Carstensz Glacier, Tropical glacier on Mount Puncak Jaya, Indonesia.
Carstensz Glacier is an ice mass on Mount Puncak Jaya in Papua's Sudirman Range, sitting at roughly 4,600 meters in elevation. It stretches about 470 meters long and roughly 100 meters wide, making it a modest ice field in a tropical location.
Dutch explorer Jan Carstenszoon documented this equatorial glacier in 1623, but his accounts were questioned for over two centuries. The eventual confirmation that ice could exist in the tropics surprised the scientific community and challenged earlier theories about where glaciers could form.
The Amungme people call the mountain Nemangkawi Ninggok, a name that refers to the white appearance of the ice. This naming reflects how central the glacier has been to the identity of those living in the region.
Reaching this location requires a demanding mountain climb at high altitude through difficult terrain. Visitors should prepare for extreme conditions, as the elevation, cold, and remote location demand good physical fitness and careful planning.
This glacier is one of the few remaining ice masses in the tropical zone and is shrinking rapidly, with ice thickness declining by roughly 7 meters annually. This swift change makes the site a striking place to witness climate change impacts on a rarely frozen environment.
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