Thursday, October 15, 2009

Going for the summit?

Bill called last night to report that the Kamov made a second attempt to get the rest of the team in to base camp, but turned back due to weather. Ben and Elsie are still trying to get in, but chris Davenport needs to return to the States due to other commitments.

Bill, Ephi and Bill Hanlon are going to head up for a summit attempt today, and are probably packing their packs as I type. The route from BC climbs up and over a short ridge and into the neighboring valley. On the far side of the valley looms the 2,000 foot (600 m), sculpted limestone walls of Carstensz Pyramid.

Fortunately for climbers, a line of weakness leads up through the steepness in the form of a series of gulleys and deep fissures, carved over the millennia by the torrential rains that drench this island. The line of ascent then gains the wildly exposed summit ridge and follows it across a couple of tricky "gaps" to the summit. These gaps present the technical cruxes of the route, and some of the more memorable moments for climbers, as they hang from a rope suspended over a 100 foot (30m) deep cleft, with 2000' of air to either side... Ahh, alpine climbing!

I'll post more as soon as I know what's happening.

No comments:

Post a Comment