18. Juli Carstensz Pyramid was sucesessfully climbed. Together with me in the expedition was my wife Inger Aase and Randi Skaug. Randi is the first Norwegian woman who climbed Everest. With the sucess on Carstensz, she happend together with Inger also to be the first scandinavian woman on Carstensz Pyramide. She also now has only Mt.Vinson left to do all the seven-summits. Congratulations to us all. More infos? Look at Jagged Globe's webside. Carstensz Pyramid A summary Leaving Norway on the. 5. of July, Inger and I arrived Heathrow 1 ½ h. later. Due to our muslim friends’ action in Glasgow we had some trouble getting to the hotel. Hotel was OK. At the reception we received the equipment from JG which consisted of two ropes, one sat phone and the medicine bag. Next morning, 6/7, we met Randi at the airport. It was a positive meeting which told us all that this could be a fine little Norwegian expedition. Arrived Manado after flying via Singapore. On behalf of Frank(the local guide) , Mr Rudy Ruus met us at the airport and brought us to the hotel. Met Frank the next morning. He told us about his plans in how to reach BC by car (through the Freeport Mines) and feet instead of flying helicopter. Flew next morning, 9/7, to Timika, a dirty poor town with a lot of staring smiling people who found us as very interesting strange objects. Had to wait until 12/7 in Timika because we did not yet have the needed permission to give us access through the mines with car. Got the permission to get through the Freeport Mines and drove by car up to 3700m, Zebra Wall ,where we placed the camp at 3800m. Knew that by travelling from sea level and to 3800m. in a few hours and to stay overnight at that level, can cause some problems. That gave us also a little headache. Next morning we carried loads up to BC at 4200m. and returned back to the camp at 3800 where we spent one more night. The next morning 14/7 it was raining heavily. We packed the camp and brought tents and loads up to BC. The temperature was +5”C. Next morning we saw nothing but blue sky. The ladies were a little lazy and did not get up until 10.00. I checked equipment while waiting for the female company. The weather was beautiful. After breakfast we decided to carry ropes and climbing- equipment to the instep at the mountain. So we did, but could not resist the temptation in starting climbing. We all agreed to carry our ropes a little bit up on the mountain. Because of the joy in climbing, and that we moved steady upwards, we freeclimbed and did not stop until right under great balcony where we left the ropes. If we had been starting a couple of hours earlier we could easily, with our speed, have made it to the summit. Moved then down again and back to BC. Monday 16.07.07 Summit day. Woke up at 04.00. Had breakfast and left BC at 05.20. Arrived the beginning of the route and started climbing. All three of us moved steady upwards. Reached the ridge after 2h.45min. Had to wait for the local guide who was a liitle slow. On the first gap we all enjoyed an airy Tyrolean by crossing on horizontal ropes for aprox 20m. Summit was easy reached at 12.40. Inger and Randi were the two first Scandinavian and Nordic women to summit Carstend Pyramid. Return down was more or less free absailing. Left BC the next day. Loads were carried down to 3700m. where we met the cars from FM. A remarkable interesting and easy climbing which we all wish we could do again, was over. We all felt a little sad by saying good bye to a beautiful mountain, but glad to know that a good shower would be waiting for us at the hotel. Tore Sunde-Rasmussen Expedition leader. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||