Cecilie Skog threatened by a guerrilla group near Carstensz Pyramid - Iran Jaya - West Papua, Indonesia, and had to return!

2006-02-13

Cecilie Skog`s attemp on Carstensz Pyramid was wasted. This is the highest mountain in Oceania located deep in the jungle of Irian Jaya - West Papua - in Indonesia. Aften being forced to return by the guerrilla group Free Papua Movement - OPM, Cecilie from Norway had to find another mountain. Her aim is to conquere all the seven summits, and she has one left. The seven summits are the highest mountains on each continent: Kilimanjaro, Denali, Elbrus, Aconcagua, Carstensz Pyramid, Vinson and Mount Everest. Cecilie will now try to reach the top of Mount Kosciuszko, which is the highest mountain in Australia. It counts for being approved on the Seven Summits list, so hopefully Cecilie will make it anyway.

Photo. After a week in the jungle and trekking towards the Basecamp at Carstensz Pyramid, Cecilie had to return to Jakarta in Indonesia. Photo Copyright www.CecilieSkog.com.

Cecilie Skog had together with her Norwegian tour mate Bjørn Sekkesæter and their porters, bushwhacked the jungle for 3 days before they reached the village Ilage. Their porters were naked men wearing penisgourds.

The village is controlled by the guerrilla group called Free Papua Movement (OPM), who fight for liberation from Indonesia. From this village they walked further for reach the top of the Carstensz Pyramid.

A while after they leaved the village, the expedition received a threaten letter from the mentioned guerrilla group, and had to break up from the camp and return to Ilaga.

Cecilie used just one day to find another mountain to climb. Now she is climbing the highest mountain in Australia Mount Kosciuszko to be approved for the Seven Summits list.

Mount Kosciuszko is 2228 metres high. It`s an old mountain which the Aboriginals called the mountain Tar-Gan-Gil.

Stein Morten Lund, 13 February 2006

Additional information
On which continent is the Carstensz Pyramid located? Many people place Australia geographically in "Oceania" and by that definition Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia is the highest mountain (4,884 metres: 16,502 feet). But according to others definition they place Indonesia in Asia.