Providing expeditions
since 2005

February 28 4 members of 7 Summits Club stood on top of Carstensz Pyramid (4884m). The way there was very difficult. Here are the details: Feb 23, Alexandr Abramov informed that porter team of indigenous locals who`d been escorting expedition was armed with bows and arrows to hunt and to prevent surprise attack of the hostile tribes. But for the third time since expedition had started from Sugapa porters refused to escort the group demanding a wage rise. Negotiations took time and expedition didn`t fulfill the planned itinerary - half-day trek took two days. While threading the trail through deep deep rain forest members of the Adventure Team tasted local animals - Phalangers aka cuscuses – small marsupials but with a vague resemblance to some monkeys. 24.02 Once the tropical rain forest was left behind the group started crossing a wide marshy plateau 3600 m high that leads to the base of Carstensz Pyramid. Suddenly, while crossing the plateau, Alexander Abramov fell into a crack covered with the dense grass and almost 35 meters deep. He tried to catch the roots and grass with his hands while falling but to no effect, when he suddenly hanged by ....his umbrella above an abyss, calling for help. The umbrella was fasten to his backpack and got stuck in the root interlacing saving his life. At once 3 porters dove into the crack holding each other and pulled Alexander out. So a new geological peculiarity of the region close to the base of Carstensz Pyramid was discovered that had not been described before to prevent travelers. On 26.02 Adventure Team reached Base Camp at 4000 m and said good-by to their porter team that set off for their return way. The summit was covered with the mist, and the night before the ascent was rainy so the tents became frosted and rocks to climb were covered with ice. On 28.02 at 10:30 local time the members of the Alpindustria Adventure Team & 7 Summit Club were on summit. The ascent was quite demanding: all ropes were covered with snow and somewhere with ice. But it took only 9 hours to climb – almost a record, as normally it takes from 12 to 24 hours to reach the summit. All members feel well and planning their return way by helicopter.