Dmitry Pavlenko and Svetlana Pavlenko climbed a new route up the north face of Pik Svobodnaya Koreya (“Free Korea Peak,” 4,740m) in September. The two fixed some ropes at the start on September 15 and then, carrying a portaledge, climbed six pitches on the 16th. The next day they climbed only two pitches and endured a poor bivouac, and on day three they climbed just one and a half pitches through overhanging rock. On the morning of the 19th, they decided to drop the portaledge and go for the top. After six more pitches, they reached the summit ridge, climbed to the top in the dark, and began the descent with dead headlamps. They finally reached the hut below the mountain at 4 a.m.

They called the route Chumba and Raccoon (800m, ED+ 6b A3, with ice and mixed climbing). The new route is between the Popenko route (1975) to the left and Bezzubkin (1969) to the right.

Dmitry Pavlenko, who has climbed the north face of Svobodnaya Koreya many times, said this was likely the last logical line up the face that could be climbed without bolts. During the winter of 2019 and 2020, he soloed a new route up the face called Barin (6A A4).

— Information from Dmitry Pavlenko, Russia