Mt Rinjani management instals stairs on dangerous trail after accidents
The track is considered dangerous not only because of its steep slope, but because climbers are usually already fatigued after reaching the Rinjani summit before descending to the lake. Three foreign climbers have fallen between June and July.
The national park has closed the Pelawangan Sembalun track to Segara Anak Lake from July 16 until an undetermined time for track repair, including the installation of stairs.
The national park's World Class Mountaineering working group head Budi Soesmardi confirmed the closure and installation of stairs.
'Yes. We are currently repairing the track,' he told kompas.com on Sunday.
'There are 12 repair spots along the track from Pelawangan Sembalun to Segara Anak.' Budi said there were three crucial spots that needed to have the stairs installed for visitors' safety and comfort. Mount Rinjani National Park spokesman Muhammad Wahyudi Gunawan also confirmed that the measure was taken to ensure climbers safety and comfort.
'Every step being repaired is part of our shared responsibility for a safe climb and return,' Wahyudi said.
In a separate development, guides in Sembalun, East Lombok, have complained about the volcano's planned closure from Aug 1-10, saying the closure could cause the local people to lose their livelihoods.
One of the guides, Luqmanul Haqim, said he was racking his brain following the closure. He said he had three children, with the oldest entering a pesantren (traditional Islamic boarding school), and needed money to buy school supplies and for daily allowance.
'I need about Rp 2 million (US$122.15) per month to buy books,' he said on July 25. Luqmanul complained about the sudden closure of Mount Rinjani, saying he had yet to put away savings for his daily expenses during the closure period.
He said he only worked as a guide on Mt. Rinjani and that if he worked at farms carrying vegetables, the wage would not be enough.
'If I want to work as a vegetable transporter, it is already out of season now,' he said.
'The job is only available during the rainy season and harvest period.'
Luqmanul said the closure would not only affect the guides, and that the closure was ill-timed as it was before the Aug 17 Independence Day celebration, which usually brings an increase in the number of visitors.
A guide receives Rp 300,000 per day with an additional cost if climbing to the summit. A single climb could take several days.
'Climbers usually also give us tips if they are satisfied with our service,' Luqmanul said.
'I could get Rp 1 million in tips if there are many guests climbing Rinjani.'
While he was looking for other jobs for the 10-day closure, he said he would be frugal with his expenses, for example, reducing cigarettes purchases and replacing them with rolling tobacco. '
There have been no jobs at Rinjani in the past few days,' he said.
During the closure, Mount Rinjani National Park will carry out repair activities and add more infrastructure, such as shelters, while also procuring rescue and evacuation equipment to be placed in each shelter.
'The closure is part of our response following the numerous cases of fallen climbers [who have been either killed or injured] on Mt. Rinjani,' Mt. Rinjani National Park head Yarman said on July 24.
Yarman said the national park was also reviewing its standard operating procedures, especially those related to evacuation and emergency response.
'So, if there is an accident [during climbing], we can maximise the use of equipment that will be placed in every shelter,' he said. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
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