The road is unique - it does not appeared to be engineered or graded level - it is all rollers from start to finish, as if the road creator just scraped off the lava and poured pavement without concern for standard road design engineering protocols. If you get onto the volcano early, you just never know. Road ends at the observatory - not a through road.īeware of fast changing weather, colder temperatures at the top and the effects of altitude. Mauna Loa as seen from Saddle Road (bottom middle) and Observatory Road (other 3 photos) This stretch of road is desolate, with very little traffic. Waikoloa Road to Hwy 190 (15 miles) + Hwy 190 to Old Saddle Road (5 miles)Ĭlimb Old Saddle Road for 11 miles (gain 3,095’/descend 191’).ġ4 miles on new Highway 200 (Saddle Road) at 1.5% average grade.Īt the 44.8 mile mark, turn right onto Mauna Loa Access Road and climb the final stretch to the Mauna Loa Observatory - 17.5 miles, 4,457' climb, 17' descent with a 5.2% average grade. Start of climb - Hilton Waikoloa Village (elevation is two feet here). The first segment from start to the right turn onto Mauna Loa Observatory Road is 44.6 miles, 3.2% average grade and gains 7,318’ over that distance. The only spot on the climb where provisions can be had. Since studies suggest it takes three weeks to become fully acclimated, unless you’re planning on an extended vacation, you’ll probably just have to suck it up and go for it without much altitude preparation. Our training has only consisted of cycling up 10,000’ to Haleakala in Maui, before flying to the Big Island to climb Mauna Loa in preparation for Mauna Kea. We rise to 11,000’ so it is best to altitude train if at all possible. The climb begins in Waikoloa Hilton Village by riding east (and yes, uphill) on Waikoloa Beach Drive, across Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway (mile three) then on up Waikoloa Road. While this climb is not as “hard” as its neighbor Mauna Kea, it is by far the longest bike climb in the world - 124 miles round trip. The weather can change in an instant on the volcano. The temperature throughout the year consistently averages in the 70s at sea level, meaning it’ll always be warm in Waikoloa when you start, but often cold at the top (it was in the 30s and snowing in December 2013 when we rode to the top). We have no data for the top of the volcano and in our experience it is best to climb in May and June. The lowest rainfall totals on the western side (Kona) are February and December. Thus, we recommend cycling the Hilo side in May and June. The lowest rainfall months on the Big Island on the eastern side (Hilo) are May and June and the highest rainfall months are March, April, and November. PJAMM Cycling has taken on Mauna Loa once in May, twice in June, and once in December (we had to call in for help on that one as we got caught in a snowstorm at the top). īefore heading to Hawaii for your Mauna Loa cycling adventure, be sure to rely on our list of Things to Bring on a Cycling Trip, and use our interactive checklist to ensure you don't forget anything. PJAMM May 2018 Great Hawaiian Adventure Blog and Trip Page. Surprisingly, of the two routes to the top of Mauna Loa, the longest route is also the lower ranked, coming in at #8 US/#101 World, versus the shorter at 44.8 miles which would rank #4 US/#33 World ( MAP ). World’s #2 longest bike climb - Wuling Pass East, Taiwan At 62.2 miles, Mauna Loa is a good distance in front of the world’s second longest climb, Wuling Pass East, Taiwan (54.3 miles). What good fortune we have that the hardest AND longest roads in the world are on the same Island (Hawaii’s Big Island). Rarely do we have the good fortune of exclaiming “This is the _climb in the world.” There is only one hardest (Mauna Kea), one highest (Uturuncu), one most deadly (Death Road), and one LONGEST (Mauna Loa) in the entire world. Photo: Saddle Road on right Mauna Loa Access road lower right to centerĪerial photo shows the entire shield volcano at sunrise. Mauna Loa - the longest bike climb in the world Ride 62.2 miles (world’s longest climb) gaining 11,848’ at 3.4% (4.2% climb only)
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