Mauna Kea is the world's highest island-mountain rising 9750 meters (32,000 feet) from the ocean floor to an altitude of 4205 meters (13,796 feet) above sea level.
When we reached 9,000 feet, at the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy, we had to stop for two hours in order to acclimate to the altitude before heading for the top.
Tufts University Professor John Durant (PhD '94) looks at the rings of Saturn while waiting at the visitors' center at 9,000 feet.
It's a long climb up to 13,000 feet.
The lack of oxygen might make you believe in invisible cows...
The Keck 1 and Keck 2 observatories at the peak of Mauna Kea.
Inside the Canada-France-Hawaii telescope. It is one of 11 telescopes of Mauna Kea.
Withstanding 50 mile per hour winds for this photo.