion in science and technology.

ADVISORIES• Prior to going to the summit, it is

recommended that you:– Acclimate yourself to the environment– Apply sunscreen– Wear sunglasses– Wear protective clothing as necessary– Do not drink alcoholic beverages before or during

your visit

• It is highly recommended that children under the age of 16, pregnant women, people with heart or respiratory problems and those in poor physical condition NOT travel to the summit due to reduced oxygen levels and reduced atmospheric pressure

HUALĀLAI

• Hanohano Hualālai e kū mailaE hoʻohiwahiwa ana i nā KonaMajestic Hualālai risesAdorning all of Kona

• Excerpt from the mele, “Nā Kuahiwi ʻElima” written by Helen Desha Beamer

HUALĀLAI

• Third youngest and third most active

• Dormant• Its peak is 8,271

feet above sea level

HUALĀLAI

• Appears that there is activity every 200-300 years

• It last erupted in 1801• Most recent activity

was an intense earthquake in 1929

MAUNA LOA• E `alawa iho iā Mauna Loa

I ke kāhela mai i ka la`iKohu moa kea (i ka mālie)Ka waiho mai (lā i ka la`i)I ka poli o WahinekapuHawai`i nō ē ka `oi See Mauna Loa for yourselfSpreading peacefullyLike a white hen in the calmLying there in the quietWith the sacred woman (Pele) in its bosomHawai`i is the best

An excerpt from the mele Hawai`i nō ē ka `oi by Harry Nā`ope

MAUNA LOA• Mauna Loa is the world’s

largest shield volcano in terms of area covered.

• Elevation: 13, 679 feet• Moku`āweoweo is the

summit crater • It is an active volcano• Last erupted in 1984.

MAUNA LOA• The location of Mauna Loa made it a prime

spot for atmospheric observations and observations of the sun

• MLO began continuously monitoring and collecting data related to climate change, atmospheric composition, and air quality in the 1950’s

Click here for a look at the Live Cam

MAUNA LOA

• At the end of Mauna Loa Observatory Rd is the Mauna Loa Observatory Trail.

• No permit necessary to hike, but if you would like to overnight at Mauna Loa Cabin, register the day before at the Kilauea Visitor Centre.

ADVISORIES

• Prior to going to the summit, it is recommended that you:– Acclimate yourself to the environment– Apply sunscreen– Wear sunglasses– Wear protective clothing as necessary– Do not drink alcoholic beverages before or during your visit– Avoid eating foods that may make you feel gassy/bloated at least 24 hours prior to

visit– Bring snacks and plenty of water– Do not ascend if you have been scuba diving within the last 24-28 hours

• It is highly recommended that children under the age of 16, pregnant women, people with heart or respiratory problems and those in poor physical condition NOT travel to the summit due to reduced oxygen levels and reduced atmospheric pressure

MAUNA LOA SOLAR OBSERVATORY

• The Mauna Loa Solar Observatory (MLSO) is a collection of instruments for observing the sun located on the slopes of the Mauna Loa volcano on the island of Hawaii, USA at an elevation of 11,135 feet

MAUNA LOA• Free permits for stays in the cabins

on Mauna Loa can be obtained from the Kīlauea Visitor Center.

• Permits are issued on a first-come basis no earlier than the day before your hike

• Puʻu ʻUlaʻUla cabin (8 bunks)• Mauna Loa Summit cabin (12

bunks)

KĪLAUEA

• ʻŌlelo Noʻeau #1549Ka ua ʻAwa o Kīlauea

The ʻAwa rain of Kīlauea

The ʻAwa is a bitterly cold rain of ʻŌlaʻa & Kīlauea, Hawaiʻi

KĪLAUEA

• Kīlauea is an active volcano

• Kīlauea means spewing, or much spreading (refers to volcanic eruptions)

• 4,090 feet above sea level

• Summit crater: Halemaʻumaʻu

• Home of Pele

KĪLAUEA• Written records document

eruptions as early as 1820. Oral accounts document an eruption around 1790.

• Puʻu ʻŌʻō has been erupting continuously since 1983

• The vog, or sulphur dioxide emissions from the volcano, have spurred concerns over air quality

KĪLAUEA• Kīlauea is located in Hawaiʻi

Volcanoes National Park. • Plan ahead/Check schedule of

events• Be prepared for rain and cold

weather• Park entrance fees apply.

KĪLAUEA: CRATER RIM DRIVE

Thurston Lava Tube Thomas A. Jaggar Museum

Sulphur Banks Devastation Trail

LŌʻIHI• An active undersea volcano located about

22 miles off the southeast coast of the island of Hawaiʻi.

• Approximately 10,000 feet above the sea floor

• Its summit is about 3000 feet below sea • It is estimated that it began forming

around 400,000 years ago • Expected to begin emerging above sea

level about 10,000-100,000 years from now