Posted on: Friday, August 17, 2001

Mauna Kea sacred site restored

By Hugh Clark
Advertiser Big Island Bureau

MAUNA KEA, Hawai'i — Unpaved Poli'ahu Road on Mauna Kea was obliterated yesterday in response to concerns by Native Hawaiians and conservationists that the sacred site was being trashed by off-road vehicles that also threatened the survival of a rare insect species.

The decision to destroy the 300-yard stretch of road came from the Office of Mauna Kea Management, a state agency created in 1999 by the University of Hawai'i Board of Regents to accommodate groups fearful the mountain had been overwhelmed by astronomy developments.

Sierra Club spokesman Nelson Ho called the decision to restore the area to its original condition "a welcome move."

Ed Stevens, a member of the Kahu Ku Mauna Council, which advises the Mauna Kea management office on Native Hawaiian issues, said the road was an intrusion into the sensitive area. A telescope used briefly at the site was removed some time ago. Its concrete base was removed last year.

The road, used for sight-seeing and recreation purposes, led to Pu'u Poli'ahu, named for the Hawaiian snow goddess. It was opened in 1964 to allow the late Arizona scientist Gerard Kuiper to evaluate the viewing conditions on Mauna Kea. He concluded it was "the best site in the world" to conduct modern astronomy. His statement proved true, as there are now 13 facilities near the summit of the state's highest mountain.

"All of the information we've received pointed to the need to close the road to the top of Pu'u Poli'ahu," said a written statement from retired state appeals judge Walter Heen, interim director of the Office of Mauna Kea Management. "Our ranger guides have frequently observed dangerous vehicular activities on this sacred site."

Pu'u Poli'ahu still will be accessible to hikers.