Unfortunately I forgot my camera, so sorry for the bad pictures, but I had to use my camera phone.
Well after a recent storm, I've been itching to go up and play in some snow.
Mauna Kea is a 13,796 tall mountain, and the snow was down to about 12,000ft. maybe? We usually stop at the visitor's center at 10,000ft. and acclimate to the altitude for about half an hour.
Last year we took my mom's 4cyl Chevy Tracker and with just my 2 younger brothers, my dad and myself, in 1st gear we were flooring it and going at about 1500 rpm. I seriously thought we may bog down below the stall speed on her tranny and have to go up in 4 low.
Even though my 4runner is only a v6, it was quite adequate to easily scoot all the way up with no problems, in extreme comfort might I add
There's the snow, way up at the top
One of my 4r up there
This is the spot we mostly played at, some fun bodyboard action. Walk slow and breathe deep or you'll be tired in about 2 minutes up there.
You can also see Mauna Loa in the background, a 13,679ft. mountain.
Out of the whole state, only our 2 mountains (well 2 out of 5) get snow almost every year, and a 3rd on Maui will get snow in a cold+rainy winter.
As you can see, we're not the only ones up here enjoying it. Everyone jumps at the chance to play up here, since it's not an often thing you do around here. Everyone with pickups come and load their trucks full of snow and bring it home for a big snow fight (also fun to have snowball fights at the beach). I'm glad I don't have a tacoma, as it is the worst thing shoveling heavy snow in freezing weather at an altitude you can barely breathe at.
Some of these hills are pretty big
And a few more of my 4r
Hybrid Mode
