Kawaikini
Encyclopedia
Kawaikini is the highest point on the Hawaiian Island
of Kauai
and in Kauai County and measures 5226 feet (1,592.9 m) in elevation. It is the summit of the island's inactive central shield volcano
, Mount Waialeale. Other peaks on Kauai include: Waialeale (5,148 feet), Namolokama Mountain (4,421 feet), Kalalau Lookout (4,120 feet), Haupu (2,297 feet), and Nounou
(1,241 feet).
placed on the nearby Waialeale lake records daily rainfall and regularly lands Kauai's peaks on the National Climatic Data Center's
list of places averaging the highest annual rainfall. This high rainfall makes reaching the summit difficult on most days.
The rain is not the only barrier to reaching Kawaikini. The Alakai Wilderness Preserve is located to the west and its miles of dense, swampy forest limit access to the summit. To the north, east, and south, Kawaikini is protected by steep cliffs.
Kawaikini is located in the center of Kauai at coordinates 22°3′24"N 159°29′48"W.
, referring to the island's high rainfall.
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
of Kauai
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
and in Kauai County and measures 5226 feet (1,592.9 m) in elevation. It is the summit of the island's inactive central shield volcano
Shield volcano
A shield volcano is a type of volcano usually built almost entirely of fluid lava flows. They are named for their large size and low profile, resembling a warrior's shield. This is caused by the highly fluid lava they erupt, which travels farther than lava erupted from more explosive volcanoes...
, Mount Waialeale. Other peaks on Kauai include: Waialeale (5,148 feet), Namolokama Mountain (4,421 feet), Kalalau Lookout (4,120 feet), Haupu (2,297 feet), and Nounou
Sleeping Giant (Kauai)
Sleeping Giant, also known as Nounou Mountain, is a mountain ridge located west of the towns Wailua and Kapaa in the Nounou Forest Reserve on the Hawaiian island of Kauai...
(1,241 feet).
Description
A rain gaugeRain gauge
A rain gauge is a type of instrument used by meteorologists and hydrologists to gather and measure the amount of liquid precipitation over a set period of time....
placed on the nearby Waialeale lake records daily rainfall and regularly lands Kauai's peaks on the National Climatic Data Center's
National Climatic Data Center
The United States National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, North Carolina is the world's largest active archive of weather data. The center became established in late 1951, with the move into the new facility occurring in early 1952....
list of places averaging the highest annual rainfall. This high rainfall makes reaching the summit difficult on most days.
The rain is not the only barrier to reaching Kawaikini. The Alakai Wilderness Preserve is located to the west and its miles of dense, swampy forest limit access to the summit. To the north, east, and south, Kawaikini is protected by steep cliffs.
Kawaikini is located in the center of Kauai at coordinates 22°3′24"N 159°29′48"W.
Etymology
Ka wai kini literally translates to "the multitudinous water" in the Hawaiian LanguageHawaiian language
The Hawaiian language is a Polynesian language that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the state of Hawaii...
, referring to the island's high rainfall.