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Mauna Kea – Run to the Summit

Yesterday I finished my third “highest” in 11 days – first, on June 17, was the run to Sandstone Peak (3,111 feet), the highest point in the Santa Monica Mountains.  Next on June 21, I ran up Haleakala (10,023 feet), the highest point on Maui.  Then, yesterday, I ran to the top of Mauna Kea (13,796 feet), the highest point on the Hawaiian islands.

I came to Hawaii planning to run Haleakala, but hadn’t even thought about Mauna Kea until my new friend, Maui-resident, trail running tour guide and co-founder of Maui Endurance Adventure Team (MEAT), Matthew Fober, mentioned it while I was running with him last week.  And since Elizabeth and I have five days on the Big Island during this trip, I figured I could sacrifice one beach day for another memorable run.

Unlike my Haleakala ascent, which started at sea level, my run up Mauna Kea started at the Visitor’s Center at 9,200 feet.

From there, you can either take a six mile trail to the top or go on the road, which is about 8.8 miles each way.  After reading Mike Bailey‘s account from his run in 2009 and reading about Jorge Maravilla’s “fastest known time” ascent earlier this month, I decided to be a lemming and also run the road.  Actually, I figured that it was either 4,600 feet of ascent in six miles (average grade 14.5%) or 4,600 feet of ascent in 8.8 miles (average grade 9.9%).  I knew that 14.5% would be pretty much all hiking, and at least on the road, I might be able to run some of it!  Also, I wanted the extra miles.  🙂

I got to the Vistor’s Center at around 8:15.  I’d read that it’s a smart idea to hang out there for 30-45 minutes to acclimate to the altitude before going higher.  So, I used the bathroom, walked around the Visitor’s Center (which doesn’t officially open until 9am, but it was mostly open by 8:30-ish) and responded to a few emails (I did have cell service up there).  At right about 9am, I started on my way.

You leave the Visitor’s Center and the hill starts immediately.  The first about five miles are on a dirt road.

Below is the view from about 2.75 miles into the run.  There was a little rain and mist as I drove up to the Visitor’s Center, but once above the clouds, the weather was beautiful – sunny and crisp with temperatures in the 50’s.  Off in the distance on the other side of the Big Island, I think that’s Mauna Loa, the second highest peak in Hawaii.

Five-or-so miles in, the dirt road ends and the rest of the way to the top is paved.

For a minute, I thought maybe the paved road would be “easier” but that definitely wasn’t the case!  It’s just as steep and at 11,800 feet, the air was feeling pretty thin!  Up to this point, I’d been running pretty consistent 12-13 minute miles with very little walking.  From here on out, I was doing a lot less running and my pace slipped to 16-17 minutes/mile.  I ran when I could, but mostly hiked.  Thankfully, even though my breathing was tighter and the same run at lower elevation would have been “easier”, the altitude never hurt.  I’ve never had any issues with altitude, but I’ve also never tried running above 11,000 feet.

The 13,000 foot marker is at mile 6.8.  I made it there in about 1:37. (I swear there’s another “0” on that sign!)

The next landmark are the telescopes at the Mauna Kea Observatories at about mile 7.4.  There are a bunch of them up there, all funded by different countries.  This is also where the trail ends.  Even if you take the trail from the Visitor’s Center, you have to hike the road for the final 1.4 miles to the summit.

The last 1.4 miles felt easier than the previous four or five.  I think the grade isn’t as steep and maybe I was acclimating to the elevation?  After initially running past it, I started on the final stretch of trail to the top.  First, it dips down and then starts a steep ascent to the summit.

And then, 2:08 after I started, I was at the top.

The weather at the summit was beautiful.  It was chilly, but definitely not in the low-30’s I was expecting.  And it was blue skies and bright sun.  I spent about twelve minutes up there, catching my breath, eating a little and taking a bunch of photos.  When I got up there, one other hiker was there, but he wasn’t in much of a mood to talk.  Whatever.

From the summit, it’s a screaming descent back down to the Visitor’s Center.  Or it could be at least.  For me, I ran decently hard, but some parts were too steep to really let it go.  Even so, I ran back down in 1:05, about half the time it took me to go up!  Towards, the end, I thought I could do the whole thing in under 3:25, so I really picked up the pace for the last couple miles.  In the end, I missed it by eight seconds!

Now I have to find another “highest”!