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Check out the previous story: History of northern face of Svobodnaya (Free) Korea peak (4740m)

The author: Alexandre Ruchkin, S.Petersburg

 

Aksaiskoe Gorge.
Svobodnaya Korea ("Free Korea"), 4,740 m

Map of the region

Ala-Archa - is well-known climbing area in Northern Tien-Shan.

The beginning of development of the area was more than 40 years ago. In upper reaches of Ak-Say glacier the most interesting walls of Kirghiz Ala-Too are located, forming the highest site of the Central Kirghiz Range which is called as Aksay “semi-horse-shoe”. The big altitude of these places (4000-4800m), arrangement of the ridges sheltering from warm southern winds and a number of other factors are the cause of the presence of a powerful congelation. Ak-Say glacier in many respects determines a microclimate of the area - rather severe and cold. In Ak-Say gorge there are more than eighty qualified routes graded from 1 up to 6B categories of complexity. About 30-routes among them are of 5-6 categories. It speaks about serious walls in area. The several peaks have rocky-ice walls up to 900 meters:

• Semenov Tien-Shansky (4875 m) - the highest mountain in the area;
• Korona (Crown) (4860 m);
• Svobodnaya (Free) Korea (4740 m);
• Baylyan-Bashi (4700 m);
• Simagina (4400 m);
• Box (4240 m).

Mt. Baychechekey (4515 m) has not less beautiful buttresses. The area is the unique training base.

The rocks forming the ridge concern to metamorphic group with prevalence of granites and gneisses. Rocks, as a rule, are monolith and also solis, but there are several sites of strongly destroyed rocks.

High climbing and training potential plus short, comfortable approaches make the area one of the most visited in mountains Tien-Shan. The firm covering road is lead from the capital of Kirghizia Bishkek (for 4 km) up to the base camp "Ala-Archa" (2100 m). The path through a wood with pyramidal fur-trees and blue archa on the left side of slopes takes about three hours and leads to the grassy "Ratsek Campsite" near the snout of Aksaysky glacier. There is the convenient stone hut (3200m) there. Rocks, a falls, a spring, a grassy cover make the rest after ascents high-grade in this picturesque place.

The other three small huts are at several hours walking distances from "Ratsek". One is located on a moraine of Uchitel (Teacher) glacier under the first tower of Korona (Crown) peak and the buttresses of Mt. Semenov Tien-Shansky. Two others huts (3700 m) are on a moraine where Korona (Crown) glacier runs in Aksaysky glacier.

The high-mountainous huts located in different areas of the gorge make the approaches under the routes short - less than one hour. The most attractive faces in Aksayskoe gorge are the faces of Svobodyaya Korea and Korona (Crown). North face of peak of Svobodnaya (Free) Korea with 900m north wall is the most serious object in this area, has the difference of the altitude of 900 m. The third of the most complex routes – 13- go on it. The easiest route normally used for descent goes via the northern face and has 5À a category of difficulty - route N 13 (Lowe).

The beginning of development of Northern wall of Free Korea was the ascent of the team leaded by Andreev, the first team paved a route on the right buttress in 1959. For today 13 routes to Korea from the North have been gone and hundreds ascents have been made.

The list of established routes

The Wall of Svobodnaya (Free) Korea peak can be compared with Grand-Joras in the Alps. They even something are similar. Northern exposition, complexity, a steepness.

On February 23-27 1997 - a two men team A.Puchinin- A.Ruchkin climbed a new route on Northern wall of Svobodnaya (Free) Korea peak "Northern wall direct", 900m 6À/À3 +.

The route followed a direct fracture line between Bezzubkin and Myshlyaev routes going up a narrow frozen waterfalls (90 degrees) interrupted by two rocky zones in the center, steep walls and overhangs. A lot of water ice and the solid rock with monolithic relief and a lot of tight cracks did not allow reliable aid climbing and fast moving. Two days of a bad weather hampered us and detained under the beginning of the abrupt wall. The ascent was accomplished with a portaledge without fixing ropes in the bottom part of the route, as it is usual in winter.

Life in five days and nights with 3840m up to 4740m

Weather can be excellent from mid-June to mid-September with the best time for serious climbs being July-August (January-February in winter). You can climb here all the year round.

Typical weather trait is worsening in the afternoon and clearing in the evening. Several days of snowfalls, snow blizzards and thick fog are possible, but then the three huts under the routes allow to wait till the storm will be over.