Mount Giluwe

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Mount Giluwe
Elevation	4,368 metres (14,331 feet)
Location	Southern Highlands province, Papua New Guinea
Coordinates	6°3′S 143°53′E
First ascent	1934 by Mick Leahy

Mount Giluwe is the second highest mountain in Papua New Guinea at 4,368 metres (14,331 feet). It is located in the Southern Highlands province and is an old shield volcano with vast alpine grasslands. Ancient lava plugs form its two summits, one being marginally higher than the other.

The mountain is second in PNG only to Mount Wilhelm.

Vegetation and Landforms

When climbing up the slopes of Mt Giluwe a number of different vegetation zones are passed through. Between 2500m and 2800m is the lower montane rainforest dominated by Nothofagus and Elaeocarpus with large Pandanusincluding the climbing Freysenetia,climbing bamboo, many gingers,Orchids, ferns, herbs and shrubs including Begonia. Footprints of the endemic dwarf Cassowary can be seen in the sodden ground.

Above this is the Upper Montane Rainforest or Moss ForestWith stunted moss shrouded trees such as Quintinia and Conifers including Papuacedris and Podocarpus the ground is covered in Ferns of all types including Blechnum, Filmy Ferns and the worlds largest Moss Dawsonia superba up to 55cm tall. Rhododendons grow as epiphytes in the trees as do specialised cloud forest Orchids. This forest type is perpetually shrouded in cloud and has a mystical atmosphere aften termed elven or tolkien like.

At 3200m soft moist green of the moss forest upens into Sup Alpine Grassland. This transition marks the extent of glaciation during the last glacial maximum. The grassland is inhabited by the lacy statures of a towering army of endemic treeferns. Tiny wildflowers grow amongst the tussock grasses including Veronica, Viola and Gaultheria. Crystal stream sparkle in beds once scoured by glaciers and wet bogs croak with frogs found nowhere else on earth. This is also the domain of the endemic Wooly Ground Cus Cus.

Fingers and patches of relict Sub alpine rainforest reach and cling to the sheltered areas where frost is lessened. Stunning scarlet Rhododendrons and strambling Dimorphanthera abound in the glarled dwarf forest and white beard lichens hang in the branches.

At 3400m the vast alpine plateau is reached, evidence of ice is everywhere fron the long U shaped valleys to the countless sparking tarns and cirques. Creeping Astelia, cushion plants and mosses encircle the sparking waters.

If the weather is very good one may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the towering sharp dragons teeth that are Mt Giluwe summits, as the veil of clouds lifts momentarily.

Large Bolders pushed like pebbles by the scouring ice rest isolated on the slopes, only to be colonised by Alpine Blueberries (Vaccinium) and asters. By 3900m breathing is laboured in the thin are and the chill is all pervasive. Yet the jagged peaks lie still 2000 feet aloft in their misty grandure.

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