Big Island
Mauna Loa
Big Island, Hawaii Mauna Loa is one of Hawaii’s most active Shield Volcanoes. She is shaped like a shield because it produces lava that is extremely fluid with low viscosity and possesses very low slopes. It is one of 5 that make up the Hawaiian Islands. The others are Kohala (dormant), Mauna Kea (dormant), Hualalai (dormant), and Kilauea (active). This mountain’s massive size and elevation, causing it to loom over 13,677 feet above sea level makes it the world’s largest volcano on Earth by means of volume and area. As a very active shield volcano, it has produced a volume estimated at approximately 18,000 cubic miles. In Hawaiian “Mauna Loa” means “Long Mountain”. Most of its eruptions are non-explosive, silica-poor and very fluid, causing more lava flows and fountains since it has very shallow slopes. Because of how the trade winds blow from east to west, Mauna Loa strongly affects the local climate. At low elevations on the eastern windward side of the volcano is a high presence of rain causing much of the foot of the volcano region to be rainforest. The western (leeward) side causes a drier climate giving birth to deserts. Its summit crater/caldera is called Moku’aweoweo. The summit is also often covered with snow due to its elevation. The main oval depression is about 3 miles long and 1.5 miles wide. Two side craters partially fused with the main one are know as North Pit and South Pit; southwest of the summit caldera are two smaller pit craters called Lua Hou (New Pit) and Lua Hohonu (Deep Pit). Mauna Loa has been erupting for at least 700,000 years, emerging from the sea floor above surface around 400,000 years ago, coming from the Hawaii hotspot that is responsible for creating the Hawaiian Islands for tens of millions of years. The gradual drift of the Pacific Plate will eventually carry this volcano away from the hotspot causing it to become extinct within 500,000 to 1,000,000 years from now. From prehistoric times offerings and prayers were made here off the ‘Ainapo Trail that rose from the village of Kapapala over 11,200 feet in about 35 miles to the Moku’aweoweo caldera during its eruptions. These trips took many days and individuals, so camps were established along the way for food and water supplies. By 1916 Moku’aweoweo was included in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park with a trail connecting it with the park headquarters at Kilauea. The most prominant eruptions here with extensive lava flows were in 1855, 1859, 1881, 1887, 1907, 1916, 1919, 1926, 1935, 1942, 1950, The 1926 and 1950 eruptions destroyed villages, and some of Hilo is built on its lava flows from the late 19th century. In 1934 A shelter was build with some of the stones from the historic Wilkes’ camp site and mortar at the summit. During the 1935 eruption, the U.S. Air Force dropped bombs in the path of the lava to divert it from hitting Hilo. The most recent of eruptions occured from March 24-April 15, 1984. In the 1990’s the Ainapo Trail was reopened. As of 2009, the volcano has been inactive for over 25 years.
- The Summit of Mauna Loa stands 20 miles before you, reaching an elevation of 13,677 feet above sea level, and more than 31,000 feet above the ocean floor, with a volume of 10,000 cubic miles, Mauna Loa is the largest mountain on Earth. The volcanoes great mass is being built by successive flows of hot molten rock, or lava. The thickness of an individual lava flow averages 12 feet. Mauna Loa is classified as a shield volcano, a volcano with gently sloping sides resembling a warrior’s shield overturned. Kilauea, the volcano you are now standing on, is also a shield volcano. It has taken hundreds of centuries and countless eruptions for Mauna Loa to reach its present size. During the last 100 years the volcano has erupted more than 18 times. The next eruption could begin at any time. ~ marker at Volcano National Park
Big Island
Mauna Loa
