Puncak Jaya and Elbrus questions

[Dustin_B]

A few questions from a newbie:
Why is it called Carstensz Pyramid and not Puncak Jaya, its official name??
Why is the altitude listed as 4884m / 16,023 feet on this website and not 5029m / 16,499 ft? (I found the above informantion in the Oxford Atlas of the World, so what is the real altitude).
Elbrus is in Russia, or on the border of Georgia and Russia, both of which are in Asia, not even Eastern Europe?  So, why is it the top of Europe, its simply not??
Thanks for clearing these things up.
Dustin

[7summits]

A few questions from a newbie:
Why is it called Carstensz Pyramid and not Puncak Jaya, its official name??
Why is the altitude listed as 4884m / 16,023 feet on this website and not 5029m / 16,499 ft? (I found the above informantion in the Oxford Atlas of the World, so what is the real altitude).

Hi Justin, welcome to the forum. Thsi has been answered in the FAQ 

Elbrus is in Russia, or on the border of Georgia and Russia, both of which are in Asia, not even Eastern Europe?  So, why is it the top of Europe, its simply not??
Thanks for clearing these things up.
Dustin

Russia is a large country and actually a large part of it is in Europe including the Area western of the Ural and north of the Caucasus, so just including Elbrus.


Even though all 127 summiteers agree on this, I still think there is room for debate here though

[Dustin_B]

Thanks for clearing that up.  I'm still not convinced about the highest peak in Oceania (in fact I disagree with the logic in the FAQ) but I'm more convinced about the highest peak in Europe.  I guess I have forgotten my geography and didn't remember/know that part of Russia was in Europe.  I found it in a book though so it must be true....

[Dustin_B]

Okay, on the Alpine Ascents website it says that Carstensz Pyramid is called Puncak Jaya (Victory Peak) by the Indonesians.  That would clear up one confusioning point on my end except that the FAQ you pointed me two says they are two different peaks!  (There is no mention of a Carstensz on the map I was looking at so that leads me to believe it is the same peak)  So which is it?  Are they two different peaks or the same peak with an unknown elevation?  If it is the same peak (which is rock, not snow) how can the elevation be unknown to within 500 ft??  The maps and atlas quote 16,499 feet, this website quotes 16,023 feet.  Its not a snow peak so it didn't melt.  If they are two different peaks, someone else is really confused and how the hell did 500+ feet of snow melt off the top of a mountain in 70 years?  Still confused thanks.

PS - that FAQ is really confusing too.