
Hug me! It’s cold up here above the clouds. (Here we are at about 10,000 feet). Scientists say this volcanic mountain is akin to Mars…

Snow-topped Mauna Loa “long mountain” is in the background. It’s 13,679 feet in elevation. Along with Mauna Kea, it’s one of five volcanoes that form the “Big Island” of Hawaii.

Mauna Kea means “white mountain” and sure enough there’s snow up there. Hard to believe Hawaii has snow, but at this elevation, it’s relatively common in the “winter.” (Our tour provided arctic parkas and gloves). People bring skis, snowboards, sleds and even boogie boards up the mountain to get some fun play time. And it’s not uncommon to see pickup trucks with beds full of snow going down the mountain to surprise kids with snow at the beach.

After a quick ascent, our guide warned us to take it slow. Altitude sickness is common. We did experience some light headedness and shortness of breath. There is 40% less oxygen up there!! We definitely felt a little strange.