Mt Wilhelm

Running a business at the foot of Mt Wilhelm comes with its unique challenges.

For Betty Higgins, the sustainability of her lodge and trout farm, located 2,800m above sea level, hinges on her ingenuity.

“If you move your cameras around, you will see total jungles, total bush around us,” she told a visiting media team from Lae.

At the base of the picturesque and remote Mt Wilhelm is PNG’s pioneer trout breeding station and a lodge, owned by local entrepreneur, Betty Higgins.

She sells trout to hotels across the country while trekkers are offered a warm bed in her lodge.  

However, her business is being threatened with the road access yet to be cleared.

The landslide occurred on the morning of Good Friday, April 10^th.

The natural disaster destroyed homes, gardens and livestock and fish farms in the industrious village of Duanigle Gowe, located at the foot of Mt Wilhelm.

Sieland Herman Banda, a physiotherapist with the Kundiawa General Hospital, and who is currently at Kegesugl, said the landslide occurred near the Mt Wilhelm Secondary School.

The new five mountain bedroom cabin at the Snow Pass Eco-lodge was named after American medical doctor Marc Richmond who carries out voluntary health outreach program in the area.

The “Richmond Haus” lodge is located at mid-point between the majestic Ramu plains and the lofty ridges of Mt Wilhelm.

Local and international visitors can enjoy the peaceful scenery as it is a major transition point for migrating birds passing up and down.

The cabin is settled at 2,200m on a ridge top bordering three provinces, namely Eastern Highlands, Chimbu and Jiwaka.

The re-development of the Kegesuglo airstrip will give accessibility to both local and international tourists to visit Mt Wilhelm.

Chief executive officer of Rural Airstrip Agencies John Bromley signed the MOU with Kundiawa Gembogl Administration, promising the maintenance work to be carried out before the end of the year.

Bromley said the upgrading will not only provide services to visitors but also help villagers transport their fresh produce to the market.

The race started as early as 5 o’clock in the morning at Dickson Oval in Kundiawa town, ending at Kegesuglo airstrip at the foot of the famous Mt Wilhelm.

Despite Simbu’s misty morning, the 6 by 7km relay saw participants as young as 10 from primary schools, Secondary Schools, TVET and Open categories at the starting line.

The 47 km relay covered Simbu’s rugged terrains in the quest to be crowned the champions of the Mt Wilhelm Race.

The launching was done today with presentation of uniforms from the Minister of Arts, Culture and Tourism and Member for Kundiawa Gembogl, Tobias Kulang.

It was a milestone sporting event in the calendar of Chimbu Province with enthusiastic participants in all age groups ready to vie for the trophies and the cash prize money.

The race will be in categories including equal participation of students.

Minister Kulang, while presenting the uniforms to the runners, outlined the importance of the race and the contribution it brings, not only into the sport of marathon.

Fifty climbers successfully reached the summit of the highest mountain in Papua New Guinea at 6am on Independence Day.

Mt Wilhelm summit is 4,509m high and it is located among spike range peaks in the northeast between Madang and Western Highlands provinces.

The climbers consisted of students, school teachers, guardians and parents.

The trekkers started their journey up the mountain in the morning of Thursday, September 15 and reached the summit at 6am on Independence Day.

Mt Wilhelm is the highest summit in Papua New Guinea,  rising 4509m high, and  is located among spike range peak in the northeast between Madang Province and Western Highlands Province.

Event coordinator Chris Jamie confirmed that 50 climbers are participating which include students, school teachers, guardians and parents.

Jamie said the trekking is well underway with the raising of the PNG flag to take place tomorrow.

“We started our first day event by trekking to Mt.Wilhelm today and we will set up outdoors camps for climbers during the three nights,” he said.

Leukaemia is a cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow where blood cells are made.

The 12, who are actually members of a mentorship group called Winged Mentorship and Empowerment Agency (MEA), will climb to raise funds, to support PNG’s Cecilia Ali Leukaemia Foundation (CALF).

Led by Mary Handen, the group will leave Port Moresby on August 26, spend a day at the base camp and climb on Saturday, August 28.