Mauna Kea: Free on Sundays?

Is there free star gazing on Sundays?

Would we be able to make the sunset on top of Mauna Kea if we left Hilo at 4 or 4:30? We will be there mid February.

And Yes, Hawaiidan, at your suggestion, we are renting a 4x4 and driving ourselves up there! (from Harpers)

One more thing, if we can%26#39;t get our rental truck for Sunday, what are the tours like during the week? What%26#39;s available, how much?

Thanks in advance!

Mauna Kea: Free on Sundays?

There is free star gazing EVERY night. 6-10 at the 9000 ft level ( for star gazing on the summit there is a slight charge.....$40,000 a night... submit your request to the national scence foundation and Keck foundation...)

If you want the FREE, summit tour it is every saturday and sunday 1-5 You must be at thee visitorcenter by 1pm on those days with your Harper 4x4, for a caravan to the top ant tours inside the scopes then you descend at sunset to the star party...free

leave Hilo by 11am.... you want to ascend very slowly......persons who do not get very sick from the huge altitude change is such a short time.... this is an all day/evening event figure 12 hours round trip to the summit

there are no free tours of he summit during the weekdays only comercial ones that dont go into the scopes at all. They charge 165 a person.... go on the weekend. free, see more and save $265 after youu pay for your rental

Mauna Kea: Free on Sundays?

Thanks Hawaiidan, but........';OH Crap!';

We are staying in Waikoloa and won%26#39;t be leaving there until a Sunday in the a.m. Ok, so we could get there, but the house we are renting does not have check in until 3 or 4 pm. So, what do we do?

Leave our luggage in our vehicle all day? eeek, don%26#39;t want to do that.

OR.....we could go from Waikoloa on the Saturday. What time do you suggest we leave Waikola to get there in time?

by 1030 .....at the latest in order to drive slow......fast aint good... you will get sick

just had a friend get very ill half way to the visitor center.. 7000 feet below the summit.... go slow and be in very good health.....

Just curious.......what kind of ill? Difficulties breathing ill? or throwing up kind of ill?

Also, I%26#39;ve been surfing to find out about the tours up there. Turns out you have to be at least 16 years of age. We have 3 children, so that is out of the question.

Maybe we%26#39;ll just have to try this on another vacation when we don%26#39;t have the kids.

I%26#39;m sorry but I completely disagree with the getting sick part. We travelled up relatively quickly and descended relatively quickly with no problems what so ever.

I wouldn%26#39;t be too concerned if you have to have your luggage in the car with you either. Unless you plan on getting out to hike, we didn%26#39;t, there really isin%26#39;t a lot of people around and you don%26#39;t hang out for long while there.

We did two seperate trips there. One for stargazing and one to go to the summit. They do close the summit at dusk..fyi.

I think getting sick has to do with the person. Our daughter stayed with a friend in the Rockies at around 8,000%26#39;, she had an upset stomach for the first 24 hours.

My wife and I have been at 11,000%26#39; with no problems other than some shortness of breath when hiking around a little.

the sickness is called AMS... acute mountain sickness and at the 10,000 ft lever seems to start for the majority. when you get above 12,000 50-70 % feel headache , nausea, ligh headed.... above 13,000ft 75 to 85% feel this efect. A MD can prescribe a medication like Diamox to help.

There is 40% less oxygen at the summit.

going up fast can trigger ceberal and pulmonary edema. Trigger intense nausea, blurred vision and motorskill loss... These can kill. the tours and trips spend an an hour at 9000 ft, The commercial ones also stop at 7000 ft for almost an hour

It seems that some people get AMS easily, some don%26#39;t. We made the mistake of driving Eisenhower Pass our first time to CO. We had no problem; MIL got sick. Staying at Breckenridge - 10,000%26#39; - SIL was very ill and had to go on oxygen for a day. Best thing is to assume you WILL have problems and take it slow until you%26#39;re sure you don%26#39;t.