Puncak Jaya

The summit of Carstensz Pyramid

Satellite image of the Carstensz Pyramid ( mid-2005 ), left front, the copper mine and glaciers remains the top right. The summit is located on top of the outermost point of the central rib.

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The Carstensz Pyramid ( Puncak Jaya in Indonesia = " Victory Summit" and formerly called Djalaspitze ) is with 4884 meters the highest mountain in Oceania and the world's highest mountain on an island.

It is located right next to the largest gold mine in the world, the Grasberg mine in Papua, one of the two new provinces in the west belonging to Indonesia part of the island of New Guinea, in the Sudirman Range, which is part of the Maokegebirges. The Maokegebirge is a mountain alpidischen origin, which is caused by the descent of the Pacific Plate under the Indo- Australian Plate.

Seven Summits

It is disputed whether the Carstensz Pyramid as representatives of Australia and Oceania to the Seven Summits, the highest mountains of the seven continents, heard or not. Politically part of the mountain to Indonesia and thus to Asia. On the other hand, the Carstensz Pyramid is located on the Australian plate and thus does not belong geologically to Eurasia.

History

Is named the mountain after the Dutch navigator and explorer in January Carstensz, who described him in 1623 for the first time. The first ascent was made on February 13, 1962 by Heinrich Harrer, Philip Temple, Kippax and Russel Albert Huizenga with the help of over 100 carriers of Dani on the north wall ( the expedition report can be found in Harrer 1976, p 13-79 ).

The Carstensz is of the "Seven Summits" one of the technically most difficult -to-climb mountains, even though it is comparatively low. With a difficulty level of V is a climb, climb technically, more difficult than the Mount Everest or the Denali (Mount McKinley ). But considering the altitude and the temperatures prevailing there, the two latter are a far greater mountaineering challenge.

On Carstensz usually pull out early in the morning on clouds. Very rarely, the fair-weather days are with a clear view to the Arafura Sea, 120 km away, as she experienced in January Carstensz. The Colijn expedition, the Grasberg mine discovered in 1936, Dozy, due to dense fog, snow storm and lightning storm. On the nearby Grasberg mine incident annual rainfall of 4000-5000 mm.

Tourism

The journey to Carstensz Pyramid and its ascent depend on several approvals by the army, police and government departments. The rules for obtaining these permits are subject to change at short notice. The mountain was excluded, for example, in November 1995 due to political unrest by the Indonesian government from public access. By 2005, there were no expeditions permitted. Then individual ascents were approved at the request again. However arrival routes have been repeatedly blocked indefinitely, so in the meantime the arrival by helicopter was possible.

The area also several mining companies are active, the foreign visitors are not welcome. In addition, there are conflicts between the state authorities and the indigenous people. Due to these problems are very difficult ascents.

In addition to summit

The Ngga Pulu, a barely three kilometers distant peaks in the same massif, is now regarded as secondary summit of Carstensz Pyramid because of its low dominance and Vertical separation. According to another view, it should thereby be an independent mountain. In 1936, before the melting of glaciers, the Ngga Pulu was higher than the Carstensz Pyramid with its ice cap.