Tighten access to Mauna Kea

Last fall, the final phase of reconstruction along Hawaii island’s Saddle Road, now known as the Daniel K. Inouye Highway, got underway. The late Hawaii senator’s vision for the highway that bisects the island, cutting over the raised slopes between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, took shape in tandem with a community task force formed 25 years ago.

At that time the crumbling Saddle Road was considered one of the most dangerous routes in the state. Now, after a series of upgrades funded by state and federal dollars, the highway more smoothly connects east and west with safer access for travelers, as well as economic opportunities.

Among the upshots is that the Mauna Kea conservation district, managed by the University of Hawaii, is seeing more traffic. More vehicles are ascending a road above the Saddle Road that leads to one of the best spots on Earth for astronomical observations. Tour operators and others tout the area near the summit — a full 13,796 feet above sea level — for stargazing outings, sunset views, hikes and so-called “snow play” recreation.

The university already has in place directives to protect the fragile high-elevation terrain and preserve its education-related mission as well as opportunity for Native Hawaiian practices. But given the rising visitor count and ongoing presence of observatories, tougher rules and enforcement are needed.

An encouraging move in that direction will surely gain traction next month, when the university holds the first in a series of public hearings on draft administrative rules governing public and commercial activities on UH-managed lands on the state’s tallest mountain. Among the proposals is a sensible call to install a gate to limit vehicular access.

Limiting access has worked well at Haleakala National Park. A sunrise reservation system was put in place there a few years ago, when the lure of a first-light view from atop the “House of the Sun” had been attracting some 1,000 people a day. The result was a logjam of cars spilling out of parking lots and onto the road, creating a safety hazard. What’s more, heavy foot traffic was an ever-present trampling threat to sensitive habitat.

While Mauna Kea draws far fewer visitors, concerns about natural and cultural resources are similar at both sites. In 2015, when Mauna Kea Observatories Support Services installed a traffic counter near the summit, it found that observatory and UH staff accounted for about 20 percent of a month-long tally of nearly 4,700 vehicles.

It’s a sure bet that vehicle count is climbing. This week, the Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station, situated a few thousand feet below the summit, announced that it will now be closed Sundays as it needs a day to recover from a significant increase in visitors since the May closure of a large portion of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park due to lava activity.

The UH’s draft rules would also require permits for public assemblies and make camping off-limits. In addition, they would put restrictions on commercial tours and winter sports activities such as skiing, snowboarding and sledding. The summit sees short-lived snowfall and has no winter sports facilities.

Further, the rules make clear support for state laws and Hawaii Constitution direction that allow Native Hawaiians to exercise customary and traditional practices at Mauna Kea, which is viewed by some as a sacred site. No permit would be required when practices have minimal impact on cultural, natural and scientific resources.

Following a state Supreme Court ruling this month against a Thirty Meter Telescope opponent, it appears that the controversial $1.4 billion project now needs only to secure a court-approved conditional use permit to proceed with construction atop Mauna Kea.

As that matter moves forward, so should thoughtful public discussion on optimal conservation district rules that maintain public safety, prevent damage to resources and minimize conflicts among visitors and others.