Free Korea Peak, first ascents. On January 6-7 I climbed a new route, solo, up the center of the north face of 4750m Free Korea Peak. I spent one night on the face and another at the top. My route was a substantial variant to the 1975 Popenko Route. I was back on January 22 to climb another new route, solo, on the north face. It took me five and a half hours to climb this 900- meter ice route of 50 to 80 degrees. I named the route Barbera.

Alexander Ruchkin, Russia