Puncak Jaya
indonesia
Puncak Jaya (Carstensz Pyramid): The 7th Summit is a tough climb
Quick Answers
Climbing Puncak Jaya Indonesia - Mountain Stats
- #1 highest in Indonesia
- #1 highest on Continental Australia
- #7 highest in South East Asia
- #1 highest between the Himalayas and the Andes
- Carstensz Pyramid
Climbing Puncak Jaya Indonesia - Natural Form and History
Natural Puncak Jaya Indonesia - Natural history
Puncak Jaya is the highest mountain in Indonesia and the tallest summit in Mount Jayawijaya group, which is part of the Sudirman Range situated in the province of Papua. It was created by an oblique collision between the Australian and Pacific plates in the late Miocene Melanasian Orogeny and is made up of middle Miocene limestone.
Natural Puncak Jaya Indonesia - Climbing history
Austrian mountaineer, Heinrich Harrer led the first expedition to the peak in 1962 with New Zealander Philip Temple, Australian Russel Kippax and Dutch Albertus Huizenga.
Natural Puncak Jaya Indonesia - Current status
Many claim that more people summit Mt. Everest than they do Puncak Jaya. This is largely due to it being so remote. The climb is technically difficult, and has no facilities available to its climbers – importantly there are still few options for support in emergency situations. If you choose to climb it, choosing one of the (limited) climbing support service providers is probably your best bet.
Climbing Puncak Jaya Indonesia - Climbing Experience & Itinerary
Climbing Puncak Jaya Indonesia - Climbing Experience
Despite having the lowest elevation among the “Seven Summits,” the Puncak Jaya climb has one of the highest technical rating. This is a climb for seasoned mountaineers and peak-bagging enthusiasts. Getting to the base camp by helicopter can save you around 4-5 days of trekking through dense forests and incessant rains. Even after that the standard route to climb is up the north face and along the summit ridge, which is an all rock surface.
The climbing terrain is composed of 4 distinct sections, the first of which only needs to be negotiated if you are hiking up from the base of the mountain instead of taking a helicopter directly to the base camp.
It’s always advised to avoid the first few days hiking through the dense forests as it has been reported that local tribes and paramilitary tend to extort tour guides for thousands of dollars and tourists have even been beaten and kidnapped over the years. When attempting the rest of the hike, you’ll need to also keep in mind how technical of a climb this is.
Climbing Puncak Jaya Indonesia - Trail options
There are two options to get to ascend the summit. The first is to reach the base camp by helicopter and climb to the summit, and the second is to trek all the way, including the trek up to the base camp through dense jungles.
Climbing Puncak Jaya Indonesia - Support facilities
Guides and porters
Trail facilities
Food & water
Network connectivity
Climbing Puncak Jaya Indonesia - Safety & Accessibility
Weather
The climate in this region is fairly consistent, making the climb up Puncak Jaya possible all year round. During the day, temperatures range from 12 to 37 degrees celsius in the upper alpine areas, whilst night time temperatures drop as low as minus 8 degrees celsius. There’s a little bit of rainfall most days, and you may even experience a little snowfall!
Climbing safety
Altitude: Most people start feeling the pressure of the altitude above 3,000 m and almost everyone will experience it at heights of above 4,000 m. The trick is to move up the mountain slowly and spend the nights at a lower altitude than you ascend during the day. Especially if you’ve never hiked above 4,000 m before, be sure to leave as many days as recommended by the guides for acclimatisation before attempting the summit. Although aerobic fitness helps combat altitude sickness, you can never be sure how your body will react until you’ve done such a hike a couple of times.
Icy ridges and slippery rocks: Given that Puncak Jaya is considered the most technical climb of the Seven Summits, there is no question of attempting it without the support of an experienced team carrying the requisite advanced equipment. If you were to get injured, there is no option but to descend on foot to the base camps from where a helicopter can fly you out to the nearest town. So please be prepared with the right training, equipment, support team, and attitude towards safety.
Personal safety
Unlike most summits, Puncak Jaya is very difficult and you will need an experienced team with the best equipment and guides to ensure all necessary permits and protocols are in place.
Permits, Fees, and Regulations
Not just one but plenty of permits are required to make this summit. Your tour operator should be able to help you in this regard. Remember to plan well in advance to account for time in processing documentation and permits, as Indonesian government agencies aren’t generally known for their responsiveness.
Emergency contacts
Due to the remoteness of this mountain, climbers shouldn’t expect public safety agencies to respond quickly to emergency situations. As such, please be sure to take all reasonable precautions into your own hands by organising the climb through a professional and reputable climbing service provider (with the right equipment, well-trained staff, and well-considered safety protocols).
Getting there and away
You’ll most likely need to fly first to Nabire Airport on the north coast of Irian Jaya / West Papua, and from there you can take a local flight to Timika to the South of Puncak Jaya. If you’ve decided to take the helicopter trail, now is when you’ll be taking your chopper to Lake Valley Base Camp. If you plan on starting from the rainforests, you’ll have to take another flight to Sugapa from Timika. The starting point of your trek is a quick motorbike ride from the Sugapa Airport.
Money Matters
Puncak Jaya is considered one of the most expensive of the 7 Summits, competing with Mount Everest or even Mount Vinson in Antarctica. As a rough rule of thumb, budget about 30,000 USD.
Climbing Puncak Jaya Indonesia - Special Tips
Tips for amateur climbers
This is not a summit for amateur climbers. If you’re a beginner, you should plan well ahead to build your technical skills, your physical strength and endurance, and your experience in climbing high mountains before attempting this climb.
Tips for advanced climbers
Jungle Trekkers: If you’re willing to brave the (reportedly very dangerous) local tribes, the swamps and thick rainforests, skip the helicopter ride and start your journey right from Sugapa. This would be a real life-changing/threatening experience. Be sure to get the most up to date information about the safety of that option from more up-to-date sources than Summits.com.
Ngga Pulu: If you’ve got the energy for it and the weather conditions permit, you could also attempt to summit Ngga Pulu (in the same mountain range) on the same trip.
More challenging summit routes: There are 3 summit routes. The Harrer Route (the ‘normal’ route) has a UIAA difficulty rating of 3 to 4 by the. But the East Ridge trail has a more challenging and lengthy ascent on some narrow areas and loose rocky areas. Or, The American Route (also called ‘The Direct Route’) offers the most challenging climbing experience by going straight up to the summit via the Carstensz headwall.
Tips for women
There’s no reason for women climbers to be deterred by this trek.
Tips for responsible / safety-conscious climbers
Irian Jaya, also named West Papua, has an ongoing independence movement. It’s best to avoid talking politics, not that there will be many people to chat with up the mountain.
Tips for trail runners
Puncak Jaya is definitely not a trail-running mountain for now. But, by all means, let us know if you’ve proven us wrong!
Tips for nature lovers
The thick jungle at the lower reaches of Puncak Jaya is exceedingly biodiverse, pristine, and probably has endemic flora and fauna still unknown to science. “Throwim Way Leg”, by renowned mammologist Tim Flannery, is an entertaining read that will give you an idea of the treasures yet to be found in these remote forests.
Climbing Puncak Jaya Indonesia - Gallery
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Scaling the upper treeless reaches of Carstensz Pyramid
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Mário Simoes, who bagged "Peak Jaya" in 2015