Indonesia Seven Summits Expedition

Indonesia Seven Summits Expedition is a team from Indonesia that reached all the Seven Summits (Carstensz Pyramid version, the other is Kosciuszko version)^[1] before Proclamation of Indonesian Independence date celebration on August 17, 2011. The other incomplete team with different coordination reached it before August 17, 2012 and the second attempt in May 2013 made the team complete. Now, Indonesia has 8 Seven Summiters.

Idea

The idea to touch the 7 summits has occurred since March 1992 when Mapala UI begun with Mount Aconcagua, but failed with 2 men died, Norman Edwin and Didiek Samsu Wahyu Triachdi. At 1993, Tantyo Bangun and Rinto Mulyono completed the unfinished expedition and scaled Aconcagua, but failed when to scale Vinson Massif.^[2]^[3]

Mount Everest climbing

On 1997, a team from Indonesia try to climb Mount Everest with many rumours. When persons from tropical countries never see the snow before, they will do as kids when they see the snow in the first time. So, people say: "These people from the tropic will never reach the top, not even close." The team spent less than 6 months for training, much lesser than the normal time which is 2 years. Trough Southridge, at 3:30pm, April 26, 1997, First Corporal Asmudjiono and followed by First Corporal Misrin from Indonesian Army Special Forces have planted the Red and White flag on the top of the world, Mount Everest. They are #662 and #663 of Everest Summiters and is followed by one Indonesian student. It is the first time climbers from tropical country reached peak of Mount Everest.^[4]^[5]^[6]

2009-2011 team member expedition

Core team are: Sofyan Arief Fesa (28 years), Broery Andrew Sihombing (23), Xaverius Frans (24), and Janatan Ginting (23).
Supporting team are: Various in every attempts, UNPAR, Mahitala, ISSEMU, PT.Mudking Asia Pasific Raya, Wanadri, Mapala UI, Kompas, Metro TV, etc.

Attempt plans

Carstensz Pyramid, Indonesia, Oceania ---> Mission Accomplished
Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, Africa ---> Mission Accomplished
Elbrus, Russia, Europe ---> Mission Accomplished
Vinson Massif, Antarctica ---> Mission Accomplished
Aconcagua, Argentina, South America ---> Mission Accomplished
Mount Everest, Nepal, Asia ---> Mission Accomplished
Denali, Alaska, North America ---> Mission Accomplished^[7]

Carstensz Pyramid

Located in the team home base country, Indonesia. Several climbers from Indonesia have also reached it before. The core team had successfully reached the Carstensz Pyramid (4,884 meters above sea level) on February 26, 2009 in Indonesia (Australasia). Besides scaled Cartensz Pyramid, the team also scaled other 7 peaks, which 4 of them has no name before, they are naming now as Unpar peak, Garuda peak, Mahitala peak and Merah Putih peak.^[8]

Kilimanjaro

Also several persons from Indonesia have reached it before. The core team had successfully reached the Kilimanjaro (5,895 masl) via Machame on August 10, 2010 in Kenya (Africa).

Elbrus

The core team had successfully reached the Elbrus Peak (5,642 masl) in Russia (Europe) on August 24, 2010 without any guide through Northwest track.^[9] Not as South track which has many facilities as cable car, snow mobile, ski resort and phone signal, the Northwest track has no facilities at all and needs ice climbing expertise, the team should make steps with ice axe. This new track has been called by Elbrus Rescuer as Indonesia Route.^[10]

Vinson Massif

It is the first time for Indonesians to reach the peak. The core team had successfully reached the Vinson Massiff (4,897 masl) in Antarctica on December 13, 2010.^[11]

Aconcagua

The core team had successfully reached the Aconcagua (6,962 masl) in Argentina (South America). Core team members has difficulties to attempt altogether. The first group has succeeded in reaching the peak on January 9, 2011 and the rest three week later on January 29, 2011, so all the team members still remains complete.^[12] Due to the health problems of Frans and Janathan, local guides and doctors predicted they would never reach the top of "Devil Mountain", as Aconcagua is called by climbers, but they proved them wrong.^[13]

Mount Everest

At May 20, 2011 5:22 local time Broery Andrew Sihombing, became the first from the Indonesia Seven Summits Expedition team to reach the top of Mount Everest in Nepal (Asia). Janathan Ginting, Xaferius Frans, and Sofyan Arief Fesa, followed after. It is the sixth mountain the team has climbed since January 2009 and will complete the expedition by setting foot on the top of Mount Denali (also known as Mount McKinley), Alaska.^[14]

Mount Denali (McKinley)

Mount Denali (McKinley) is located in Denali National Park and Preserve. On July 2008, Pungkas Tri Baruno (20) from all Indonesian Scout Team has collapsed and died on Mount Denali.^[15] Mount Denali is the last of the world's Seven Summits the team will try to conquer.^[16] It is widely considered more challenging than taking on Mount Everest.^[17] Indonesia Youth and Sports Minister has seen the team and said he was proud of the achievements of the Indonesian youths. The core team plan to tackle the seventh mountain peak on the seventh of the month of seventh (July the Seventh) or in line with their new expedition planning at least before or at July 26, 2011.^[18] The ISSEMU team will climb to Mount Denali peak in about 20 days without any porters. Same technique applied in Mount Vinson Massif climbing will be used with 20 kilograms backpack plus 30 kilograms sled per person.^[19]

In July 7, 2011 19:35pm of the local time the Red-and-White flag has raised on top of the Mount Denali. It has been confirmed by a guide from Alpine Ascents International. All the four students are the first Indonesians getting the title of the Seven Summiters^[20] among 275 Seven Summiters and Indonesia became the 53rd country to have Seven Summiters.^[21]

Records

All four team member were the first university students who made it to the highest mountains and all of them successed in the first attempt.
The youngest seven summiters in Southeast Asia, between 22 to 28 years old with average of 24 years.^[13]

Another Indonesia Seven Summits Expedition Team

They consist of 5 male climbers and 1 female climber (with different coordination from the previous team above), but only 4 male climbers successfully reached the fifth (Mount McKinley on May 15, 2011) of seven of the world's highest mountains they have planned to scale in their two-and-a-half-year expedition, they are Iwan Irawan (38 years), Martin Rimbawan (25), Fadjri al Lufhfi (25) and Nurhuda (23). The fifth male core climber, Ardeshir Yafftebbi (29), along with a guide accompany MetroTV journalist Popo Nurakhman return to base camp from an altitude 5,900 meters above sea level (masl). The expedition will cost an estimated Rp.10 billion ($1.2 million) from the team's sponsors, including the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and Indonesian ANTARA News Agency. The first conquered peak was Mount Cartensz Pyramid on April 22, 2010, coinciding with Earth Day, followed by Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Elbrus, Mount Aconcagua and Mount Denali. Next on the agenda were Mount Vinson Massif and Mount Everest and plan conclude the expedition in May 2012.^[22]^[23] On December 23, 2011 the team departured from Jakarta to Punta Arenas, Chile and then to Vinson Massif basecamp (2,130 masl) and on January 6, 2012 local time they conquered the Vinson Massif.^[24]^[23] On early April 2012, the team has initiated the climbing of Mount Everest into 2 groups, one group is attacking from the south (Nepal) and the other from the north (Tibet).^[25] The team from the north (Iwan Irawan and Nurhuda) has reached the top of Mount Everest on May 19, 2012.^[26]^[27] South team ended the expedition without reached the summit of Mount Everest due to Ardeshir Yafftebbi got laryngitis and Fadjri al Lufhfi could not continue the attempt with wind of 50 meter/second (180 kilometer/hour).^[28] In 2012, Martin Rimbawan has medical problem and his position is replaced by Ardhesir Yafftebbi and after one year rest Fadjri al Lufhti and Martin Rimbawan as a second south team attempt successful to reach the summit of Mount Everest on May 23, 2013.^[29]