What is Mauna Loa most famous for?

What is Mauna Loa most famous for?

Mauna Loa is the largest active volcano on the planet. Meaning “long mountain” in Hawaiian, it is the quintessential shield volcano in its shape— signified by broad, rounded slopes. The volcano makes up roughly 51% of Hawaiʻi Island and stands 13,678 feet (4,170 m) above sea level.

Why is Mauna Loa so big?

Mauna Loa takes up a lot of space because its mass is 9,700 cubic miles/40,000 cu km of mountain. What makes Mauna Loa such a big mountain is the way it was formed. As part of the Hawaiian islands, Mauna Loa is a volcano, just like many others found on the island chain.

What are some interesting facts about Mauna Loa?

Interesting Facts About Mauna Loa. Mauna Loa is famous because it is the world’s largest active volcano. It’s name literally means “Long Mountain” and the name is fitting. It covers more than half of the landscape of Hawaii Island. To compare it to other famous mountain, Mt. Rainer, Mauna Loa is 500x greater in total volume.

How to get to the top of Mauna Loa?

There are three trails to the top – the Observatory Trail, the Mauna Loa Trail, and the Ainapo Trail. This makes Mauna Loa an attraction for those who want to stand on the top of this HUGE volcano. Along with Kiluea, it is a major attraction of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. And let’s face it.

How big is Mauna Loa compared to Mt Rainer?

It covers more than half of the landscape of Hawaii Island. To compare it to other famous mountain, Mt. Rainer, Mauna Loa is 500x greater in total volume. It’s so big, in fact, that the Pacific plate sags because of the weight of the volcano.

Who was the head of operations at Mauna Loa?

3. A Practical Joke When Mauna Loa erupted in 1984, the volcanic observatory’s head of operations, a man named Bob Decker, was leaving to work in California. His send-off party was the night the volcano would erupt. The staff even joked that it would be fantastic for the volcano to erupt on the night that Bob would be leaving.