Cartensz Pyramid is still a maybe. Ama Dablam is a go.

Wait what? You are climbing 2 mountains? 

Well actually I might be climbing 3. Let me explain.

Ama Dablam was always the goal. I have been dreaming to scale that mountain for a decade now. It was the one I was supposed to climb in 2019 instead of Everest. It is not the tallest or hardest, but it is the most beautiful mountain with a beautiful pure line, going up a steep ridge all the way to the summit.

It is more technically challenging than Everest and I have trained even harder than for Everest and I think I am even in a better condition than I was back in 2019 for Everest. I've lost more weights and built more strength and muscle mass in my upper body to scale the Yellow tower section between camp1 and camp 2.

Gear is almost ready. I am planning to pack everything into the 3 duffles bag tomorrow to make sure that everything fits in. I'll let you know

And Yes because I will be gone during election days, I already took care of that early.

So what about the 2 other mountains?

My friend Peter and I have been planning to climb Carstensz Pyramid in Papua New Guinea for the last 3 years, but because of Covid and civil unrest, the mountain has been closed since. Until now... the officials have been starting to deliver permit for October. We are keeping our fingers crossed that they will continue to do so in November. If that is confirmed, I plan to fly on November 10 from Kathmandu to Bali in Indonesia to Timika (Papua New Guinea) on the 11th. We'll talk more about that climb in a subsequent post.

But why Carstensz Pyramid 4,884 m (16,024 ft)?  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puncak_Jaya) 

It is not very tall, it is not particularly beautiful or technically challenging.

But by some measure it is considered one of the 7 summits (tallest summit on each of the seven continent). And so in my quest to finish the round up of all 7 summits I am opportunistically trying to bag this one while I am down in that part of the world.

So why a 3rd mountain then?

Well, it turns out that not everyone agrees on the definition of Oceania continent. Some people think it is defined by Australia only while other include New Zealand and Indonesia set of islands in the lot. So by the more inclusive definition Cartensz Pyramid is Oceania's tallest peak. If you only include Australia, then Mount Kosciusko (a whopping 2,228 m (7,310 ft) peak is then the tallest in Oceania. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kosciuszko

So many climbers would do both Carstensz Pyramid and Kosciusko in the same trip to get rid of any challenge to the climb of having climbed the 7 summits. 

So for now, let's focus on the first and most challenging climb of the three: Ama Dablam.

You will be able to track me in multiple ways:

Madison Mounteering cybercasts dispatches here: https://madisonmountaineering.com/cat-dispatches/amadablam/ama-dablam-2024/

The guides are also frequently posting on their Instagram accounts: 

• @MadisonMtng

• @GarrettMadison1

• @terray_s

And finally I will be using my Satellite GPS to publish my position while moving on the mountain. https://share.garmin.com/tdhers

D-4 before I fly out to Kathmandu (KTM) via Doha Quatar.

Climb on...

Thierry