Mauna Loa Summit Trail

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Author

Waterfallin

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Trail stats

Distance: 10.42 mi
Elevation gain: 2,218 ft
Technical difficulty: Difficult
Elevation loss: 2,218 ft
Max elevation: 13,680 ft
TrailRank: 55
Min elevation: 10,990 ft
Trail type: Loop

Time: 7 hours
Coordinates: 1821
Uploaded: March 4, 2020
Recorded: February 2020

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near Papaloa, Hawaii (United States)

Viewed 1090 times, downloaded 15 times

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Itinerary description

Recognized as the largest active volcano in the world Mauna Loa is one of five in a chain of Hawaiian volcanoes and while visiting the Big Island I was lucky enough to have lunch while sitting in its massive crater. There are two hiking routes to the summit; one from the south via Mauna Loa Road, however I chose the second from Mauna Loa Observatory as it’s a couple miles shorter, and although I intended to reach the summit due to altitude sickness I had to turn back and settle for visiting the crater edge.
High altitude and rough terrain make this trek quite challenging so be sure to wear sturdy footwear and bring lots of water and snacks. If you plan to hike it in one day get an early start.