Korean Job Discussion Forums

mick · Joined: 04 Mar 2005

Has anyone hiked to Daecheonbong in Seoraksan National Park and if so, how difficult was it? I've read that it takes around 8 hrs. Cheers for any info.

crash · Joined: 22 May 2007 Location: Seoul

I've done it a few times and it's a great hike. Time it takes to climb will depend on where you choose to start and finish. I've always started on the Osaek springs side and then finished by the main entrance. Depending on who you hike with and your own conditioning would determine how long it takes to finish that particular route. Last time it took me about 10 hours and it was totally dark when we finished. Bring a flashlight if you're gonna start later, any time after 10 am. There are a few rest stops along the way and check out

http://english.knps.or.kr/

for more national park info. I'm sure others who live in the area can give you plenty of more details regarding the hike and points of interest. Definitely one of my highlights since I've been in Korea.

mick · Joined: 04 Mar 2005

Thanks for the info. I was planning to stay in a shelter at the top and then hike back down the next morning.

JustJohn · Joined: 18 Oct 2007 Location: Your computer screen

Two questions, roughly on topic.

1. What are the best mountains to hike this weekend and next weekend (to catch blossoms and stuff) around or North of Seoul? (I think I've been to most of them, but I'd love to do most of them again, especially if they have pretty flowers now.)

2. I want to do some serious hiking during that bit of vacation in early May. Where would be the best places to go then? I'm game for anywhere in Korea at that point. I was thinking Seoraksan and/or the one in North Korea, but I've never been to any outside Gyeonggi-do so I'd value your input.

Chicoloco · Joined: 18 Oct 2006 Location: In the ring.

tfunk · Joined: 12 Aug 2006 Location: Dublin, Ireland

PM the poster called 'azzwell', he'll give you sound advice. As far as I remember, the route from the main entrance is not the one you should be taking on the way up as it's full of stairs.

There are two places to stay on the top; one of them requires a Korean national identity card(maybe another poster can confirm this?). In the other one, when I was there, the people sharing the room with me went to bed around 10 o'clock and got up at around 5. So, it's a good idea to plan an early night. There's a monastery relatively near the summit. Also, it's a popular idea to haul your assets out of bed for the sunrise. Unfortunately mine were glued to my makeshift bed.

mick · Joined: 04 Mar 2005

Hey chicoloco and tfunk. Thanks for the info. Is it metal steps all the way up to the top if starting from the main entrance at Seorak-dong? Did you just show up at the shelter or did you book in advance?

Cheers

Underwaterbob · Joined: 08 Jan 2005 Location: In Cognito

Woraksan and Daedunsan are two of the most beautiful places IMO to hike up in Korea. Daedunsan is in a fairly desolate spot, the mountain is relatively short (less than 1000m) and the scenery with it's rare lack of cityscape is gorgeous. There's a cable car that takes you most of the way up if you're lazy. Catch a local bus from Daejeon.

Woraksan is a bit harder to get to but rivals Seoraksan in terms of beauty and remoteness. Also it's near Suanbo, a tiny spa town that is overrun with all imaginable kinds of blossoms this time of year. The mountain itself is a bit easier to hike up than Seoraksan at just short of 1700m and can be done in a day (relatively) easily. Leave by noon and you shouldn't need a flashlight. Just be careful, it takes six to seven hours if you go fairly steadily and the last bus leaves around 6:30. There are a bunch of Minbak's and Pensions around in any case. Catch a local bus from Chungju.

cwaddell · Joined: 23 Jan 2006

Underwaterbob · Joined: 08 Jan 2005 Location: In Cognito

stevieg4ever · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Location: London, England

planning to go at the end of April.

What is the most scenic route and as another poster said before do you have to book in advance?

Intrepid · Joined: 13 May 2004 Location: Yongin

Many of the national park trails are closed in the spring (till 5.31, usually, although they sometimes open a week or two early)to prevent forest fires.
Here's a list (in Korean) of open trails:
http://main.knps.or.kr/divide.aspx?menu=005&submenu=001&src=/KNPS/BoardWeb/board_view.aspx?vno=12063|gid=003|bid=019|mid=803
The ones open in Seorak are a pathetic, touristy lot. You can't get to Daecheongbong without risking the 500,000 won fine (though I doubt they'd nail a foreigner, they might have sealed the trailheads).
The highest you can go, and a nice hike, is the summit of Chiaksan, accessible by public bus from the train or express bus terminal of Wonju city.
If you go now, you can see the whole transition from winter, in reverse as you climb up. The top (1200m) might still have snow, although it has been pretty warm of late...

tfunk · Joined: 12 Aug 2006 Location: Dublin, Ireland

skeeterses · Joined: 25 Oct 2007

I climbed up during the New Years Holiday. I tried going up on the first day that I got there but didn't have enough time to make it to the top. I ran across a Korean who told me that it would be extremely busy during the spring. So I stayed the night at a motel and got up around 5:30AM and managed to make it to the top and back on New Years Eve. I took the route from the Main Park because that's where the bus went. It was extremely cold and windy at the top that day but I'm glad I made it.

anyangoldboy · Joined: 28 Sep 2007

The lonely Planet book said that the biggest mountain in Sorak San is closed until 2011 so that it can grow again...the greenery that is