Once you get close to the visitors center, the grade increases to 20%, and there’s a bit of gravel to negotiate.
Beginning in Kona on the Big Island, this challenging route takes riders from sea level to the summit of Mauna Kea at 13,800 ft. Almost the entire ride is uphill, with an 8-mile segment at 7% and a 15-mile stretch at 9%. Once you get close to the visitors center, the grade increases to 20%, and there’s a bit of gravel to negotiate. But the views of the ocean are surreal as you travel through tropical forests past grasslands with grazing goats.