I was researching Carstensz Pyramid a few months ago from my home in California, and out of nowhere my favorite Aussie canyoneer comes out with a 45 min video on the whole shebang! Thanks Richard for sharing your experience.
Thank you for the encouragement. Carstensz was a great experience, but lots of logistical challenges. I'd prefer to go and climb with a small group of friends, but just not realistic, I have no idea how you'd possibly negotiate your way past the local villages. So much easier to fly to America or Europe (or Australia), hire a care and then you're independent, in charge of your own destiny. If only America had the Himalaya ;)
Great video, thanks for making and posting it! I got a great sense of the difficulties and what it might have been like to be there. I love the fact you did not use music, which might be more “entertaining” but interferes with the vicarious experience of the real atmosphere and conditions. I am curious to know why four people had to be rescued from base camp, if that is something you are able to share?
Thank you for watching and for the kind words. I won't comment on the 4 people being rescued from base camp, other than everyone was fine and lived to tell the tale.
Richard, another superb documentary. Thanks for sharing! Happy that you snuck in that comment about Kosciusko. I never understood the argument for using tectonic plates instead of continents. It's not like that they are going to skip Europe, since that is the same plate as Asia, or add Pico Duarte for the Caribbean plate.
Thank you for the support and encouragement. My channel is a mix of my outdoor adventures - my passion is climbing and mountaineering, but I have way more movies of canyons because it's much easier to get footage/perspective of canyons than it is on a wall when you're roped to a partner.
Hi, thanks for watching. The climb is technical but it is a low grade, not really difficult. I recommend joining an organised expedition so the company can organise the difficult logistics to reach the mountain - the group leaders will make sure the ropes fixed to the mountain are safe to use. Therefore, you will always have the safety of a rope to catch you in case you fall. Even without prior climbing experience, I think this summit is achievable for anyone with some agility and adventurous mind. Hope that helps, Richard.
Great video, Richard. What an adventure - even just the approach to the approach! Carstensz has always intrigued me and scared me in equal measure for how much you control you have to relinquish to others. When was this shot?
Hi, thank you for watching, glad you found my movie. This was 2012, it was a great experience but so many challenges and negativity, it's taken me 12 years to feel ready to edit the video, I just couldn't look at the footage of the trek until recently, too many confronting memories having to renegotiate most days during the trek. If you go, I recommend paying more to have a western leader, then you can leave the western leader to negotiate with the group each day. Richard.
this mountain has been a dream of mine since i was a kid. there plants there are amazing, lots of weird tropical alpine endemics. I want to climb near to the summit to explore the botany but have zero climbing experience. Do i need to spend years training?
Hi, thank you for your message with further info on the flora. You do not need lots of climbing experience for this mountain. But it's good to have some experience so you feel comfortable with the height and the exposure. You will likely climb with an organised group led by experienced guides who will support you mentally and physically during the climb. The hardest thing is finding the money to pay for the expensive expedition. Good luck, Richard.
Great video, I enjoyed your commentary as well. Is that horribly consistent rainfall due to the time of the year that you went, or is it that way all the time? Thanks for the fun video!
The mine isn't visible from the true summit - there are several towers along the summit ridge blocking line-of-sight. But you can see the mine from various vantage points on the ascent. At 38:13 in the video, upon reaching the summit ridge, you can see the mine in the top-left corner of the footage.
Hi, this was 2012 - I just couldn't bring myself to relive some of the aspects/memories of the expedition until recently, it helps being 12 years removed. Richard.
Christ, after seeing 44:00 I think I'd rather just trek all the way to the ocean than get into one of those planes Wonderful documenting! It seems the "politics" and group dynamics are the real challenge for Carstenz 😅
Thank you for watching and for posting a comment. Movie making is a hobby, I'm an amateur but always looking to improve. Yes - lots of logistical challenges in reaching Carstensz, I don't know how you'd possibly get there without employing an Indonesian company to do the negotiations with the local population.
I was researching Carstensz Pyramid a few months ago from my home in California, and out of nowhere my favorite Aussie canyoneer comes out with a 45 min video on the whole shebang! Thanks Richard for sharing your experience.
Thank you for the encouragement. Carstensz was a great experience, but lots of logistical challenges. I'd prefer to go and climb with a small group of friends, but just not realistic, I have no idea how you'd possibly negotiate your way past the local villages. So much easier to fly to America or Europe (or Australia), hire a care and then you're independent, in charge of your own destiny. If only America had the Himalaya ;)
As always, absolute top notch stuff
excellent thanks for sharing
Great video, thanks for making and posting it! I got a great sense of the difficulties and what it might have been like to be there. I love the fact you did not use music, which might be more “entertaining” but interferes with the vicarious experience of the real atmosphere and conditions. I am curious to know why four people had to be rescued from base camp, if that is something you are able to share?
Thank you for watching and for the kind words. I won't comment on the 4 people being rescued from base camp, other than everyone was fine and lived to tell the tale.
Those locals are amazing. I enjoyed the video, well done. Thanks for taking us to follow your journey!
Wow, that was quite a trek.👍
Thanks for the support and for watching Rudi :)
Saving this for this evening 💪🏻
Thanks for the vote of confidence - hope you enjoyed it, I welcome your thoughts and feedback.
Oh my, the negotiations part were crazy… and the hike too of course 😂
Epic trek! Enjoyed the storytelling and the insight of the local culture. Hope to see more videos soon.
Hi Richard what a amazing patience testing climb. Really enjoyed your challenging task. Well done. Love to all. Auntie Robina. Xxx
Thank you for watching Auntie, glad you enjoyed it. Love Richard.
Richard, another superb documentary. Thanks for sharing! Happy that you snuck in that comment about Kosciusko. I never understood the argument for using tectonic plates instead of continents. It's not like that they are going to skip Europe, since that is the same plate as Asia, or add Pico Duarte for the Caribbean plate.
Glad I found your page. Great videos looking forward to the next one.
Thank you for the support and encouragement. My channel is a mix of my outdoor adventures - my passion is climbing and mountaineering, but I have way more movies of canyons because it's much easier to get footage/perspective of canyons than it is on a wall when you're roped to a partner.
hi how safe is the climb, looks very technical. would you advice it to someone who isn't a certified or much experienced climber?
Hi, thanks for watching. The climb is technical but it is a low grade, not really difficult. I recommend joining an organised expedition so the company can organise the difficult logistics to reach the mountain - the group leaders will make sure the ropes fixed to the mountain are safe to use. Therefore, you will always have the safety of a rope to catch you in case you fall. Even without prior climbing experience, I think this summit is achievable for anyone with some agility and adventurous mind. Hope that helps, Richard.
The mountain top is cool Richard
Wow! Great movie. Really enjoyed watching it.😃
Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed it :o)
Great video, Richard. What an adventure - even just the approach to the approach! Carstensz has always intrigued me and scared me in equal measure for how much you control you have to relinquish to others. When was this shot?
Hi, thank you for watching, glad you found my movie. This was 2012, it was a great experience but so many challenges and negativity, it's taken me 12 years to feel ready to edit the video, I just couldn't look at the footage of the trek until recently, too many confronting memories having to renegotiate most days during the trek. If you go, I recommend paying more to have a western leader, then you can leave the western leader to negotiate with the group each day. Richard.
this mountain has been a dream of mine since i was a kid.
there plants there are amazing, lots of weird tropical alpine endemics. I want to climb near to the summit to explore the botany but have zero climbing experience. Do i need to spend years training?
Hi, thank you for your message with further info on the flora. You do not need lots of climbing experience for this mountain. But it's good to have some experience so you feel comfortable with the height and the exposure. You will likely climb with an organised group led by experienced guides who will support you mentally and physically during the climb. The hardest thing is finding the money to pay for the expensive expedition. Good luck, Richard.
@richard_pattison oh right! Thanks very much
Great video, I enjoyed your commentary as well. Is that horribly consistent rainfall due to the time of the year that you went, or is it that way all the time? Thanks for the fun video!
Can you see grasberg mine from the peak of kartenz?
The mine isn't visible from the true summit - there are several towers along the summit ridge blocking line-of-sight. But you can see the mine from various vantage points on the ascent. At 38:13 in the video, upon reaching the summit ridge, you can see the mine in the top-left corner of the footage.
What year was this ?
Missing the final slide with dates like his old videos.
Hi, this was 2012 - I just couldn't bring myself to relive some of the aspects/memories of the expedition until recently, it helps being 12 years removed. Richard.
Christ, after seeing 44:00 I think I'd rather just trek all the way to the ocean than get into one of those planes
Wonderful documenting! It seems the "politics" and group dynamics are the real challenge for Carstenz 😅
Thank you for watching and for posting a comment. Movie making is a hobby, I'm an amateur but always looking to improve. Yes - lots of logistical challenges in reaching Carstensz, I don't know how you'd possibly get there without employing an Indonesian company to do the negotiations with the local population.
what guide company did you use?
Hi, we joined a fixed-date departure organised by Adventure Indonesia. Hope that helps, Richard.