Free Korea Peak, New Route
Kyrgyzstan, Central Tien-Shan, Ala Archa Range
Author: Lindsay Griffin.
Climb Year: 2016.
Publication Year: 2016.
On January 31, 2016, Russian climbers Max Krivosheev, Igor Loginov, and Alexander Zhigalov reached the summit of Free Korea (4,778m), having spent four days climbing a hard new route up the left side of the north face. The route lies on the steep wall between the 1991 Balezin Route (5B) and the 1982 Svab Route (5B), on what is referred to as the Lion Triangle (AAJ 2011). The height of the wall at this point is 690m, and the length of the climb was 880m. The climbers traversed the long east ridge over the summit, and then descended the ice couloir soloed by George Lowe (USA) in 1976. The ED route was mostly free with ca 150m of A3/A4.
Lindsay Griffin, with information supplied by Dmitriy Shalygin, Kyrgyzstan, and Elena Dmitrenko, Russia
Media Gallery
The north face of Free Korea Peak, with the new Russian winter route (left) and the line soloed in 1976 by Henry Barber (right). Between the two are about 14 routes. The line soloed by George Lowe in 1976, and used by the Russian team for their descent, is off picture to the right.
Lindsay Griffin