Highest peak
in Oceania
My finger slides gently over the cold, shiny globe, shining with every turn. “I’ve only turned half of it,” I tell myself, trying to calm down, telling myself that there’s still half of the world left to be turned.
Where am I going, or, where do I want to go?”
I look once more through the shop full of books, journals, maps, and globes, and the smell of new books whispers gently that everything will be okay somehow. Hmmm … I take a deep breath and say to myself: if I do this one, I’ve done more than half.
The Carstensz Pyramid on the island of New Guinea, at 4,884 m, is the highest mountain in Indonesia and the highest island peak in the world.
For those who don’t know, Indonesia is the world’s largest archipelago, located in Southeast Asia at the intersection of continental Asia and Oceania, and is usually considered part of Asia. However, some islands extend towards Australia, forming a bridge between the two continents.
Regarding its location, opinions are divided on whether this peak is in Asia or Oceania. From a geopolitical perspective, West New Guinea is an area administered by Indonesia and therefore part of Southeast Asia. Geographically, New Guinea is part of the Australian continent, and Carstensz Pyramid, or Puncak Jaya, is considered the highest peak in Oceania. For this reason, the peak is often included in the “7 Summits” list.
The name Puncak Jaya means “Glorious Peak”. In Indonesian, Puncak means “peak” or “mountain,” and Jaya means “victory” or “victorious.” This name was adopted after Indonesia took control of the province of Irian Jaya (now West Papua). In 1963, the peak was renamed Puncak Sukarno, after the then-president of Indonesia, Sukarno. Later, the name was changed to Puncak Jaya.
Another important name is that of the indigenous Amungme people, who call the mountain “Nemangkawi Ninggok,” meaning White Arrow Peak.
The name Carstensz Pyramid is the European name, given in honor of the first European to see the mountain, Jan Carstensz. He first saw the peak on a boat trip in 1623. Many Europeans did not believe his story, as Carstensz claimed that Puncak Jaya was covered in glaciers and snow. Carstensz was ridiculed in Europe for claiming to have seen snow near the Equator, and his observation remained unverified for over two centuries. The term “pyramid” describes the characteristic shape of the mountain, with a steep, sharp peak that resembles a pyramid.
The temperature at the summit is not “extremely” cold, with readings as low as -10 °C. I wrote “not extremely” because while -10 °C may seem harsh to a normal person, for someone accustomed to hiking or expeditions, -10 is a very bearable temperature. It only becomes challenging at -20 or -30. However, wind can greatly influence perceived temperature, and in mountain terms, this phenomenon is called the “chill factor.” For example, if the wind is 30 km/h and the temperature is -10 °C, the perceived temperature can be -20 °C. So far, I have only felt the strongest wind on Mont Blanc, because there, at 4800 meters, at temperatures between -15 and -20°C, with a wind of 40-50 km/h, it was very, very cold.
Being located in an equatorial area, the average temperature varies little throughout the year, approximately 0.5 °C. Here, the average temperature during the year is close to 0°C during the day and -10°C at night, and at base camp, at 4000m, the temperature is 10°C during the day and slightly below 0°C at night.
Geologically, Puncak Jaya is the highest point in the Sudirman Range, which was formed by an oblique collision between the Australian and Pacific plates, and the peak is known as one of the few tropical or equatorial mountains in the world with glaciers.
In 1936, a Dutch expedition, unable to determine with certainty which of the three peaks was the highest (Puncak Jaya, Ngga Pulu, or East Carstensz), attempted to climb them all. Anton Colijn, Jean Jacques Dozy, and Frits Wissel reached both the glacier-covered East Carstensz peak and the Ngga Pulu peak on December 5, but due to unfavorable weather conditions, they were unable to climb Puncak Jaya.
In 1962, 22-year-old New Zealand mountaineer Philip Temple, 49-year-old Austrian Heinrich Harrer, 30-year-old Australian mountaineer Russell Kippax, and Dutch patrol officer Bert Huizenga, aged 25, made the first ascent of Puncak Jaya (February 13, 1962). Of these, Austrian Heinrich Harrer is perhaps the most famous, having been the first to climb the north face of the Eiger in 1938 and publishing the book “Seven Years in Tibet” in 1952.
Of the Seven Summits, Carstensz Pyramid is one of the most technical, if not the most technical. In addition to specific training for high-altitude climbing—acclimatization, increased physical fitness, and climbing experience—it requires a high level of technical skill.
Access to Carstensz Pyramid can be complicated, and logistics are always challenging and complex. Delays and unforeseen events are to be expected, and reaching the mountain is often the biggest challenge of any expedition.
I keep thinking about my 7 Summits project, and it scares me. Maybe that’s how it should be. In fact, I know that’s how it should be. For any big dream or goal, it’s normal to feel butterflies in your stomach and fear when you think about it. It is normal to wake up at night unable to fall back asleep or to get tears of happiness in your eyes when you imagine yourself achieving it.
In fact, the purpose of these huge goals is not to achieve them, but to become a different person by the end. For a project like this, you know that your time is limited and that you have to or will have to say no much more often. To friends, to family, to going out, to vacations, or even to shopping.
There are often moments when you walk through stores full of all kinds of offers, clothes, phones, computers, all sorts of gadgets, but your mind is only on expedition boots that won’t freeze your feet and whose soles won’t come off in extreme conditions. Or three-layer gloves that keep your hands warm, even when the wind can freeze your fingers in just five minutes. You know how important it is to choose the right sleeping bag, one that keeps out the cold so you can close your eyes at night, when outside, the storm is sweeping away everything in its path, and the cold reigns like an overlord.
You have to say no to many things, even to friends or family. You have to understand why you do what you do. You need to realize that what is said on the Internet is not 100% true. We cannot become everything we want to be, and we cannot have or achieve everything that crosses our minds. Great things take time, time is limited, and on top of that, our number of chances or opportunities will run out sooner or later.
Maybe that’s what motivates me: to use my time well. Not to look back with regrets. For too long, I lived to survive, and too little I lived for myself. I do this for me, and to be proud of myself. I do this to be a role model for my children, to show them that you can be happy with little things, such as a warm cup of tea and a great view. Or I do all this to feel as much as possible the fulfillment, the calm, and the peace that my mountain tours give me.
That may be why I became a guide. So I can share with others the bliss of hiking at sunset or the joy of reaching peaks in places only seen on the Internet. To be able to offer a part of the connection that always forms during hikes, to create an environment where new friendships are born, or new relationships and collaborations develop, where there is that win-win we always hear about.
In 2024, when I had to choose which peak to climb that year, Carstensz Pyramid was the winning option. However, when I started researching, I noticed that the mountain had only opened in 2023, after the whole COVID-19 pandemic. When I saw that everything was just beginning and there wasn’t much evidence of a successful climb, I decided to wait one year and go to Aconcagua.
It helped a lot that in 2024, on Aconcagua, I met a climber who had been there a few months earlier and gave me her guide’s phone number. I was thrilled when I saved the number and found it was already there. It belonged to a company that I had already contacted and from which I had already requested information. At that moment, I perceived it as a great sign, and it was as if I could see the climb beginning to appear on the horizon.
A year later, in 2025, I started reading more, and by May-June, I already had a plan. I was going to go at the end of September or the beginning of October.
My finger slides gently over the cold, shiny globe, shining with every turn. “I’ve only turned half of it,” I tell myself, trying to calm down, telling myself that there’s still half of the world left to be turned.
Where am I going, or, where do I want to go?”
I look once more through the shop full of books, journals, maps, and globes, and the smell of new books whispers gently that everything will be okay somehow. Hmmm … I take a deep breath and say to myself: if I do this one, I’ve done more than half.
My visits to Globetrotter were quite frequent, and I knew the book section almost by heart, and the imaginary flight over the globe always made me feel fear and bow humbly before the greatness of this planet.
I had already created the classic Excel file, divided by days, breaks, reserve days, flights, airlines, and travel tickets. It was almost the deadline, and if I waited any longer to make a decision, I would have to pay much more for these flights.
I decided to fly to Bali, then to Timika. I will make the ascent and then return to Bali. From there, there are two options: the first is to return home to Munich, and the second is to continue the expedition to Australia and try to climb another famous peak from the 7 Summits series.
The story of the 7 Summits should actually be about the 9 Summits. While for most continents it is pretty clear which is the highest peak, for Europe and Oceania, things are different. Opinions are divided between supporters of Reinhold Messner and those of Richard Bass. In Europe, for some, the highest peak is Elbrus at 5,642 m, while for others, it is Mont Blanc at 4,810 m.
In Oceania or Australia, things are similar. According to Reinhold Messner, the highest peak is the Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia at 4,884 m above sea level; according to Richard Bass, it is Mount Kosciuszko at 2,228 m above sea level.
There are three routes for the Carstensz Pyramid expedition.
The first is to use the road to Freeport’s Grasberg gold and copper mine, which is one of the largest in the world, with a diameter of 2.5 km and a depth of 1 km. The thing is, this road is off-limits to tourists because you would have to pass right through the mine’s headquarters, and for safety and confidentiality reasons, this is not allowed.
The second route is through the jungle, following a trail to the base camp for about a week. This option has not been permitted recently due to certain impediments. As if giant spiders and venomous snakes were not enough, there are also tribes of cannibals, or tribes that kidnap tourists and demand ransom. I was surprised when, upon arriving at Basecamp, I heard the story of Phillip Mehrtens, a New Zealand pilot who was held captive for almost 19 months until his ransom was paid and he was released.
The third option is by helicopter, and it is the only option currently available. You depart from Timika airport, and after a 30-minute flight over the jungle on Papua Island, you arrive at base camp. For most hikers, this is quite challenging, as the body has to adjust to very significant changes in 30 minutes. While the airport is at sea level, where the temperature is over 30 degrees Celsius, at Basecamp, at 4,000 meters, the temperature is approximately 5 degrees Celsius.
What is also challenging about this flight is the time of day and the weather conditions. Due to the island’s location in an equatorial zone, the weather is highly humid, and it rains very often, following a well-established pattern. There is only a small window for flying weather, and it is between 6 and 8 in the morning. If there are too many clouds, the helicopter pilot cannot see, and there is a danger of colliding with the mountain cliffs. Initially, I thought it wasn’t a big deal, but two weeks before my arrival, a helicopter full of tourists crashed into the rocks. After hearing this story, I realized that there wasn’t much I could do to speed up the flight.
Since I was taking this extremely long flight, I might as well go further to Australia and continue the adventure with the ascent of Mount Kosciuszko. Now, to keep this article to a reasonable length, I will only talk about the Carstensz Pyramid expedition.
I managed to get all the tickets at reasonably acceptable prices, as I said earlier.
Munich to Bali with a stopover in Bangkok.
Then Bali – Timika with a stopover in Makassar.
The return flight, Timika–Bali, with the same stopover in Makassar, the capital of Sulawesi.
Bali – Melbourne, and finally
Sydney – Munich with another stopover in Bangkok.
I opened the file and looked at how many things need to go right. After the Aconcagua expedition, where I had to wait three days for my luggage after a flight with only one stopover, I now hoped my guardian angels would be with me. In fact, I wanted some of them to stay with me and the rest to be with my luggage, so that it would arrive on time.
Since I had already researched which companies organize climbs on Carstensz Pyramid a year ago, choosing a company was relatively easy. I had five options: two Indonesian companies, one from the UK, one from the US, and one from Germany. After careful consideration, backed up by the recommendation of the climber I met on Aconcagua, the choice of company became clear, so I decided to go with the local company, Summit-Carstensz.
So. I had bought the tickets, paid the deposit, and all that was left was to check the equipment list and start my physical training.
As for equipment, I checked the list sent by the company and was very pleased to see that I didn’t need to buy any new stuff. However, a week before my trip, I bought some chocolate, cereal bars, gels, and my favorite coffee chocolates. All I hoped was to be able to celebrate on the summit with such a treat.
I already knew what to do, and three months before, in July, I started training. To improve my acclimatization, I did Wim Hof breathing exercises again, and for endurance, I started running my usual 10 km track. I went running twice a week, and on Sundays, of course, I went hiking in the mountains. This year was perfect for acclimatization, because almost every weekend I went with tourists to Zugspitze at 2962 m, or to Alpspitze at 2628 m. You can find out more about the tours I offer as a guide on Zugspitze or in the Bavarian area here.
Slowly but surely, I marked the days on the calendar, and the day of departure arrived. My luggage was packed and weighed, my external battery was fully charged, and I had a bag with a couple of sandwiches. In the morning, the gate swung wide open, inviting me to embark on a new adventure.
I took a deep breath, said hello to the butterflies in my stomach, and set off. At the airport, as always before such expeditions or experiences, I reflected a bit and set my intentions: for myself and for those I would meet. Setting intentions is a good way to clarify and achieve what you want, a method that I also teach as an NLP trainer. You just have to come to one of my courses, and you’ll understand the benefits of these methods.
Day 1: September 28 – Sunday – Munich – Bangkok
I arrived at the airport on time, and at 2:25 p.m., we took off. After 10 hours, the skyscrapers of Bangkok welcomed me, confirming my arrival in Thailand and the completion of another step.
Day 2: September 29 – Monday – Bangkok – Bali
The layover was long, but not that long. I didn’t want to risk missing my next flight because of a delay, so I chose a 9-hour layover. The mountains toughen you up and train your patience a lot, because I didn’t feel bored at any point. After reading a “few” pages, as I had five books on my Kindle, I set off for Bali.
I arrived at 6 p.m. and immediately bought a SIM card after landing. I had researched in advance which company is recommended for Indonesia and my destination, so the choice was easy—a SIM card for tourists with 30 GB of data, valid for 1 month, for 20 euros.
The heat struck me as soon as I left the air-conditioned airport, and I felt the full warmth of 30+ degrees. Coming from Munich, where it was only 9-10 degrees, the heat was both positive and negative at the same time. I enjoyed the heat on my skin, but I also knew that such differences were not in line with my plans. Knowing that I was leaving the next day, I chose an excellent hotel near the airport. There, the first thing I did was to check for snakes or insects in the room, and as soon as I opened my backpack, I sprayed insect repellent on the bed, my luggage, and my shoes. I didn’t know it then, but that was going to be my scent for the next three weeks.
Day 3: September 30 – Tuesday – Bali – Makassar
A good night’s sleep in a good hotel works wonders, because after a two-day journey and almost 20 hours of flying, I woke up full of energy. At noon, I left the hotel and headed to the airport in Bali. I read and walked around the airport, and after a while, when I had pretty much exhausted the airport, I decided to explore the surroundings. I managed to see above-ground motorcycle parking lots and was surprised to discover that in Indonesia, they drive on the left side of the road. I think I would have definitely had an accident with all the chaotic traffic if I had rented something.
After a few hundred meters and dozens of eyes staring at me, I changed my mind. I instantly remembered the Discovery Channel documentaries about what can happen to tourists in exotic areas, and I no longer felt safe walking around. Time passed, and in the evening, I left Bali for Makassar, the capital of Sulawesi Island.
Day 4: October 1 – Wednesday – Makassar – Timika
Another 6-hour layover in Makassar, the capital of Sulawesi, and at 4:30 a.m., we finally flew to Timika. While sitting on the plane, I received some good news. On one of the luggage carts, I saw my grey duffle bag being loaded onto the plane. What a relief. I’ll have all my luggage on this trip!
After a two-and-a-half-hour flight, I arrived safely in Timika. A representative of the organizing company was waiting for me, and after picking up two other clients, we headed to the hotel. That’s how I met Oleg and Sergei, who had come all the way from Ukraine. We arrived at the hotel at 10 a.m., and after a hearty breakfast, I washed up and went to sleep.
Because there is a risk of malaria on the island of Papua, I started taking Malarone on the first day, the 28th, as it is recommended to take it a few days before entering the dangerous area. Some people said it wasn’t really necessary, as the base camp is at 4,000 meters and there are no insects, but I didn’t know how long I would be staying at the hotel. In the end, I think it was a good choice, as I remained healthy throughout my stay in Indonesia.
At the hotel, you immediately recognize people like yourself: CROCS, running shoes, hiking shirts, colorful hats. I think most of the people at the hotel are hikers, and in the evening, I met someone else: Nicolai, Oleg, and Sergei’s guide. The food I saw at other tables looked delicious, but for safety reasons, I ordered pizza. Unfortunately, it was one of the worst pizzas I’ve ever had, but at least I stayed healthy. After my experience on Elbrus, where I had terrible stomach pain for four days, I decided not to take any more risks.
Even though the hotel had air conditioning, it was hot everywhere: 30 degrees Celsius. Wherever you went, you could really feel where you were. I went back to my room and managed to fall asleep around 11 p.m., even though there was an 8-hour time difference. From now on, every hour of sleep counts.
Day 5: October 2 – Thursday – Timika
Four hours. That’s how long it lasted. I woke up at 3 a.m. and couldn’t fall back asleep. The air was terribly hot and humid, and the air conditioner smelled strongly of mold. In fact, the whole hotel smelled the same. I asked others how they were doing, and they all said they wanted to leave that place as soon as possible.
The night was difficult: warm and hot, and in the end, I did some reading till breakfast time. I’ve been away for five days; five days or a quarter of the Equator – 11,000 km. I’m so far away!
They told us yesterday evening that we wouldn’t be flying today, and I’ve already been thinking about how the whole expedition will evolve. I planned many reserve days, but I’d rather spend them on a beach in Bali than in this hotel.
The hours passed, and I made up my mind: I would go for a run—10 km. No more, no less. I think it’s also the best way to see the small town. My first impression was this: lots of scooters and lots of pollution. However, those who saw me smiled, waved, and shouted, “Hey, mister!”
Timika is an impoverished town with about 140,000 inhabitants, where almost everyone works in agriculture or at the nearby mine. I saw scooters everywhere, and many things that would be unimaginable in Europe: scooters with 3-4 passengers, 4-5-year-old children clinging to their parents’ backs. At the same time, they sped down the street, and only 10% of people were wearing helmets.
I returned to the hotel and, in the evening, met Tereq from Sydney, another hiker with the same goal as me. He told me that he was supposed to fly to Basecamp today but couldn’t, and that the organizers are very cautious because about two weeks ago, a helicopter crashed and no one survived. Shit. Shit Shit.
Day 6: October 3 – Friday – Timika
Hotel. Hotel. Hotel. Déjà vu.
I went to the other side of town, to one of the two shopping malls—Diana Mall. I didn’t need anything, just a little variety. My Kindle did its job, and I finished the first book. I have a few more, but we’ll see what happens next.
In the evening, we are all informed of the flight schedule for the next day. I am in group 4, and I am not getting my hopes up too high. Others arrived before me. We’ll see.
Day 7: October 4 – Saturday – Timika
One week. I’ve been away from Munich for a week, and I still haven’t seen the mountain. The days pass in the same way, and every morning you pack your bag for the climb up the mountain. You leave nothing in the room, you look once more to the left, to the right, under the bed, and you go downstairs.
We leave for the airport, where another round of waiting awaits us.
There is only one window of good weather, and as many flights as possible are made during it. They always propose 3 or 4 flights, but I don’t think they ever make that many. However, the organizers need to boost the tourists’ morale somehow.
The transport company has two helicopters, but on some days one of them is used for other commissions, leaving only one for tourist transport. In addition, a helicopter can only carry two passengers and climbing equipment. Loads are weighed, and each person is allowed one backpack and one bag weighing up to 15 kg.
Today I did not fly but it was to be expected, being in group 4. Maybe tomorrow. We’ll see.
I ran again, this time in the other direction. Banana trees, vegetable fields, and scooter repair shops everywhere. One in five businesses is a scooter repair shop. It doesn’t surprise me, considering that everyone has one. The blue T-shirt with two mountains and hikers in the background gets heavier with every kilometer, because I’m always sweating. Today, however, I brought a bottle of water with me, because last time I was close to collapsing. The air is extremely hot, and I’m running at over 6:30 per kilometer. I’m surprised myself, knowing that a week ago in Munich, I was running at 5:30. The heat is incredibly intense.
In the evening, we are distributed again into helicopters. I will be on the third flight. From my brief experience here, there are a maximum of two flights per day. I am not getting my hopes up, but there is still a glimmer of hope. How I wish I could get to the mountain.
Day 8: October 5 – Sunday – Timika-Basecamp
The night is difficult, and I barely manage to sleep for three hours. We wake up early, and at 5 a.m., we all meet in the hotel lobby. Darkness gives way to light, and the friendly weather accompanies us on our way to the airport.
A miracle happened, and I managed to fly on the third time. The organiser planned to fly with two helicopters simultaneously, but only one flew with tourists. Again, I felt helplessness, anger, and fear. The airport staff were a bit chaotic, but I’m glad I flew.
The flight was amazing. Above the jungle, above the clouds, and above the Grasberg mine. Seeing one of the largest gold mines in the world from a helicopter is an experience that will always remain with me. Only these few minutes made me forget all the waiting in the hotel.
Right from the start, I knew it would be cold up there, so I put on my jacket. People at the airport looked at me curiously when they saw me wearing a jacket, but my only plan was to stay healthy. Too many times I have seen people on Zugspitze, Germany’s highest mountain, wearing flip-flops and shivering with cold, because they had climbed from 1,000 meters, where it was warm, to 3,000 meters, where it was only 5 degrees, by cable car.
Usually, temperatures drop by 6 to 10 degrees per thousand meters, so the jacket I brought was a great help when I landed at Basecamp at 4200 m.
The helicopter landed safely, and we met Mahir, the Basecamp manager. He gave us a short briefing on what was allowed and what was not, and we saw soldiers with automatic machine guns, who also lived in the camp. I don’t know whether they were there for our protection, the base’s protection, or the gold mine’s protection, but I didn’t want to find out more.
The base camp is at 4,200 meters and can accommodate around 30 clients in single or double tents. There is a tent where food is prepared, one where the guides sleep, and one where the soldiers are. In addition, there are two tents where meals are served. Cleanliness in the camp is not a strong point: it is not very dirty, but a bit of cleaning or garbage collection would be welcome. The toilet is 100 meters from the camp, and anyone who has been to a high-altitude camp knows that everything you do has to be done in bags and collected in one place. What surprised me was that there was an internet signal up on the mountain. Not all the time, and not very good. However, for a few hours a day, when the generator is on, you can access weather sites to see what the weather will be like.
First breakfast at 4,200 meters. Good and clean. One of the guides welcomes us and says that after we finish eating, we will take a short training tour. We take the official route to the summit, and I use an ascender for the first time.
I am at 4,400 meters, it is steep, and I have slept for three hours. I am tired, and after only a few hundred meters, I feel like my body is not listening to me. I want to pull, but I lack energy, I lack strength. It is from acclimatization, or from the lack of it.
There is a rule that says you have to drink one liter of water for every thousand meters, so as soon as I landed, I started drinking water. After 4000 meters, it is recommended to drink 4-6 liters per day to support the body’s functioning. Because oxygen is rarer, we need to breathe more often to achieve the same effect. However, when we breathe, we remove moisture from the body. That is why we must be careful and compensate in time with the necessary liquids. Knowing this, I drink a lot along the way and hope to acclimatize as quickly as possible.
Around 2 p.m., we descend, and our first lunch on the mountain awaits us in the large tent: carrots, potatoes, rice, sausages, and chicken. I eat the rice, carrots, and potatoes, and see that the others are satisfied as well.
In the end, I decided to add some calories, so I put some jam on the rice and ate a dessert typical of base camps, rich in carbohydrates and sugars.
As an official dessert, we received some big news: in the early morning, or rather tonight, we will set off for the summit. We are all surprised, as we have only just arrived on the mountain. Honestly, I would need another day or two, but if I don’t take advantage of this opportunity, it would be hard to catch the helicopter back to Timika again. I’m sorry you have to make such an effort, spend so much money just to stay a few days on the mountain.
The mountain is beautiful, and the landscape is lunar. Stones and cliffs, and in the distance, the Carstensz glacier. One of the guides says that in a few years the glacier will no longer be there because melting is very rapid. I’m glad I got here now, because at least now we have water from the melting glacier. After it disappears, the water will have to be transported from below by helicopter, or another location will have to be found for the base camp.
In the camp, we all know each other, and I also get to talk a bit more with Laurent from France and Khiriakos from Greece. Pretty much everyone here has the 7 Summits as their goal, so I take the opportunity to find out more about what awaits me in the future.
Laurent tells me about his expedition on Denali, and his story gives me the courage to do it without a guide. If I decide to do it like that, I need to find the right partners. I have a couple of friends in mind who took the “Bergwanderführer” course with me, and I will definitely ask them when I go down.
In the evening, a doctor takes our pulse and checks our blood oxygen levels. My saturation was 76, 77, 78—not surprising, considering I’ve been on the mountain for less than 12 hours. I take a few quick breaths, and after 1 minute, I reach 86. The doctor is satisfied and enters the value into the computer.
Dinner at 8. Sleep at 9. The tent was tiny, only for one person, and being 1.90 m tall, I felt like I was in a tin can.
Day 9: October 6 – Monday – Summit Day
2 a.m. So fast and yet so slow! After five hours in the tent, I managed only 10 minutes of sleep. I am so tired, and when I start to remember where I am, I get so afraid. Yes, when you are tired, many dark thoughts begin to arise. What am I doing here? Why am I doing that? …
Luckily, I still have a bit of energy left and break this thinking pattern. As an NLP trainer, I know that if I keep thinking like this much longer, it will be tough to get out of this negative spiral. In the end, 10 minutes were enough for a reset, but I would have liked to sleep longer.
A slight headache is also there, about 3 out of 10. I tell myself I’ll have time to recover later and start getting dressed.
Outside, I hear the rain slapping the tent, and I tell myself it will be really tough if we set off in the rain. The plan was: wake up at 2 a.m., breakfast at 2:30 a.m., departure at 3 a.m. At 2 a.m., when the cold metal watch started vibrating on my hand, I could barely move. I was exhausted. It was very cold in the tent, and the temperature difference had a considerable impact: 5 days in Timika at 30 degrees, and now, in the Basecamp, 0 degrees with strong winds. Horrible.
I thought about waiting another day, but the fear of losing my flights took over. Besides, if I stay another day, who can guarantee that I’ll be able to sleep the following night? Or who knows what the weather will be like tomorrow night?
In the small orange tent, which seemed to be made for children, it took me “only” half an hour to get ready. However, I made my best to stick to the plan and at 2:30 a.m. I entered the dining tent. We all met up, those of us who were heading for the summit that night, and I saw on the other hikers’ faces exactly what I had seen on my own a few minutes earlier. Tiredness. Weariness. Exhaustion.
Breakfast was supposed to come at 2:30, but it came at 3, and all I could eat were biscuits and nuts. I passed by the kitchen tent, and the smell of boiled meat made me sick. I almost threw up. One more tour to the toilet and, somehow, miraculously, the rain stopped.
At 3:30 a.m., we all set off, and not long after, I hit the wall. Not the real one, but the one in my mind. In long-distance running, there is a barrier called “the wall.” It’s there, and you have to get through it. If you’re at the beginning and don’t know what it’s all about, you stop. On the other hand, if you’ve experienced the physical sensation several times, you know that it’s just a mechanism designed to keep you safe and in your comfort zone. In my case, due to fatigue, I encountered my wall in the first half hour. I said I couldn’t go on, and all I wanted was to return. My mind was turning back, but my body was moving forward. Even now, I don’t know how I kept going.
The route to the top was steep, long, and exhausting. Step by step, I advanced at my own pace, or rather at the “pole-pole” pace (slowly, slowly), as my guide Josef on Kilimanjaro used to say.
The fixed ropes weren’t the best, with many signs of wear, and I wondered how often they were replaced. Around 6 a.m., we started to see some more as the light sun came out, and the fact that the weather remained dry gave me courage.
When I got to the suspended cables, to the “Tyrolian traverse”, I got scared. Terribly scared. I looked down from the sharp ridge and saw nothing: no cliff, no stones, just nothing. My first thought was to turn back. Man, I am so tired. I saw that others had already crossed, and I told myself it was possible. However, due to fatigue, my body wanted to quit. I looked into the distance and saw that the peak was close. I just had to get beyond this. I anchored myself with a cable on the left and another on the right, then set off. The cable I was walking on kept moving, and it took me about 2 minutes to cover the approximately 20 meters. My gloves got wet, and the ice on the iron cables broke off when I touched it with my carabiners, falling hundreds of meters into the emptiness.
There’s not much left till the top. I didn’t look left or right, but only 1 meter in front of me. I also present this method to people in my courses on overcoming fear of heights. Don’t look at the steep slope, but only look nearby, 1 to 2 meters ahead. Thank god I found the resources to apply all these mind techniques.
Just when I thought I had escaped the problematic parts, there were 2-3 climbing sections where I had to jump from one cliff to another, with nothing below. I frequently go to the mountains and have done many “difficult” tours. What do those who are not experienced do? I pushed that thought away and refocused on my route. Now I don’t have to think about that, I just have to think about myself and the route.
Along the way, there were many moments when the sky cleared, and I could see where I actually was. I could see mountains. Large rock cliffs everywhere. I don’t know why or how, but all these landscapes calm me down to a great extent. I thought about my friend Maston, who is from Indonesia and with whom I climbed the Matterhorn. Even though he is not physically with me, I did this trip with him in mind. He is “the rocket man” to me, and I think how wonderful it is to have friends like him.
After a while, and then a little longer, I started encountering people who were coming back down. I looked at them, and we smiled at each other. Their smiles told me they had succeeded on their climb, and I congratulated them. They look at me and encourage me: “Come on, there’s not much further to go. “
We reached the summit after 5.5 hours at 9:30 a.m. I was too tired to feel anything. I was expecting something to pop up, joy, happiness, release, but nothing came up. We took pictures, ate something, and celebrated with a coffee chocolate brought all the way from Munich. The way back took three and a half hours, and we rappelled down over 50 meters in one go. On the one hand, I wanted to get down as quickly as possible so I could sleep, but on the other hand, I wanted to stay on the mountain as long as possible. What a beautiful trip.
I was still highly focused on the descent, but the thought of my success kept popping into my head from time to time. I had just been on top of Carstensz Pyramid.
In exactly 24 hours, we started from 0 meters and 30 degrees in Timika and reached 4884 m at -5 degrees. When I sit and think about it, I am still amazed at what our bodies can do through the power of our own minds. Maybe that’s why I’m passionate about NLP and mental performance.
At Basecamp, they were waiting for us with cola and French fries. Very good. I had a feeling I wouldn’t be able to sleep if I drank cola, but after so much fatigue, I couldn’t control myself. Of course, I drank it all, and of course I couldn’t sleep afterwards. What can I say, I would do exactly the same thing again.
I went into the tent, and around 2 p.m. I managed to fall asleep and at 3 p.m. I woke up. The rain was still falling, showing no sign of stopping, and at 7 p.m. I went to dinner, where we all received the flight placements. I was scheduled for flight 4.
I didn’t think I’d be realistically flying the very next day, so I went to sleep. In the tent, the cold took hold of me. I got terrible chills, and my thoughts returned to Aconcagua, to the camp at 3300 meters. That was the only other time I had experienced this. When you are tired and your resources are limited, the cold can be terrible.
Day 10: October 7 – Tuesday – Base Camp – Rest day
It was a difficult night, but after the success of the climb, it didn’t matter anymore. However, knowing that you are far from civilization and that not even a helicopter can reach you if something happens, gives you a lot to think about.
Three helicopters left, and … that’s it. As I thought, I didn’t fly, but theoretically, I would be flying tomorrow on the first flight. God help me.
The weather improved after a few hours, and I was able to enjoy the mountains again. I climbed the left ridge, the off-limits one, and hiked for about 2-3 hours. I saw the other glaciers and glacial lakes.
In the evening, I checked the weather forecast for the next day: everything looked good. After seeing that, I realized that the chances of flying away were very high. I understood that there is a weather pattern up at Basecamp. It rains from 1 to 3, then from 5 until 2-3 at night. I stayed in my tent and read.
Another book finished.
I can’t wait to fly to Timika tomorrow.
Day 11: October 8 – Wednesday – Base Camp – Timika
A night with more sleep, but still, out of impatience, I woke up at 5. Then at 5:30 a.m., I start packing, hoping that around 6 we will receive the big news. Everything is already prepared, and the luggage is being transported to the landing area for the helicopters.
We were all waiting for the OK and to hear the message that the helicopter was taking off from Timika. It was cloudier than on other days, but at 6:20 a.m., we received the good news. The aircraft had taken off and would arrive in 20-30 minutes.
I paid for the mattress, left a tip for Mahir for everyone in the camp, and thanked them for everything. I am glad I was able to do this for them. These are people who live there for several months a year under very harsh conditions, and those activities are one of the few ways to earn income in that area.
Three of us jumped into the helicopter: Khiriakos, Laurent, and me. I’m lucky to get a seat in the front. It’s a fantastic experience to fly by helicopter through the mountains, over the mine, and then above the clouds. I notice that it is easier on the way down than on the way up, because the helicopter vibrates less. It doesn’t have to work as hard to climb. I can’t tell if the helicopter is old or very old. I just hope it gets us there safely. I take lots of pictures and videos. It’s wonderful.
We land safely, thank the pilot, and leave the airport. We make a short stop at the local art souvenir shop, but I can’t find anything. Actually, I saw something, but I’m going to Australia, and I don’t have room in my luggage. That’s it. We arrive at the hotel, and the first thing I do is eat. How much I missed hot food. I take a shower, tidy up, and dry my things. It’s over 30 degrees again. Now that I’ve made the climb, the hot temperature doesn’t matter anymore.
I’m booking a trip to Bali and will be staying there for three nights: two full days and a half day, during which I plan to see as much as possible. I’m leaving for the airport at 11:45 a.m. It’s raining cats and dogs here, and I hope the flight will take off. I meet Tereq at the airport, and he tells me about Kili, hot air balloon safaris, and what to do in Sydney when I get there. We talk about mountains and his preparations for Everest. Hope that you make it, Tereq. Good luck!
Finally, we take off for Makassar and then Bali.
I arrive at the hotel, eat, and go to bed. I’m curious to see how much I weigh now, after so many days of eating rice. Actually, it doesn’t really matter.
I’ve just been to Carstensz Pyramid, and I am among the 500 fortunate people on this planet to reach this incredible peak. A smile spreads across my face, and a feeling of joy overwhelms me: what a wonderful time I’ve had here.
Thank you.
