By The Hawaiian island has a quantity of registered hunters that exceeds 3,000 – hunting is a popular activity on the mountain, conducted for both sustenance and recreation. The quantity of introduced animals – such as sheep, pigs, goats, pheasants, quails, and turkeys – is controlled with the help of a public hunting program. The Mauna Kea Recreation Area serves as the base camp for the hunting sport. At the lower mountain levels, birdwatching is also a common pastime, with the Kipuka Pu’u Huluhulu being a popular site for this purpose. This kipuka was developed on the mountain’s flank as a result of the isolation of lava flows on the hill.
Thanks to its steep flanks and great height, the Mauna Kea offers a shorter hike and a better view compared to the adjacent mountain of Mauna Loa. However, the height, along with risks such as steep road grade, weather concerns, altitude sickness, and inaccessibility in general, make the summit trips hard and the volcanoes dangerous. Before the construction of roads in the middle of the 20th century, only the most daring of people made the journey to the upper slopes of the Mauna Kea – these included the hunters in search for game, and hikers looking to travel up the mountain. The stone cabins prepared by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930s, acted as base camps for these travelers. When the first summit road for the Mauna Kea was constructed in 1964, it made the peak accessible to a lot more people.
Presently, several hiking trails – such as the Mauna Kea Trail – exist, and as of 2007, more than 100,000 tourists and more than 32,000 vehicles were visiting the Visitor Information Center (VIS) on a yearly basis. The VIS is situated adjacent to the International Astronomy Center of Onizuka. Mauna Kea’s access road has been paved up to the middle at 9,199 ft (2,804 m). According to a study, over 33% travelers and over 67% professional astronomers on the mountain had reported symptoms similar to those of acute altitude sickness. For this reason, any visitor who is traveling up the flanks of the volcano is advised to take at least a half-hour pause at the visitor center, to adjust to the high elevation. The use of a four-wheel vehicle is also stressed if you wish to drive all the way right up to the top. Brakes can often overheat on the journey downwards, and the Mauna Kea has no arrangements for fuel. Previously, a Star Gazing Program was held at the VIS, free of cost, during 6-10 PM every night. However, the program had to be canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Every year, around 5,000-6,000 people visit the Mauna Kea summit, and, for safety purposes and the protection of the integrity of this mountain, the authorities implemented a ranger program back in 2001.