The Old Volcano: Kohala

Kohala Volcano is the oldest of Hawaii's five volcanoes and probably emerged above sea level more than 500,000 years ago. Toward the end of its shield-building stage 250,000 to 300,000 years ago, an enormous landslide removed the volcano's northeast flank. Twenty kilometers wide at the shoreline, the landslide cut back to the summit of the volcano, which at the time was just over 1,000 m higher than today, and traveled 130 km across the ocean floor. The famous sea cliffs of the Kohala shoreline mark the topmost part of the headwall of this ancient landslide.

Lava that flowed from Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa buried the southern flank of Kohala.