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Arnott's Famous Mauna Kea Hike - Sunset and Starshow Monday, Wednesday and Friday: Departs: 12:00pm-3:00pm (Seasonally adjusted: please call close to trip date if you booked far in advance). Returns: 9:00pm-11:00pm $110/person - Stay at Arnott's Lodge and receive a discount. This price compares with the $185+ a seat price charged by all other Mauna Kea Operators who operate out of West side Hotels. People with respiratory, heart, and severe overweight conditions, pregnant women and children under 16 are advised not to go above the 9,200 ft. level where the visitor center is located. Do not go to the summit within 24 hours of scuba diving. We do provide supplemental oxygen, however this is to restore oxygen balance only and under no circumstances will be used continuously to enable the unfit to go up. This is a remote area with at least 90 minutes for emergency response and we take NO responsibility for the rare person who reacts negatively to this altitude. While Mauna Kea is renowned for over 340 accessable days a year, there are sudden winter storms and occasional summer rains that can force closure of the summit road. Due to its remote location information on closure and reopening is unreliable and experience shows that most times we go, we do get to the top. Taped information is often hours old and does not reflect current conditions. On those occasions where the road is found to be closed we will visit the Onizuka Visitor Center at 9200ft (3000m), do Star gazing if skies are clear, and attempt to provide an alternate visit of interest, possibly to parts of Mauna Loa Mountain. No refunds will be given. M a k e  A   R e s e r v a t i o n Mauna Kea Mountain is many things to many people.........   To Hawaiian's it is a revered religious site, home to the Mightiest Gods and burial place of their ancestors.   The famous Adze Quarries and dozens of archeological sites define Mauna Kea's importance to Hawaii's first settlers.  To Astronomers Mauna Kea is home to the world's largest telescopes and has atmospheric clarity better than anywhere else on earth. Cutting edge science and new understandings of our universe are constantly flowing from the summit.   To students of Geology and Earth sciences, environmentalists and anthropologists Mauna Kea has something for everyone, with wonderful Ice age scouring, road cuts revealing strata and a well defined Volcanic history. To Doug Arnott and his Guides it is an opportunity to share our accumulated knowledge with our many and varied guests and to recreate for each guest the absolute thrill and awe that we experienced on our first visit to Mauna Kea. The tour leaves Hilo at seasonally adjusted times, stops briefly at a store for food shopping, then goes directly to the Onizuka Visitor Center (VIS) at 9200ft (3000m) where you may do some vigorous short climbs or watch videos on Astronomy. The VIS also has hot drinks, snacks and a large range of Mountain and Astronomy related souvenirs and educational materials available. Following a 30 minute acclimatization stop at the VIS we ascend to 13600ft where our guide will explain the various telescopes in view. We then ascend the last few hundred feet to the road highpoint where those in good physical condition may hike to the actual summit if they wish, and if conditions permit. The summit hike and Sunset are often at the same time affording spectacular views of Sunset and the famous "Shadow" to the East.(Mauna Kea Volcano Picture Gallery.) Following this we descend to the Visitor Center for hot drinks and bathrooms, then go to our own Starshow location where binoculars are made available and our guide, using a high powered visible laser, leads you on a journey to major celestial objects and Polynesian navigational Stars. We have found by experience that this is preferable to deploying an amateur telescope which takes a long time to aim and to process all guests through one object. This tour is designed as an overall experience of an incredible mountain it is NOT an astronomy tour. For more emphasis on astronomy please go to west side operators http://www.hawaii-forest.com/ or http://www.maunakea.com/ both provide excellent tours costing nearly twice as much as ours and with more emphasis on telescope astronomy. We return to Hilo usually by 9:00 to 10:00pm * * The above tour description is a generalization of average activities, the actual tour may change in response to weather, seasons, daylight and guide preferances. Some telescopes are open or closed seasonally, roads may close in response to floods or snowfalls . Arnotts Lodge is not responsible for these events and no refunds will be given. Reservations, to be confirmed must be guaranteed by credit card or advance payment. 48 hours notice of cancellation is required and you may be charged if an otherwise full seat is left empty because we turned others away. BRING: Extra layer of clothes, long pants, sturdy walking shoes. (Seasonal temperatures in winter can be extreme.) Dinner, water, snack, sunscreen, lip protection, sunglasses, and camera. DO NOT BRING: Alcoholic beverages or excessive gear. Links: Mauna Kea Web Cameras - Mauna Kea Weather Center Copyright © 2004 Arnott's Lodge & Hiking Adventures. Guests of Arnott's Lodge or Tours and others may freely use pictures or links on this website for non professional purposes.