When most people hear the name "Carstensz", they immediately think of one of Indonesia's highest peaks, famous for its perpetual snow. However, not many know that the name comes from a 17th century Dutch explorer who was the first to document the existence of a snow-capped peak in a tropical region.
In 1623, Jan Carstenszoon, a navigator for the Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie/VOC), spotted a snow-capped peak in Papua through his ship's telescope while sailing the waters of the Arafura Sea.
On an expedition commissioned by the VOC, Carstenszoon was assigned to explore the southern coast of New Guinea. Departing from Ambon with two ships - the Pera, under his own command, and the Arnhem, captained by Willem Joosten van Colster - he sailed through the waters to Cape York and the Gulf of Carpentaria in Australia.
One of his most astonishing discoveries was the presence of glaciers on the mountains of central Papua, which he named Sneebergh, or "Snow Mountain. Upon his return to Europe, however, his report of snow in the tropics was dismissed as absurd and met with ridicule. For two centuries, Carstenszoon's claim of snow in Papua was doubted and considered impossible.
It was not until 1909 that Jan Carstenszoon's report was finally confirmed when Dutch explorer Hendrik Albert Lorentz successfully reached the slopes of the snow-capped mountains, which he later named the Wilhelmina Mountains.
The next expedition in 1936 was led by Jean Jacques Dozy, Anton Colijn and Frits Wissel. They managed to reach an altitude of 4,800 meters above sea level and discovered gold and copper deposits in the region, although their attempt to reach the highest peak remained unsuccessful.
The first successful ascent was made in 1962 by a team led by Heinrich Harrer. He was accompanied by Robert Philip Temple, Russell Kippax and Albertus Huizenga. Temple, a New Zealand mountaineer, had previously mapped the route to the summit but failed to reach it due to logistical constraints. He later joined Harrer's team as a guide.
The success of this expedition established Harrer as the first person to reach the summit of Carstensz. His experience was later documented in his book I Come from the Stone Age (1964).
In honor of Jan Carstenszoon, the peak was named Carstensz. After Papua officially became part of Indonesia in 1963, its name was briefly changed to Puncak Soekarno before finally being recognized as Puncak Jaya. But to this day, the name Carstensz remains in use among international mountaineers - an enduring legacy of an explorer who saw beyond the limits of his time.
Read also: Cartenz Pyramid: Indonesia’s Majestic Snow-Capped Peak in the Tropics
Carstensz Pyramid: The Seventh Summit
Carstensz Pyramid, also known as Puncak Jaya, stands majestically in the Jayawijaya Mountains of Papua and is part of the Seven Summits of Indonesia. At 4,884 meters above sea level, this peak is a dream destination for climbers.
Its uniqueness lies in the permanent snow cover on its summit, a rare phenomenon in tropical regions. However, due to climate change, this snow is gradually disappearing and is in danger of disappearing altogether.
Unlike many other high mountains in Indonesia, which are volcanic, Carstensz was formed by tectonic activity and erosion over millions of years. In addition to Puncak Jaya, the Jayawijaya Mountains are home to other towering peaks such as Puncak Mandala (4,760 meters) and Puncak Trikora (4,751 meters).
The inclusion of Carstensz Pyramid in the prestigious Seven Summits was first popularized by Italian mountaineer Reinhold Messner. Today, along with Everest, Kilimanjaro, Elbrus, Aconcagua, McKinley, and Vinson Massif, Carstensz Pyramid remains one of the most sought-after peaks for climbers seeking to conquer the world's seven highest summits.
