GUNUNG · Kepulauan Heard dan McDonald (Australia)

Mawson Peak

Big Ben (Mawson Peak)

Information

Elevation: 2.745 m
Country: Kepulauan Heard dan McDonald (Australia) (HM)
Location / Range: Big Ben Massif, Heard Island, Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands — southern Indian Ocean, about 4,100 km southwest of Perth and about 1,700 km north of Antarctica
Mountain type: Active stratovolcano — the summit of the Big Ben massif on Heard Island, sub-Antarctic Southern Indian Ocean; the highest point of Australian sovereign territory
Volcanic?: Yes — volcano
Coordinates: -53.1000, 73.5167
Difficulty: Expedition — not a recreational climb: only three successful ascents (1965, 1983, 2000) out of several major expeditions; it involves steep glacier routes, crevasses, sulfur gas, and extreme sub-Antarctic conditions; access requires several days at sea through dangerous waters
Best Season: The Antarctic summer (December–February) offers the relatively most stable weather window, though the weather can still change drastically within hours; the 1965 expedition sailed November–January
Permits & Rules: A permit from the Australian Antarctic Division is required (submit ≥5 months before departure via EIA@aad.gov.au); access to HIMI Territory is strictly regulated by the Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands Environment Protection and Management Ordinance 1987; there is no regular commercial transport — travel is via chartered ship from Australia or Reunion
Hazards: An active volcano with a constantly changing crater, lava flows, sulfur gas and steam emissions from the summit vent; crevasses and seracs on the glacier route; extreme sub-Antarctic weather (snowstorms, strong winds, zero visibility); high waves when landing on the coast; no rescue infrastructure on the island; medical evacuation thousands of kilometers away

Description

Mawson Peak (2,745 m) is the active volcanic summit of the Big Ben massif on Heard Island, a sub-Antarctic external territory of Australia in the southern Indian Ocean. It is higher than any peak on the Australian mainland, making it the highest point of Australian territory outside the Antarctic Territory. Together with the nearby McDonald Islands volcano, Big Ben/Mawson Peak forms Australia's only active volcanoes; the summit frequently emits smoke and vapour and occasionally releases lava flows. It is named after the Australian Antarctic explorer Douglas Mawson. Its fairly symmetrical cone (about 700 m high) sits atop a plateau left by a sector collapse of Big Ben and is thought to have begun forming within roughly the last 40,000 years. Because of its remoteness and extreme weather, ascents are extremely rare — only a handful of teams have reached the top since the 1965 first ascent.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Rute Barat (pendakian ke-3, Januari 2000)

Alpine sub-Antarktika terpencil — banyak crevasse, kondisi buruk, cuaca ekstrem sebagai faktor penentu

Bagian dari ekspedisi kapal ~berminggu-minggu; puncak dicapai 10 Januari 2000 setelah satu upaya gagal

Four Australian climbers arrived by fishing vessel from Perth and pioneered a new route up the western side of the Big Ben massif — recorded as the third ascent of Mawson Peak. The line crossed many crevasses and wet snow, with sulphur and steam venting from fumaroles near the summit. It is remoteness and weather, not technical difficulty, that make it so demanding.

Source

Rute Timur / Long Ridge (pendakian ke-2, Februari 1983)

Secara teknis sedang, tetapi route-finding berat dalam angin kencang dan visibilitas rendah

~2 hari; puncak 9–10 Februari 1983

The team landed at Skua Beach by ketch and climbed via a new route from the east along a long ridge. The main difficulty was navigation and wind rather than technical ground; this was the recorded second ascent of Mawson Peak.

Source

Climbing Experiences

Because Mawson Peak/Big Ben is almost unreachable, its 'experience' record consists of scientific-expedition footage, documentaries, and the accounts of the rare climbing teams rather than everyday vlogs. The sources share the same themes: an active volcano venting steam and lava, crevassed glacial terrain, sub-Antarctic storms, and extreme ship-based logistics — all of which make every ascent a rare achievement.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.