By Hawaii 24/7 Staff
Mauna Kea (foreground) and Mauna Loa summits. File photo | Hawaii 24/7
Fire/rescue crews responded to a 5:33 p.m. alarm Saturday (Oct 13) for six hikers lost on Mauna Loa during a summit hike.
The four men and two women in their 40s and 50s called for help via a cellphone reporting they were lost, could not find their way down the mountain and that one man was missing after leaving the group.
Chopper One was able to locate the hikers high on the mountain above the Mauna Loa Observatory which is located at about the 11,140 foot level. Due to darkness and uneven terrain the helicopter was unable to land.
Ground crews from the Hawaii County Fire Department and Pohakuloa Training Area were able to locate the five hikers and transport them to the observatory area. The sixth hiker who separated from the group was able to hike out on his own.
The hikers refused medical treatment by HFD and PTA personnel.
Mauna Loa is the second highest mountain in Hawaii with a summit at 13,679 feet, just 120 feet lower than Mauna Kea. The Hawaiian name ‘Mauna Loa’ translates to ‘long mountain’ in English. The gruelling hike to the summit from the Saddle Road side is made difficult due to the altitude, rough terrain and sparse landmarks and trail definition.
More info about Mauna Loa via the Hawaii Volcanoes Nationa Park website: http://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/hike_maunaloa.htm
As a seasoned hiker I find it a great disservice for the news to report on this type of thing without giving more details. I wish these reporters would dig further and report why or how they got lost. Was it fog/cloud that obscured the trail markers or what? What time of day did they start the hike? Etc. GPS is really, really critical.
The thing people need to realize about hiking to Mauna Loa’s summit is it can be a true mountaineering experience and everyone needs to be prepared for anything from freezing temps to snow any time of the year. The elevation slows you down and the sun will cook you much faster than at the beach. I’ve been exploring Mauna Loa for 20 years. This hike needs to be taken seriously. The one thing about that trail on the north side is, if its too difficult to walk, your not on the trail. Backtrack until you find it again. You also cross the old summit road. Follow it down if needed. Bottom line, don’t hike this trail if you don’t know survival skills and you don’t have the needed gear to spend the night up there if lost or injured. The trail gets obscured by fog almost daily. Like I said, be prepared for the worst or don’t go. Its not a fanny pack hike. I’m not saying these people were any of what I stated but, obviously they had navigation issues. The trail isn’t that difficult to follow for your average hiker. Its to the west of the observatory. There’s a huge A’a flow directly above the observatory. Stay off of it. The old road is the trail for a very short distance and this is where some seem to get disoriented. There are easy to see signs noting where the trail continues. Never used a GPS up there and always did fine day or night.
I doubt the reporter could get anymore info. Its rare for the county to release names etc….