Originally Posted by
bocastephen
I thought I would share a separate discussion regarding the drive up to Mauna Kea based on my own experience this past week - significantly different from all of the other drives I've taken over many years. There are now multiple rangers positioned at the exit of the visitor's center parking lot checking cars exiting, the road itself is closed at the visitor's center lot entrance, directing all cars into the lot.
1. You must have a true 4x4 - make/model doesn't matter, but it must be a true 4x4 with a 4LO gear option
I wonder how they'd deal with a Rivian R1T or Ford F-150 Lightning? They're obviously pickups and can handle rough terrain but don't have 4LO, they have regenerative brakes so the friction brakes shouldn't overheat.
But the 4LO rule is stupid to begin with. If you overheat your friction brakes you are an idiot, and should have your driver's license revoked. Plus they have so many photos of crashed Jeeps so the problem is obviously not the cars, it's the idiots behind the wheels of some of the cars.