Mauna Loa

Mauna Loa rises above the forests and lava fields of Hawaiʻi, its broad slopes reaching far into Kona and Kaʻū. Cultivated lands below give way to upland woods, then to bare lava and the cold summit country around Mokuʻāweoweo. From Kapāpala on the southeastern flank, the ʻĀinapō trail climbs through these successive belts. Its narrow course winds across both jagged lava and smoother, ropy flows; reaching the heights requires provisions from below and knowledge of the few places that offer shelter.

In 1794 the botanist Archibald Menzies reached Mauna Loa's summit during Vancouver's voyage. His party first gathered supplies at Kamehameha's lands in Kapāpala. Local men then guided the ascent beyond the cultivated ground, through forest and towards the snow-covered heights. Menzies carried a barometer to measure the mountain, but the route and supplies depended on the Hawaiians who accompanied him.