Tag Archive for: Carstensz Pyramid

Carstensz Pyramid Team in Timika, preparing to fly to Carstensz base camp

Once the expedition gets underway, follow our progress on this real-time tracking map.

Greetings from the town of Timika, on the Island of Papua.  We arrived yesterday here from Bali and went to the immigration office to get our permits.  Then we enjoyed some nice dinner here before checking our equipment and preparing for today’s helicopter flight to Carstensz Pyramid, assuming good weather and flyable conditions.  We will fly about 45 minutes over the jungle to the base camp at about 14,000′, and once there plan to settle into our base camp.  We are very excited to get to the mountain and start climbing!

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Carstensz Pyramid expedition team arrives in Bali

Carstensz Pyramid expedition
Once the expedition gets underway, follow our progress on this real-time tracking map.

 
The Carstensz Pyramid expedition team made it to Bali yesterday and we’ve been preparing for our flight to Timika on the Island of Papua very early tomorrow.  Bali is a fine tourist destination indeed, and a great “base” for us to operate our Carstensz Pyramid program from.

Bali is an Indonesian island known for its forested volcanic mountains, iconic rice paddies, beaches and coral reefs. The island is home to religious sites such as cliffside Uluwatu Temple. To the south, the beachside city of Kuta has lively bars, while Seminyak, Sanur and Nusa Dua are popular resort towns. The island is also known for its yoga and meditation retreats.

Once we arrive in Timika we will transfer to the hotel and then check in with the immigration department for clearance, then the next morning our plan is to fly by helicopter to Carstensz Pyramid base camp.  Upon arrival at base camp we will settle in and go for an acclimatization hike to the base of the route.  Assuming the weather is decent, we may go for the summit on October 15th, but we have a few extra days just in case!  We are very much looking forward to this rock climbing objective at 16,000 feet!

About 145,000 people on the Indonesian island of Bali have left their homes around Mount Agung, a volcano that is showing signs it could erupt, officials said on Friday.The 9,944-foot volcano, the highest mountain on Bali, last erupted in the early 1960s

Garden features in our hotel

Carstensz Pyramid expedition

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Flora and Fauna in Bali. Bali has an interesting collection of animal and plant life. The rice terraces are the most common sight everyday in Bali, particularly in the heavily populated and extravagantly fertile south. Balinese gardens are a delight.

Carstensz Pyramid expedition

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A jukung or canoe also known as cadik is a small wooden Indonesian outrigger canoe. It is a traditional fishing boat in this region.

Carstensz Pyramid expedition

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Carstensz Pyramid expedition team set for departure

Our 2017 Carstensz Pyramid expedition team is departing North America tomorrow to head to Bali, and from there to the Island of Papua to begin our climb of this fabled peak.

Carstensz Pyramid, as one of the most exotic climbing objectives in the “7 Summits”, is located in Western Papua and is comprised of limestone which rises abruptly from the surrounding rainforest. The highest point on Australasia, this very remote peak is an engaging challenge both in getting to the base of the climb and also in the ascent itself!  Not many climbers venture to this mysterious and unfrequented mountain, that has glaciers surrounding the rock pyramid that towers above the jungle below.

Our ascent will involve a classic rock climb along with some very intriguing cultural experiences along the way, a journey through unknown landscapes in a remote part of the world, and of course a notable achievement in reaching the top of this exotic peak.  This uncommon adventure will surely challenge us as climbers and explorers, but the rewards for venturing into this obscure region will surely be well worth the arduous journey!  Myself, along with 2 good climbing friends will be arriving in Bali on October 11th, and then we hope to reach the island of Papua on October 13th or 14th, from there the real adventure begins!

Once the expedition gets underway, follow our progress on this real-time tracking map.

 

-Garrett Madison

Carstensz Pyramid expedition team

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Carstensz Pyramid Climbing Recap, a Success!

The Madison Mountaineering Carstensz Pyramid climbing team is safely back in Bali!. We flew back to Timika in the B3 helicopter and were able to catch a fixed wing flight back to Bali. Sangeeta, Ankur, and I had a nice meal together when we got back and now we are all getting some well deserved sleep. Our expedition to Carstensz Pyramid was a success! Our first team (Joe Butler & Newall Hunter) made a quick summit of Carstensz Pyramid after arriving in base camp. What was going to be a reconnaissance turned into a summit of the peak! Then, our second group of Joe Butler, Ankur & Sangeeta made an attempt. Overall, we had a few summits, and very much enjoyed our time in Papua! This peak is one of the most challenging of the seven summits from a logistics perspective, the multiple fixed wing and helicopter flights required to access the mountain from Bali are a remarkable feat by itself, and then there are the many pitches of fixed ropes necessary to climb the tough steep rock faces to the summit! We had good climbing conditions on Carstensz Pyramid, and are very happy with the outcome of our expedition. All members are now back in Bali and are safe. We look forward to returning to Carstensz Pyramid soon for another great expedition next March!!!

-Joe Butler, Expedition Leader

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Puncak Jaya Ascent:

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Our Madison Mountaineering climbing team staying safe with fixed lines:

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Beautiful scenery on the Carstensz Pyramid ascent!

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Mozes Kilangin International Airport ~ Timika, Indonesia:

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B3 helicopter ride back to Timika!

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Sangeeta looking good with a big “Thumbs UP” next to our B3 helicopter! Way to go team!!

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Reconnaissance mission turned into a summit!

Expedition leader Joe Buttler’s reconnaissance mission from base camp turned into a successful summit push today! Joe and Newall pushed onward through the Yellow Valley and to the impressive rock face of Carstensz Pyramid. At this point the team crossed the Tyrolean Traverse and continued up the summit ridge. After reaching an elevation of 16,042 ft, Joe and Newall experienced beautiful views from the highest point in Indonesia. Carstensz Pyramid is also the highest point between the Himalayas and the Andes, and the highest island peak in the world!

Ankur of our climbing team is currently under the weather and we are hoping for a fast recovery to full health. Tomorrow the team will have an early start to the day and make another push to the summit. To the top!

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Carstensz Pyramid Base Camp

Awesome news received from Indonesia, the team has arrived to Carstensz Pyramid Base Camp! The Madison Mountaineering expedition is underway after a volcano eruption near Bali had delayed the team’s departure. Yesterday the team flew to Timika in the Papua province by jet, then a quick helicopter ride to base camp. Weather is overcast with light rain reported. Our climbing team will be spending these first couple days acclimatizing to the altitude change. A team member on our expedition has backpacked in a DJI Phantom 3 drone, needless to say that we expect to receive some AMAZING content following this epic life adventure. More to come as this expedition progresses up the mountain!!

Attached is a audio dispatch received from our expedition leader, Joe Butler. At times the audio can be difficult to hear. I found the most effective way to listen was to play this audio on a louder sound system.

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Eruption of Mount Barujari in Indonesia

With the eruption of Mount Barujari in West Nusa Tenggara settling, the Madison Mountaineering team is preparing for liftoff in Bali. The spread of volcanic ash from the volcano is moving to the south and west of the eruption point. With any luck, our climbing team will be headed to Timika and then board a helicopter to base camp today. While in Bali the team has enjoyed the breathtaking forested volcanic mountains, iconic rice paddies, beaches and coral reefs. Bali is a part of the Coral Triangle, a famous oceanographic area with some of the highest biodiversity of marine species in the world. The weather has been warm for the most part in the low 80’s, with occasional thunder storms in the area.

Earlier today, the Jakarta Post wrote an article that details the Bali airport gradually reopening and the continued effects of this powerful volcano eruption. The Madison Mountaineering team will receive daily updates as the climbing team progresses toward Carstensz Pyramid. Daily dispatches will be posted here!

For family members and friends, my email is andrew@madisonmountaineering.com. Feel free to email me if you have any questions as this expedition continues. Onward!

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Gear check with Ankur and Sangeeta in Bali:

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Team welcome dinner in Bali! The adventure begins:

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Team prepares for Carstensz Pyramid expedition!

The Madison Mountaineering team is preparing for a expedition to the highest island peak in the world! This massive rock formation is the largest mountain in Indonesia as well as the Australian continent. Carstensz Pyramid, or Puncak Jaya, is one of the least climbed peaks in the “7 Summits” and a formidable objective located in Papua, Indonesia. Our expedition will begin in the beautiful island of Bali, where the team will then fly to Timika then Sugapa to begin the trek to base camp. Madison Mountaineering’s high end logistics, local staff relationships, and mountain guide experience ensure the group will be well taken care of throughout this expedition.

 

Carstensz Pyramid was developed by the collision between the Australian and Pacific tectonic plates. The rock formation that exists today is composed of limestone that rises from the thick forest below to just over 16,000′. This mountain ascent will be a exciting adventure filled with many challenging rock formations. Along the ascent the team will push through multiple glacier fields across the mountain such as Carstensz Glacier. Upon reaching the peak the summit will typically be free of ice. The team’s rock climbing ability to ascents includes mostly 5th class terrain on fixed ropes. Stay tuned as this expedition prepares to launch!!

Carstensz Pyramid

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