I am heading for the main island of Hawaii this coming weekend for a 1 week visit, staying in the Waikoloa Beach area on the northwest coast. Although I know it is not the best time of the year nor month for it, I was hoping to get as far up Mauna Kea for an attempt at some Milky Way images. I know that you cannot get to the summit at night on your own. So my questions are these:
1) Is it worth trying to shoot from the visitors center at 9,000 feet?
2) Are there any licensed tour companies who can get you to the summit after hours?
Also, any other recommendations for Main Island photography would be greatly appreciated.
I can't answer your access questions, but I can tell you based on my experiences shooting on Haleakala that in addition to the cold, the wind can be a biatch. Best of luck to you, the night skies can be just stunning at those altitudes.
