Christian Stangl

Puncak Trikora

Puncak Trikora is only the third highest peak of Oceania

There are several proofs that Puncak Mandala is higher than Puncak Trikora.

1.SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission) Data sheets provide an higher elevation for Mandala.

2.The NASA quoted Puncak Mandala 26m higher than Puncak Trikora.

3.According to my own measurements Puncak Mandala is 24m higher than Puncak Trikora. Please find the GPS Tracks of both summits in the attachment for download. Highest elevations of the summits:

Puncak Mandala: S 4° 42.541E 140° 17.380 4.769m

Puncak Trikora: S 4° 15.701E 138° 40.902 4.745m

Links to the topic:

List of highest mountains in New Guinea_Wiki_EN

or:

Indonesian Website Gunungbagging_in english

8.000ers.comOn January 14 2010 I reached the main summit of Puncak Trikora. The GPS showed 4.743m, highest elevation in the recorded GPS track 4.745m.

Ascent of Puncak Trikora

According to the Papua Guide I was supposed to reach the summit of Puncak Trikora after +/- 1 hour crossing the western ridge. That was far off! From the notch, that you reach via the grassy Northern flank, it is about 3 hours climbing via the Western ridge. According to the GPS 1,6km as the crow flies in a difficult scale of 3.

There are many pre summits to pass but I knew from an old picture that the main summit was not composed of solid limestone but it is more like a plateau with loose rocks. On the summit itself is a metal bronze plate the reads: "Puncak Trikora Desember 1983 Ekspedisi Maoke". (see pictures).