Carstensz Pyramid: An Adventurers Paradise
The Carstensz Pyramid in Papua belongs to the elite group of Seven Summits. The Seven Summits comprise of the highest peaks in each of the seven continents. The highest peak of the Australian continent shelf is the Carstensz Pyramid also known as Puncak Jaya. It is located in Papua district of New Guinea which is an Indonesian province. The Carstensz Pyramid climb difficulty is both due to the technical and physical challenges that the peak has to offer. The climb is a truly adventurous experience and the extent of its difficulty is proven by the fact that it could be climbed only in 1962.
The climb was not open to citizens till as late as 2005, after which there was an advent of private adventure organizing companies like Adventure Indonesia into the region. The government allowed general citizens both national and international citizens to climb the summit with a proper legal permission from the Indonesian government. Citizens can be the part of an international expedition group or can organize a private expedition with logistics support being delivered by licensed adventure organizers.
There are a number of routes through which the peak can be climbed. The total number as of now stands at seven but many more routes are being continuously explored by adventurers and experienced mountaineers. The Carstensz pyramid climbdifficulty has attracted a number of world renowned mountaineers to the region and the peak still offers an enigmatic environment with much remaining to be explored. Out of the seven routes the most common route is called the Harrer route named after its discoverer. This route is also called the normal route. It is one of the shortest routes with the average climb taking between 12 to 15 hours. TheEast Ridge route and the American Direct route. The East Ridge route is a longer and a much more complicated route. Thus, it also offers one of the most challenging climbing experience. It takes almost twice the time to climb through this route as compared to the normal route.
The base of the summit has become much more accessible in the past few years with the availability cheaper air travel. The nearest major town with an airport is Timika. After reaching Timika one has to either take a private plane or an organizing company's plane to reach to a close local village. After this the remaining path has to be covered on foot. The trekking trail passes through deep tropical jungles. The probability of rain in these regions is extremely high which increases the adventure associated with the trek. The average duration is four to five days. After the long trek is over the magnanimity of the enormous Carstensz summit captures the adventurer's imagination.
The Carstensz Pyramid is a park of the Mount Carstensz Peaks which contain many other high summits including the famous Ngga Pulu summit which was considered to be the highest peak on the Australian plate before Carstensz Pyramid was climbed in 1962. The feeling of looking at the white expanse of snow and listening to the melting glaciers, with the sudden realization that one is standing almost at the earth's equator, cannot be described in words.
The climb was not open to citizens till as late as 2005, after which there was an advent of private adventure organizing companies like Adventure Indonesia into the region. The government allowed general citizens both national and international citizens to climb the summit with a proper legal permission from the Indonesian government. Citizens can be the part of an international expedition group or can organize a private expedition with logistics support being delivered by licensed adventure organizers.
There are a number of routes through which the peak can be climbed. The total number as of now stands at seven but many more routes are being continuously explored by adventurers and experienced mountaineers. The Carstensz pyramid climbdifficulty has attracted a number of world renowned mountaineers to the region and the peak still offers an enigmatic environment with much remaining to be explored. Out of the seven routes the most common route is called the Harrer route named after its discoverer. This route is also called the normal route. It is one of the shortest routes with the average climb taking between 12 to 15 hours. TheEast Ridge route and the American Direct route. The East Ridge route is a longer and a much more complicated route. Thus, it also offers one of the most challenging climbing experience. It takes almost twice the time to climb through this route as compared to the normal route.
The base of the summit has become much more accessible in the past few years with the availability cheaper air travel. The nearest major town with an airport is Timika. After reaching Timika one has to either take a private plane or an organizing company's plane to reach to a close local village. After this the remaining path has to be covered on foot. The trekking trail passes through deep tropical jungles. The probability of rain in these regions is extremely high which increases the adventure associated with the trek. The average duration is four to five days. After the long trek is over the magnanimity of the enormous Carstensz summit captures the adventurer's imagination.
The Carstensz Pyramid is a park of the Mount Carstensz Peaks which contain many other high summits including the famous Ngga Pulu summit which was considered to be the highest peak on the Australian plate before Carstensz Pyramid was climbed in 1962. The feeling of looking at the white expanse of snow and listening to the melting glaciers, with the sudden realization that one is standing almost at the earth's equator, cannot be described in words.
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