Mount Giluwe

Giluwe rises to 4,367 metres in the Southern Highlands, second only to Mount Wilhelm in Papua New Guinea and the highest volcano in Oceania, which makes it one of the volcanic seven summits and brings a steady trickle of climbers pursuing that list. It is a shield volcano, worn down and glaciated in the ice ages so that the summit is a pair of rocky peaks rising from a broad plateau of alpine tussock grassland and bog, above the tree line and often frosted at night. The climb takes two to three days from Tambul with camping on the plateau, guides from the villages and landowner arrangements, and the walking is boggy rather than technical.

History

The Australian explorers Mick and Dan Leahy were the first Westerners to reach and climb Mount Giluwe, though Jack Hides also claimed its discovery after seeing the peaks from the west in 1935 and naming them the Minaret Mountains; Leahy put his case to the Royal Geographical Society in London on 21 November 1935 (Wikipedia, Mount Giluwe).

What's there

• The summit peaks - the volcanic plugs above the plateau.
• Alpine grassland - the tussock and bog of the high plateau.
• The tree line - the moss forest giving way to open ground.
• Frost and cold - the near-freezing nights at altitude.

When to go

May to October in the drier season; the plateau is boggy year round and worse in the wet months. Nights are near freezing at altitude in any season. Climbs need arranging in advance.

Things to know

The walking is wet and boggy rather than technical, and gaiters and waterproof boots matter. Guides and landowner arrangements are required and negotiated locally. Camping is the only option on the mountain. Cold at altitude catches people out.

Nearby

Mount Hagen lies north; Tambul is at the foot of the mountain.

Key facts