Mauna Kea Ice Age Reserve

The Mauna Kea Ice Age Natural Area Reserve is a Hawaii state natural reserve that includes the Mauna Kea Adz Quarry, on the southern slope of Mauna Kea on the island of the Hawaii.

Location
The reserve is accessed from the Saddle Road (Hawaii Route 200), about 24 mi northwest of Hilo. At 19.68917°N, -155.46639°W, the Mauna Kea access road leads to the north at about 6600 ft elevation. The road was unofficially named for John A. Burns who was Governor of Hawaii when it was built in 1964. The land is part of the Natural Area Reserves System administered by the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources. The reserve lies above the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy, to the west of the road starting at an elevation of about 10000 ft at 19.76944°N, -155.46306°W. It extends to just below the summit area of Mauna Kea Observatory, at about 13000 ft elevation at 19.81917°N, -155.47444°W. The 3894 acre reserve was established in 1981.

In 1998, the area leased to the Mauna Kea Observatory (called the Kea Science Reserve) was modified to exclude the Ice Age reserve. Another small parcel surrounding the rocky cinder cone called Puu Pōhaku at 19.82528°N, -155.49111°W, contains a rare example of permafrost in the tropics. A 2004 study found the rare wēkiu bug (Nysius wekiuicola) in the reserve.

Quarry
The quarry was used by prehistoric Hawaiians to obtain basalt for stone tools including blades for adzes. Located near the summit of Mauna Kea at an elevation above 12000 ft at 19.80028°N, -155.46778°W along the Mauna Kea Trail, this is the largest primitive quarry in the world. The archaeological complex also includes religious shrines, trails, rock shelters, and petroglyphs. The Hawaiian language name for the quarry was Keanakākoi.

On December 29, 1962, the quarry was added to the list of National Historic Landmarks in Hawaii. On October 15, 1966 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places listings on the island of Hawaii as site 66000285. On May 21, 1981 it was added to the state register as site 10-23-4136.

Lake Waiau is located even further up the trail within the reserve.