Mauna Kea is a 1 million year old dormant volcano on the island of Hawaii standing 13,803 ft (4,207 m) above sea level, making it the highest point on all of Hawaii’s islands . Mauna Kea is one of the only places in the world where you can drive from sea level to 13,803ft in about 2 hours, so altitude sickness is highly possible. Most of Mauna Kea is actually below sea level. When measured from its ocean base, Mauna Kea is 33,100 ft (10,100m). That is more than twice Mount Everest’s base to peak!
Mauna Kea’s summit is one of the best sites in the world for astronomical observation, and one of the most controversial. In Hawaiian mythology the peaks of the island of Hawaii are sacred, and Mauna Kea is one of the most sacred. An ancient law allowed only high-ranking tribal chiefs to visit its peak. Mauna Kea last erupted 4,600 years ago. According to the USGS, as of January 2012, the Volcanic Alert Level is “Normal”.
