The 6,194 meter-high mountain is the fifth of seven of the world`s highest mountains they have planned to scale in their two-and-a-half-year expedition.
The team reached the peak of Denali/McKinely known as one of the most difficult mountains at 09.15 p.m. local time on Sunday (May 15) or 12.15 western Indonesian time on Monday (May 16) following 15 days of climbing, the Secretariat of Seven Summits in Jakarta said in a statement two days after the team reached the peak.
Only four of the five core climbers managed to reach the peak. They were Fajri Al Lutfi, Iwan Irawan, Martin Rimbawan and Nurhuda. The other core climber, Ardhesir Yaftebbi, along with a guide returned to vase camp to accompany Metro TV journalist Popo Nurakhman who had difficulties when the team reached an altitude of 5,900 meters above sea level.
The climbers started climbing the mountain on May 2. Because of bad weather they were confined to Camp 3 at a height of 4,328 meters above sea level until May 12.
As the weather was improving they continued climbing the mountain and set up High Camp at a height of 5,242 meters above sea level. On May 15 they reached the Denali peak.
The secretariat said on Wednesday (May 18) all the climbers arrived back at Talkeetna, Alaska, on Tuesday (May 17), and joined with climbing manager Yoppie R Saragih who had been there while they were climbing the mountain.
By Tuesday (May 17) all the four climbers -- Iwan Irawan, Martin Rimbawan, Fajri Al Luthfi and Nurhuda-- chief of climbing group Ardeshir Yaftebbi, Metro TV journalist Popo Nurakhman, Kompas daily journalist Herry Susilo, and two guides Kurt Hicks and Dan Otter gathered at Camp 3 at an altitude of 4,328 meters above sea level. They were all in good health and only one climber suffered a minor frostnip, the secretariat said.
Yoppie R Saragih said he was proud of what the Indonesian youths had achieved and lauded the climbers for their perseverance while climbing one of the most difficult mountains.
According to plan, the climbers will stay in Talkserna until Thursday (May 19) to restore their stamina and make an administrative report to the management of the Denali National Park.
The team will proceed their journey to Anchorage where they will stay for three days to take rest before returning home on May 22.
Dubbed Expedition Team of 7 Summits, the team was set up by the nature lover community, the association of mountain climbers and jungle explorers Wanadri and the culture community Rumah Nusantara. It consists of five male climbers Ardhesir Yaftebbi, Martin Rimbawan, Iwan Irawan, Nurhuda, and Fajri Al Luthfi, and female climber Gina Afriani.
In total, the expedition will cost an estimated Rp10 billion which will come from the team`s sponsors, including the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, state oil and gas company PT Pertamina, insurance company PT Tugu Pratama Indonesia, the medical faculty of Padjajaran University (Unpad), and the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB).
The others are cellular phone operator Telkomsel, state-owned Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI), tin mining company PT Timah, Indonesia Setara Foundation, PT Indika Energy, Antara news agency, Kompas daily and MetroTV.
The success of conquering Mt Denali/McKinely came nearly four months after the team put up the red-and-white national flag on the 6,962-meter high Mt Aconcagua in Argentina, the highest peak in both the Western and Southern Hemispheres.
The team embarked on their expedition on April last year by climbing Mt Carstensz Pyramid in Jayawijaya mountain range in Indonesia`s easternmost province of Papua. They conquered the peak of the 4,884-meter-high mountain on April 22, 2010, coinciding with Earth Day.
They scored another success by conquering the 5,895 meter-high Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, the world`s 4th highest freestanding mountain. The team set their foot on the peak of the inactive stratovolcano in northeastern Tanzania on August 1,2010 at 08.00 a.m. and promptly put up the red-and-white national flag there.
Still in August last year, the team further climbed the icy 5,642-meter-high Mt Elbrus in Russia, the highest mountain in Europe. They had originally planned to put up the red-and-white there on August 17, 2010 to mark Indonesia`s independence but to no avail. They could reach the peak of Mt Elbrus only two days later.
"This is an achievement that made the red-and-white national flag hoisted at global level. The time has come for Indonesia to serve as inspiration for other nations," Youth and Sports Minister Andi Mallarangeng said when seeing off the team of Indonesian climbers to Mt Denali/McKinely last April.
Next on their agenda is the 4,897-meter-high Mount Vinson Massif in Antartica and 8,850-meter high Mount Everest in Nepal. The team will conclude the expedition in May 2012.
(T.S012/H-NG/O001)
Reporter: by Suharto
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
