Former World Tour pro turned KOM hunter, YouTube, and social media star, Phil Gaimon, just reclaimed the KOM on Mauna Kea. On the Big Island of Hawaii, the Mauna Kea climb is considered one of the toughest road climbs in the world, ascending 13,762 vertical feet over 55.59 miles from sea level to the observatories on the summit. Gaimon, who has been posting updates from Hawaii for the past week or so, announced the success of his KOM attempt yesterday, on his 40th Birthday.
While snow in Hawaii may surprise many, it is a regular event on the state's tallest volcanic peaks. The high elevations of Mauna Kea (a dormant volcano), which rises to 13,796 feet, and Mauna Loa (the world's largest active volcano), at 13,678 feet, create a sub-Arctic climate at their summits. According to Tom Birchard, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Honolulu, snowfall occurs on average five to eight times per year, primarily during Hawaii's wet season from October through April.