action asia magazine - korea's holy trinity

7/22/2019 Action Asia Magazine - Korea's Holy Trinity

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Mountains are a fundmental part of both the physicallandscape and the cultural fabric here, making hiking anideal way to connect with the country and its people

Koreasholy trinity

PHOTO:KOREANTOURISMO

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40 South Korea

Story by Michael Fraiman


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Hallasan and Seoraksan each in a

accessible year-round, and each harbo

illuminate aspects o Korean culture.

H A L L A S A N

Jeju natives believe that their ovular s

now colloquially reerred to as the Ko

honeymooners, was created by a gian

said to have created Hallasan out o ne

birth to all the worlds plants and hum

eruption. According to science this is k

the now-dormant volcanic peak o Hal

the pregnant goddess spin is debatable

Hallasan is an oddity. It is simultone o its easiest to climb, depending o

at its top, Baengnokdam (literally Whi

100 mountain spirits enjoy riding wh

two o the ive main routes. hey are

rail, which starts rom the semi-isolat

Seongpanak rail, which is the route

western and southern trails dont reac

ewer tourists and more tranquility.

O n e a ch r o u t e , t h e i r s t 1

kilometres are a breeze, set at a gradu

incline only. Some Koreans jog thi

he middle third is regarded as th

most diicult section or its steep an

crumbling stone steps and slipper

IS A LILEKNOWN FAC HA ROUGHLY 70% OF SOUH

KOREA is mountainous. Dotted with temples, they are the setting or ancient

tales o mountain spirits, known as san shin(sanis Korean or mountain), acritical component o Korean olklore, even today.

Te result is a people whose very creation myth begins on a mountain,

Baekdu, the Korean peninsulas tallest at 2,750 metres, on the border between

North Korea and China. An energy-giving lie-orce is said to low rom

Baekdu down to South Koreas ultimate peninsular peak, Jirisan, coursing

through an uninterrupted series o ridges known as the Baekdudaegan

mountain range: 735 kilometres o continuous slate and rock, the spine o

the peninsula. Tis energy trickles over the ridges and spills into the valleys,

down the wateralls and into the streams that have created and sustained lie

ever since.

It is hard to exaggerate Baekdus importance to the Korean people. North

Korean propaganda boasts that Kim Jong-il was born there in a shower o

golden light. his is alse: he was

born in Soviet Russia, but dont tell

the North Koreans. Even south othe border, pictures o the mountain

are a common sight, despite it lying

hundreds o kilometres away in

another country.

All this is to say that South Koreans care a lot about mountains, and

today the vast majority o citizens are wealthy enough to be able to enjoy

them by visiting the countrys 21 national parks in some orm or other.

In almost every Korean closet hangs a breathable Gore-tex shirt o neon

green or orange, a solid pair o hiking boots and at least one extendable

walking stick. he countrys multi-billion-dollar hiking ashion industry is

so absurdly profitable that V celebrities and amed directors are ensnared

in their ad campaigns. Forget taekwondo: hiking is the nations true national

sport.

It helps that it is all so accessible. No peak in South Korea is higher than

2,000 metres, so none takes longer than a day to summit. Population density

and moderate temperatures mean hiking is consistently accommodating

and sae: some amilies climb together every weekend. You dont need a

guide as maps (and apps) are ofen available and, unless you venture off into

uncharted wilderness, youre unlikely to come across any dangerous wildlie.rails are usually well-marked and every signiicant mountain has a ew

well-stocked shelters where you can sleep and buy ood, water and even gear.

With all that in mind, you are ready to strike out and explore. But

where to start? Te countrys three holiest peaks are also its tallest Jirisan,

42 South Korea

THREES NO CROWD HERE

On the wildly popular tourist island

of Jeju Island, the volcanic peak ofHallasan offers a chance at relative

solitude.

SOUTHKOREA

SeoulJAPAN

NORTH KOREACHINA


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temple that has been home to a priceless collection o Buddhist stone tablets

or 1,500 years, which also boasts an impressive three-story stone pagoda

and ancient stone lanterns. From there, hikers head up the boulder steps and

windy slopes o okkibong, then peak-hop along the highest ridges, past

various mountain shelters that dot the course at 1,700 metres above sea level,until reaching Cheonwangbong, 1,915 metres high. From there you can

descend into Jungsan-ri or a hot bowl o ramen and shots o soju.

Korean hikers tend to return to Jirisan again and again not just or

its visible history and natural beauty, but also because it is so huge that

you could go every weekend or months and always ind a new route. he

gurgling streams o Guryoung Valley, the sharp-edged Kalbawi (Knie

Rock), the enormous Buril Waterall and the calmness o Cheoneu emple

are scattered around Jiris ringes, each easily accessible rom a dierent

small town, each with its own charm.

rocks. wo-thirds o the way up, you exit the orest into a wide expanse o

lower vegetation rom where it takes about an hour more to reach the top.

Because o the high chance o thick aternoon og, park rangers stationed

at the Jindallaebat and Samgakbong shelters (each at around 1,500 metres)

prohibit anyone rom continuing to the peak afer 1pm, so rise early unless

you plan on staying overnight.

J I R I S A N

Te southernmost vertebrae along Koreas spinal chord o a mountain range

is Jirisan, a national park sprawled across three provinces and home to nearly

5,000 types o flora and auna. Vibrantly pink cherry blossom in the spring,

thick pine orest and some o the last remaining Asiatic black bears in the

world are just three o the parks attractions.

hough summiting the highest peak, Cheonwangbong, can be donein a single eight- or nine-hour day rom the tiny eastern tourist town o

Jungsan-ri, there are enough pounding

wateralls and colourul Buddhist temples

scattered throughout the park to justiy

an extended two-to-three-day trek rom

one village to another.

he most s t renuous mult i -day

route begins at Hwaeom emple in the

southwest, an historic wooden Korean

South Korea

Korean hikers tend to return to Jirisanagain and again not just for its visiblehistory and natural beauty, but alsobecause it is so huge . . .

WINTERS HOARY BREATHJirisan (left) and Taebaksan

(below), show off the stunning

results of a sharp frost. Despitebiting cold, winter trekkers are

not un common on such peaks.

THREE MORE

TaebaeksanClose to Pyeongchang, the site of the

definitively winter mountain on the o

Its so definitively snowy that it hosts t

a free event held each January that a

gawk at enormous ice sculptures of M

or watch a performance of ice nanta,

music, only played by chopping mac

The mountain is also a popular ski an

is nice because its easily accessible b

City, but less nice because this mean

fewer bratty kids at the 1,567-metre-hor at the teetering ancient Manggyeo

wisdom, built 1,460 metres up.

Sinbulsan

A few kilometres outside of Ulsan in

more than 1,200 metres tall. The asc

authorities have tethered ropes alon

so even casual hikers can feel vague

up. Sinbulsan is best hiked in the spr

blossoms and silver grass are in full b

down into a series of waterfalls from

and strength. One major draw here i

way, especially for non-Korean speak

cheap, and once you get there youl

GayasanOne of Koreas most spiritually and c

its isolation, Gayasan is so difficult to

deep in a valley, is famous for its pre

wooden blocks that have survived int

with Buddhist scriptures, they have w

Korean soldiers and a fire that literall

around them. Its a common pilgrimaa beautiful sight for anyone, not to m

eastbound up Mt Gaya itself, 1,430 m

forests of pine and fir.


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S E O R A K S A N

Only a ew kilometres south o the heavily militarized border with North

Korea, Seoraksan is South Koreas third-tallest mountain, though it is more

correct to view it as a massi or range o related peaks.

his is an autumn and winter mountain: in the summer monsoon

season, the streams oten lood the path. Whatever the season, watch or

rare species as Seorak is one o the ew places where you can spot the Korean

goral, an odd-looking goat-antelope hybrid, as well as the dwar stone pine, arapidly disappearing prickly pink shrub threatened by global warming.

Seoraks postcard panorama is Dinosaur Ridge, a row o jagged rocks

that shoot up in the northeastern corner o the park and truly do resemble

the spindly backside o a stegosaurus. Tough the path across the ridge has

been closed recently, the view rom aar is what most Koreans strive or

when they climb to the 1,700-metre-tall peak, Daecheongbong.

he quickest and most popular route up Daecheongbong is via Osaek

rail in the south, but this path is also the hardest, with its switchbacks back

and orth across a stark mountainside exposed to the elements. As ar as

Korean mountain trails go, most o which are well maintained and readily

walkable, the steepest parts o Osaek are a hands-and-knees vertical climb,

treacherous i covered in snow or mud.

Shooting straight up the Osaek also shows only glimpses o the parks

character. In the northeast, or instance, is Gwongdeumseong, an ancient

300-metre-long s tone temple ,

possibly built in the 13th century to

deend against Mongolian invaders.

You could also choose to believe the

legend that two intrepid soldiers built

the entire ortress in a single night,

but there are no shortage o legends

to accompany these mountains and lines must be drawn somewhere.

Another particularly adorable Seoraksan tale tells o Ulsanbawi, a

bumbling sort o mountain who walked rom the southern port c ity o

Ulsan to join 12,000 other mountains as part o a gods plan or a beautiul

range. But by the time the mighty mound o stone had made it to the party,

all the spaces were illed. Dejected, he began walking slowly back down

the peninsula but realised how beautiul this spot beside Sokcho was, anddecided to stay there. oday Ulsanbawi is one o the most beautiul (and

diicult) routes on Seoraksan, with awe-inspiring panoramic views o the

city and waters below. AA

South Korea46

Seoraks postcard panorama is

Dinosaur Ridge, a row of jaggedrocks that . . . truly do resemble thespindly backside of a stegosaurus.

PRACTICALITIES

When to goAll of Koreas national parks are open year-round and are free, though

parking and camping fees may apply. Locals like to enjoy the seasonal

differences and often make multiple trips to the same mountain during

different times of year. That said, the busiest times are the cooler

months: the spring of March-April (especially cherry blossom season,

which usually falls during the last two weeks of March) and the autumn

of September-October, just after monsoon, but before all the leaves

have fallen. At these times, the trails can be exceptionally busy. The

summer rains are heavy and unpredictable, but its worst in the second

half of July. Southern South Korea rarely sees snow in the winter, but

expect ice-tipped peaks from November until as late as April acrossmuch of the country.

Where to stayHallasan, Jirisan and Soeraksan, as well as many of the other important

mountains, have shelters stocked 24/7 with water and food. Mattresses

can be rented cheaply and the cost for a spot in a shelter is under

US$10. In the winter, some even sell trekking poles, rain jackets and

crampons. Bring your own tent if you want to camp near the foot of a

mountain (sites are often some distance from the trail) or even just to

sit at the peak and hide from the sun

among Koreans). Do use formal cam

though, as camping elsewhere is illeg

What to takeIf you want to blend in with the local cro

outdoor gear: breathable shirts and lig

pole for each hand and a huge backpa

thermos of green tea, a portable gas st

rolls of kimbapor cups of ramen noodl

warm, shorts and a t-shirt should do yo

offer to share food with you on the trailShots of the local firewater, soju, may e

considered rude to reject alcohol if its

ContactsThe Korean National Park Service (KNP

several languages (English site is http:

maps and guides. Spots in shelters can

and you can also find specific contact n

Tel: (82-2) 3279 2700 x1

TWO EXTREMESSeoraksan (above) can draw a crowd

all year round, while Baekdusan

(top), supposed birthplace of the

Korean people, is unattainable fornow, being on the North Korean/

China border.

PHOTOS:DOUGMACDONALD(BOTTOMR

IGHT);KOREANTOURISMO

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