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Mount Wilhelm is the highest mountain in Papua New Guinea at 4,509 metres. It is part of the Bismarck Range and the peak is the point where three provinces intersect, Simbu, Western Highlands and Madang. The peak is one of the highest mountains on the island of New Guinea, which incorporates Papua New Guinea and the Indonesian province of Papua. It is surpassed by Puncak Jaya (Carstensz Pyramid) in Papua at 4,884m.
Discovery Mount Wilhelm received its name in 1888 when a German newspaper correspondent, Hugo Zöller, climbed the Finisterre Range, south-east of Madang, and named the four highest peaks of the Bismarck Range after Kaiser Wilhelm and his four children: Ottoberg, Herbertberg, Mariaberg and Wilhelmberg. It was not until August 1938 when L.G. Vial, a government officer, and two Papuan New Guineans made the first recorded ascent. WWII Bomber crash During the Second World War in the early hours of May 22, 1944, an American F-7A (a converted B-24 Liberator) named "Under Exposed" crashed into the mountain while flying too low. The aircraft left from Nadzab airbase, close to Lae, and had been assigned for a recognisance mission to photograph Padaidori Island in Dutch New Guinea. Around 0400 the plane crashed into Wilhelm at about 13,000 feet above the twin lakes. All crew were killed and most of the wreckage landed in the topmost lake although some can still be seen today. Climbing deaths Numerous people have died attempting to climb the mountain including an Australian Army Sergeant, Christopher Donnan, who died in December 1971 when he fell down a steep slope. There is a plaque at the point where he was last seen. In August 1995 an Israeli backpacker died after he sprained his ankle and stayed behind while his group continued. He subsequently wandered off the track and fell into a ravine in the pre-dawn darkness. His body was found about a week later. More recently, on the 30th July 2005, Wilhelm took another life. 58 year old Bob Martin, a board member of PNG Tourist Promotion Authority and General Manager (Marketing) of Air Niugini, suffered a massive heart attack just below Christopher Corner, around 30 minutes from the summit. Climbing Mount Wilhelm is the most accessible mountain to climb in Papua New Guinea. There are two routes to the top. By far the most popular is a fairly easy climb from the village of Keglsugl at the end of the road from Kundiawa in Simbu province. There is also a harder hike and climb from the village of Ambullua in the Western Highlands province. The Keglsugl route involves climbing up and through a montane rainforest and then along an alpine grassland glacial valley to the twin lakes of Piunde and Aunde (mother and daughter). This takes approximately three hours. At Piunde there are two huts, one being an old Australian National University monitoring station and the other an 'A-Frame' hut. The climb to the top is usually undertaken in pre-dawn and can take 4-6 hours depending on fitness. Reaching the peak at dawn allows better chance of clear weather. The other route from Ambullua is a much harder 4-day hike. Both hikes should not be undertaken without guides. Young men in Keglsugl will act as guides for a nominal fee. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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