Irish climbers reach peak

Two mountaineers have become the first Irish people on record to climb the 4,884-metre Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia, one of the world's highest "seven summits".

Ian McKeever and Grania Willis reached the summit last Friday, as part of McKeever's attempt to break the world record for fastest ascent of the highest peaks on each of seven continents.

The lecturer and broadcaster has now climbed four of the seven so far and hopes to have all, including Mount Everest, completed by June 27th.

Willis, equestrian correspondent of The Irish Times, has already become the third Irish woman to climb Mount Everest and the first Irish woman to do so by its north face, in 2005.

The pair hired the services of Dave Pritt, a mountaineering guide with Adventure Peaks Ltd, for their attempt on the Carstensz Pyramid, which is not only technically difficult but very inaccessible within the Surdiman mountain range in Irian Jaya.

The group, including high altitude cameraman John Whittle and Indonesian guide Steven Liwe, was flown in by helicopter to the foot of the mountain.

Speaking from Indonesia yesterday, Willis said the ascent took 17 hours, with some very challenging sections. Torrential rain made the descent very difficult and the group had to wait almost three days at base camp for a helicopter to fly them out. A planned walk had to be cancelled due to hostilities among members of the local Mone tribe, she said, which claimed 10 lives and injured 15 others.

McKeever hopes to raise €140,000 for the Irish Osteoporosis Society and the Sophia Housing Association. Willis hopes to raise funds for the Irish Hospice Foundation.