Papua New Guinea
August-26-2008
Image credit: Paul Hara
Original blog taken from: EighthSummit.com
August 26th 2008, Papua, Carstenzs Base Camp approximately 14,000 ft.
We left basecamp at 2:40 am. Started climbing the technical
portion in the dark, (no problem for Erik), at around 4am. Erik
smoked up the route with Charley, Poxy - our Papua guide, and me.
we climbed it in under 4 hours. The route followed a large gully
with fixed lines and traversed a ridge with a 60 ft tyrolean. and
various other exposed ridge line crossings. It was clear and no
rain for us the whole time on the route. Poxy said it was only 2
in 9 ascents that he's not been rained on. The summit is aproximately 16,020 ft.
Our descent and return to base camp only took slightly longer than the ascent and
approach. Like magic we got the afternoon rain 30 minutes after
returning to our basecamp tents. - super awesome day. maybe worth
all the jungle trek days. 10 HOURS AND 31 MINUTES FROM
BASECAMP BACK TO BASECAMP!
This was Erik and Charley's eight/seventh summit.( my first of the
7/8)
August 29th, 2008 (I am in Nabire, we scored a helicopter flight out of basecamp. it
was going to be terribly dangerous for Erik coming back out
through the jungle. (I will write a longer report about the epic
in the jungle on the hike in later on the site)
After summiting Carstensz, (Locally called Mbangla, and some call
it NGGA BULu), I went up on Pun Cock Jaya glacier with Erik, with
Erik cutting steps for me.
We had to wait a day more for a helicopter to take us out so Erik
graciously requested that Charlie and I go out to establish a new
route.- so we did. Charlie choose a line basically right up the
middle of the 1900 ft face. - I said OK.
We hoped to start at first light around 5am but woke up to pissing
rain. - surprise!- that happened 7 out of 9 days we have been
here. After the rain stopped we did get to the base at 6:30 am.
the rock was mostly dry!
We found some ropes near the base of were we had chosen the line
and decided to climb up the crack system they were fixed on, some
150 ft up. (possibly the American Direct route). The second pitch
went through an 8 ft roof. classic roof that looks 5.13 from
below, but as you get in it and pull past it turns out to be 5.9
+.(old school) I left my back pack under the roof and hauled it
up after. Charlie made it proud with back pack on.
Three pitches followed through 700 ft of 5.6 to 5.9+ "awesome,
limestone, runnel, tufa, moss, grass, threads, and various other
whacky moderate climbing." That took us to a huge gravel ledge
where we found evidence of an earlier ascent.- much earlier
ascent. an actual Chouinard biner was found and an old canteen.
400 ft more of odd limestone moderate climbing took us to a 20
meter rappel down a gully. then 200 ft of climbing brought us to a
pitch below an amazing set of roofs on the final headwall to the
summit. A sling appeared in the far right roof crack, so I opted
for the center crack which turned out to be a slot - tunnel
reminisce of the Harding slot. I spent 10 minutes yelling rock
down at Charlie as I squirmed through the slot. - absolutely crazy
classic squeeze! (pictures soon on site.) Erik was across the
valley and I was yelling my head off with glee, Erik hooting back.
Charley was also on the radio to Erik giving the play by play of
my spelunking. Charlie came up through and has now a gortex jacket
and pants with many holes. A few snow flurries and light drizzle
threatened us on the remaining three pitches on the headwall to
the summit, which we reached at 1:30 pm. - 6.5 hours after we
started. - a speed ascent of this route! - because it's a first
ascent. - likely the fastest ascent of the wall via any route. We
are tentatively calling it "Root Matrix"* because we probably
crossed two or more routes on our quest to stay on the better
terrain for climbing. photo with topo coming...
Charlie said "this is the type climbing day I've trained my whole
life for." I concur, 1800 ft of moderate climbing with adventure
thrown in from the unknown feeling of what the outcome would be.
passing by historical evidence from previous adventurers.
Challenging protection placements, but not so bad that you wet
your pants. Threatening weather but not deadly. Light and fast
mandatory. Total "Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer climbing." Beat tired
returning to basecamp, hot meal and good support friends to
welcome us back in.
Hans
*while hiking in the rainforest/jungle we had to describe all manner of weird terrain to Erik, (who couldn't see).
One description we used quite often on the trail was "root matrix," which best described the crazy latice of roots, moss,
logs, vines, and sometimes soil that we passed over and through in the rainforest/jungle.