Ricky Munday faces bleak peak of Papua

Adventurer gets to within 30m of harsh mountaintop

Ricky Munday reported last night that after a two day delay due to problems finding a safe route, he finally climbed Puncak Trikora solo (4,730m) and got to within 30m of the summit.  The last 30 meters was simply too exposed and dangerous to continue alone, particularly given the extreme remoteness of the region.  Very few people have climbed Puncak Trikora and little is known about this remote peak in Papua Province.  A recent expedition in July 2008 only succeeded in getting to within 200m of the summit.

Munday was forced to trek for nearly two days through difficult rainforest to find the best route to climb the mountain, helped by a guide.  After sheltering from heavy rain in a cave at the base of Puncak Trikora, Munday will trek back to Lake Habbema and then travel to Wamena to begin his journey to meet the Carstenzsz Pyramid expedition team in Jayapura.

Named after the Dutch explorer Jans Carstensz, Carstensz Pyramid is the highest island peak in the world and the highest in Oceania.  It was first climbed in 1962 by Heinrich Harrer on whom the film ‘Seven Years in Tibet’ was based on. 

Ricky Munday still remains focused on his goal to be the first to attempt to summit the three peaks in one expedition.  He is also raising funds for the Raleigh youth programme and providing photographs for the Alpine Club of Canada, who part funded the expedition, to show the extent of glacial recession around the three peaks.