Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain on earth as measured from its base (which is actually the ocean floor) to its summit. I’m not quite sure how Mt. Everest doesn’t have underwater height included as well to maintain it as the tallest moutain as well as the highest point on earth.

I heard about a bus tour (yeah, lame, not normally my first choice, but given time constriants) that drives you from sea level in Kailua Kona to the peak of Mauna Kea (13,795 ft) and back down in about 8 hours. The “bus” actually turned out to be a highly modified mini bus with raised suspension, 4×4 tires, skid plates, and some possible engine modifications like a larger intercooler and oil cooler. It seemed a bit overkill at first until we reached the end of the pavement where the smooth highway turned into a washboarded, up-to-18%-grade dirt road that provides access to the many observatories peached atop the summit. The buses also do several trips a week so they’ve gotta be pretty tough.

At the visitor’s center (9,200 ft), botanists are trying to cultivate the Silversword plant. It’s very near extinction for several confounding reasons: It only grows on the slopes of Mauna Kea and Haleakala between 3000 and 10000 feet, its flowers blossom only once after they’ve grown between 5 and 20 years and also require cross pollenation (insects transferring pollen) leaving scientists with a pretty tough task of forcing the plants to make babies. Aside from that, they’re probably the prettiest plant I’ve ever seen. In person, the leaves looked like shimmery white icles.

I also borrowed/stole our new HD camera from work (Canon HV10, quite awesome). Here it is remembering the sunset for me. More videos to come…