Hawai'i: Mauna Kea

Mauna Kea is the highpoint of Hawai'i and also the 'tallest' mountain in the world rising over 33000 continous ft (~11 000m) above the seabed. The picture taken below is taken close to the coast, so one can see how significantly the mountain rises with no other mountain range around.

BEfore going up the mountian we started at the suitable names Maune Kea Resort (owned by a mr Rockefeller...). Not much to complain bout there, slightly windy, but nice snorkeling and coral reefs as well as perfect white beach sand.

 

The road up to mauna Kea rises quickly along the sabble road on which you start driving into the clouds. once you turn off towards the Mauna Kea observatories the clouds might lighten up. A mandatory stop and half hour acklimatization at 9 200 ft (~2750 m) helps but only ever so slightly.

Once you reach the top one can see about 10 nice and unique telescopes which offers some of the best observation conditions in the world. and from the picture one can see how we now all off a sudden is practically completely above the clouds.

The summit is at the end of a short hiking trail which only takes a few minutes, the minor rise doeshowever quickly take your breath away with the views and thin air combined.

 A USGS markes shows te top and elevation, somewhich which is quite uncertain when being on such extremely young land.

The top also contains a small ceremonial spot where Leis, Fruit and other things have been offered and left.

 

 The main hotspot activity have since moved further south though and create the mountain Mauna Loa. It is less than 100 ft lower than Mauna Kea, and even from the top is hard to distinguish which is highest.

  
If you are in to snow sports (or in this case snow-juggling) Mauna Kea offers ne of only 2 spots on hawai'i where you can practice your skills, in January and February there is even some mild ability to do skiing, but you have to make your way up the slope by own power each run...

Stats:
State: Hawai'i
High point: Mauna Kea
Elevation: 13796 ft (4205.0 m)
Date: March 22, 2011
Total elevation to date: 179067 ft (54580 m)
Access: drive-up, hike
Difficulty rating (of 10): 2
Potential Difficulties: acute mountain sickness, inclement weather

Southern most point of USA

A minor goegrafic puculiarity is the true south point of USA. We (me and Tricia) had previous visited the southernmost point in continental USA, so when the chance presented itself to visit the southermost point in all of USA we could not say no...
South point on Big Island (Hawai'i) is perched on cliffs extending towards the south of the vast pacific...

It is a windswept area at which a current as well as a ruin of an old wind farm can be found. The wrecks of the old farm from 2007 is a scary sight of "clean energy". but the much more powerful new wind power plants are a welcome addition to a hard energy equation at a remote location such as Hawai'i. And remote is true it is the most remote location to any continent in the world in fact...

The south point itself is located along cliffs which one can jump from (40 ft high) into pristine turquoise waters.

It's quite doubtful I would do both the continental and overall NORTHERN points of USA, but the 2 southern points of US was surely a pleasure to visit...

Elevation: 40 ft (12 m)
Date: March 20, 2012
Difficulty rating (of 10): 1
Potential Difficulties: GPS-directions, bad navigation.