FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

No, not typically. During the time of our visit, astronomers are hard at work and cannot be interrupted. However, you will get to see the observatories as they open their domes and move into position. Some observatories are designed in a way that allows you to see much of the telescope from the outside when the dome is open.

No, modern telescopes are not equipped for visual (eye) observing . Scientists are making digital images that can be frequently found on the internet. Check out the websites of the observatories to see these images.

• Mauna Kea has 40% less oxygen than sea level and 40% less air pressure than sea level.
  This lack of vital oxygen can be a very serious problem for persons with HEART or LUNG disease.
• Persons that have been SCUBA diving in the last 24 hours run the risk of getting “The Bends” because of the decreased air pressure and the build up of nitrogen in their bodies.
• Pregnant women should not travel to Mauna Kea because of the decreased oxygen available for mother and child.
• We do not take children under 13 years of age to the summit because they have a much higher incidence of high altitude problems.
• In addition persons whom are obese (Body mass index of 40.0 or over BMI calculator) are not allowed to take this trip.
• Because of the long, bumpy road this trip might not be suitable for persons with back injury.

To go on our tour you will need a letter from your personal Physician saying that a trip to Mauna Kea presents no special risk to you. Our reservationist can email a form for your physician to sign. A call to 911 on Mauna Kea will take about 2 hours to respond and even a minor incident will terminate the tour for everyone onboard.

Depends mostly on your genetics but if you are reasonably healthy you will probably feel a bit lightheaded and giddy or sleepy. A few people will feel nothing and a few people will have a bit of minor distress perhaps requiring a bit of oxygen (carried onboard). Our guides are trained in the detection of hypoxia and they use pulse -ox meters to help with the diagnosis. There are no after effects and because our stay at high level is fairly brief there is not much likelihood of more serious problems developing. If you are tolerant of aspirin, a tablet every 4 hours for a day before and during may ward off the occasional headache.

As for wildlife, the list is quite long. We see the following feral animals (domestic animals gone wild) frequently: pigs, goats, sheep, donkey, mongoose, cat. We see the following native animals species less frequently: Hawaiian Owl (Pueo), Hoary bat, Nene (goose), Palila, Apapane, I’O(hawk), Wekiu, Golden Plover. We also see many native plants. Along our route we can see Koa, Mamane, Naio, Puakeawe and Ohia trees.

Yes, Our tours are fully narrated in English. We have a high quality PA system in each van. Our guides have a wide variety of knowledge and special interest in the islands. We try to relate that information in a way that is fun, educational and appropriate to the group.

At this time, we do not have a Japanese speaking guide.

Many people do show their appreciation by tipping our hard working guides but it is not an obligation. $5-$10 per person is typical

We drive custom built “Micro coach” vans. They are equipped with required 4×4, air conditioning, stereo, PA, phone, first aid and oxygen, parkas and telescope. Each van can hold up to 14. They are the most comfortable 4X4 transit vehicles available in accordance with size restrictions and safety standards.

We are equipped with new Celestron CPC 1100 telescopes. They are equipped with Celestron’s new Starbright XL coatings for 10% more light throughput than ordinary instruments. These scopes are computer automated and have spectacular optics. Because they are bigger and have better optics they gather about 100% more light than telescopes used on other tours.

We supply heavy duty arctic weight parkas with hoods. They are made in men’s sizes S-XXL. We also provide cotton (one time use) gloves.

Parka Sizing

Our parkas are designed to fit generously. Below are the suggested weight ranges for each size:

• Small: Up to 145 lbs
• Medium: 140-175 lbs
• Large: 170-210 lbs
• XL: 200-260 lbs (Women requesting XL will need to provide height and weight for BMI verification)
• XXL: 250-310 lbs (Height and weight required for BMI verification)

Please note, for the safety of our guests, we are unable to accommodate individuals with a BMI over 40.0 on our high-altitude tours, as this poses a health risk.

If you need to adjust your parka size, or if you are requesting an XL or XXL, please provide your height and weight for verification. Feel free to contact us with any questions. Mahalo!

We have improved and simplified our meal. We now offer 3 cheese garden lasagna. It is served hot in a stainless container. The portion size is 16oz and is quite satisfying. It comes with a big homemade brownie. There is a meal delete option available for persons wishing to do their own thing.
Drinks for supper, other than filtered water are not provided.

During the stargazing activity we serve gourmet hot chocolate, teas and coffees accompanied with sweet treat.

Years of experience with a variety of food vendors has always resulted in mistakes. This new, one item menu has stopped that problem. We serve lasagna because it is popular, hearty and holds it’s heat. It is vegetable because meat has shown to be somewhat indigestible at altitude. We also have the lasagna hand prepared with less spices and avoiding certain vegetables so that it will be more agreeable as you ascend. Our lasagna wouldn’t win a culinary competition but its a big winner on Mauna Kea.

The afternoon cloud buildup, typical of the Big Island, is usually no cause for concern. In fact, dense clouds below often indicate a strong tropical inversion layer, which can result in excellent visibility at the summit and mid-mountain regions of Mauna Kea.

Recent statistics show that Mauna Kea is clear enough for stargazing and scenic sunsets on average 300 nights a year, meaning about 20% of the year experiences unfavorable weather. Most of the severe weather comes during longer winter storms, which are generally predictable, though the exact arrival and departure times can be tricky.

Convective weather, caused by heat, is much harder to predict. It can pop up or dissipate unpredictably, but the good news is that the land and sky usually cool down in the late afternoon and early evening. This type of weather risk tends to be higher during the warmest months of July and August, but it can occur year-round. Warmer sea temperatures, such as during an El Niño event, can extend the convective weather season.

On average, about 1 in 10 of our tours are canceled due to weather or road closures. The months of August, September, January, February, and March are the least stable, accounting for 70% of weather-related cancellations each year.

We monitor current conditions using web cameras and weather forecasts, then apply our 40+ years of experience to make the daily Go/No-Go decision.

Can we be wrong? Of course, we can! Mauna Kea is a very high mountain, and like all high mountains, it comes with its share of unpredictable weather. Based on our trip logs, if we decide to go, your chances of encountering adverse weather are about 1 in 25.

We don’t cancel trips just because of a few high clouds or less-than-perfect stargazing conditions. However, we do cancel if we believe the summit is likely to be obscured, there is a low chance of a scenic experience, conditions may be dangerous, or the road is likely to be closed.

Mountain weather, especially on Mauna Kea, is largely driven by heat. It’s not as simple as tracking a weather system moving across a map. You also have to predict when the sun or a warm ocean current might cause clouds to form. On the mainland, there are thousands of weather stations every few miles, continuously collecting and feeding data into powerful computers that analyze how these complex variables interact and generate forecasts.

The challenge is that heat is often unstable and doesn’t always behave as predicted. Over time, computers learn from these patterns and become more accurate. However, the forecasting models for Mauna Kea are limited by fewer data points and less historical experience.

Each morning, we review the forecasts and observe the actual conditions for a few hours to see if the predictions align with reality. If we believe the timing or intensity is off, we rely on our years of experience to make a decision. We’ve had great success with this approach, often achieving better accuracy than the official forecasts.

With time, the forecasting models will improve, but mountain weather will always remain one of the most difficult to predict.

In our experience, the effects of climate change have become quite clear on Mauna Kea. Over the last 30 years, snowfall—the primary form of precipitation on the mountain—has decreased dramatically. Rain at the summit, once almost unheard of, is now more common. Winter storms often last for days, but instead of accumulating snow, much of it ends up being rained away.

Daytime highs above 12°C (54°F), once rare, are now common, even in winter. Clear nights are also a bit less frequent, as daytime heating takes longer to dissipate. Lake Waiau, a glacial tarn, has nearly dried up for the first time in recorded history. Permafrost, once visible in road cuts, has vanished, and skiing conditions that used to last for months now only last for hours.

All of this has made weather prediction more complicated and less reliable.

We make the final decision each day 1 hour and 15 minutes before our, Kailua-Kona pick-up. Our reservationists can provide you with the exact time. If the tour is canceled, we will attempt to reach everyone by calling their hotel rooms or cell phones.

You don’t need to stay in your hotel room waiting for the call—go out and enjoy yourself! However, if you’re not available at that time, we recommend calling us at (808) 322-2366 to reconfirm your tour. Since we strive to make the most accurate weather decisions, we almost never cancel a trip early. Ultimately, it’s your responsibility to contact us to reconfirm your tour status.

MKSA cannot guarantee fine weather (nor does any other tour in the world). We do, however, give our promise to stay informed and to cancel tours when in our opinion the summit appears likely to be obscured or without scenic value. Our goal is a safe, scenic and informative trip. THERE WILL BE NO REFUNDS DUE TO WEATHER.

This is actually a somewhat common occurrence. As long as the road is open we will proceed normally. No matter what goes on during the warm afternoon hours the tendency of Mauna Kea to clear is highly predominate. Many of our most memorable sunsets have occurred as the afternoon clouds subside dramtically. Of course, sometimes it may not clear but at least we went with the most likely scenario.

We understand that events occur that might change your plans. However, our capacity is limited by State permit and all of our tours are fully booked. Please help us to serve our eager customers by giving ample warning when your plans change. Please make your cancellations directly with our reservation office 808-322-2366.

Cancellation Policy:
(# of Passengers)
1-4: 24 hours
5-7: 48 hours
8-10: 1 week
11+: 2 weeks

Within 24 hours no refunds, no exceptions. Note if you are sick or in some other way detained please call us as soon as you think you might not make the trip. We might be able to place someone in your vacant seat and save you the expense. If you are unsure about finding your pick-up point or lost, please call our reservation office at 808-322-2366 ASAP.

At Mauna Kea Summit Adventures, we are committed to providing a safe and enjoyable experience for all guests. However, due to the unpredictable nature of road conditions on Mauna Kea, there may be times when a tour cannot be completed in its entirety. In such cases, a Consumption Fee will apply.

When is the Consumption Fee Applied?

If unforeseen circumstances, such as road closures or safety concerns, prevent the tour from proceeding beyond the Maunakea Visitor Center, we will issue a full refund minus a Consumption Fee. This fee covers the costs associated with consumables and services already provided, such as guide wages, fuel, food, and permit fees.

Note: This fee is unrelated to weather conditions. Our tours operate regardless of weather, and refunds are not issued for changes in weather or visibility. The Consumption Fee applies strictly to situations involving road closures or other unforeseen events that halt the tour.

Consumption Fee Rates

$30 per person for guests who received the lasagna meal option.

$21 per person for guests who did not receive a meal.

Why Do We Charge a Consumption Fee?

This policy ensures we can provide a fair refund to our customers while retaining the costs incurred for consumables and partially rendered services. It also reflects the dramatic increase in road closures by Maunakea authorities over the past five years, which has affected all tour operators’ ability to complete tours.