You Take The High Road; I’ll Take the Low Road, Juwangsan, Part 3

Here are some trails you can follow within the Juwangsan National Park. They appear in order of level of difficulty and scenic interest.

1. The Waterfall Trail ( which I take because I’m a sucker for water features even though I know they aren’t so exciting in autumn; OK, I’ll be honest – the gentle gradient along this walk has a lot to do with my choice as well!)

Daejeonsa - Jeilpokpo ( First Waterfall; 2 km from Ticket Office) – Jeipokpo ( Second Waterfall) – Jesampokpo ( Third Waterfall) – Naewonmaeul ( Artists’ Village)
Comment:

Follow the river upstream and enjoy getting side-tracked when you reach signposts which point to some interesting rock formations. The narrow gorge, site for the first waterfall, has an element of suspense because the walker can’t see what’s ahead. The second pokpo is more dramatic with twin falls taking the plunge. The third is also intriguing as it seems to have carved out a deep pool before retiring in a shallow pool. Naewonmaeul seems to be abandoned or perhaps only comes alive in summer. There’s only a tethered goat here bleating for release.

2. The Caves Route ( which can be combined with the first one)
Daejeonsa – Yeonhwagul ( on the left side of the trail, near a picnic ground) – then further up, on the right side of the trail, Juwangam ( hermitage) – Mujanggul – Juwanggul

Comment:
Somewhere near Juwangam, follow a steel staircase for about 100 m through a narrow gorge to reach a cliff and cave with an adjacent waterfall. Legend has it that King Ju took refuge with his chidren here while hiding from his enemies. Apparently he also died in Juwanggul ( cave).

3. The "I'm No Wimp" Route ( recommended by the Lonely Planet)
“Most visitors just see the waterfalls and caves, but for a more rigorous experience, try hiking up from Daejoensa to Juwangsan, 720 m ( 1 ¼ hours), along the ridge to Kaldeunggogae, 732 m ( 15 minutes) and then down to Hurimaegi ( 50 mins) before following the valley back to Daejeonsa. ( 1 ¾ hours)

Comment:
Time estimates irritate me – I know it means time for the average walker but then, I’m obviously below average as I usually need far longer to reach the said destinations. But seriously, this sounds like a great route and the views from the peak and ridge sound promising.

Sources:
Map http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexzuccarelli/2711311294/sizes/o/
http://juwang.knps.or.kr/eng/info/history.html
http://www.land.go.kr/gTra.do?tra=enudestination&cid=3505
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264150

Seoraksan, Part 4 - Lessons for the Novice Hiker

Here are the lessons I learnt as a novice hiker while struggling alone on the slopes of Seoraksan:

Lesson No 1: FIND OUT BEFOREHAND ABOUT THE TERRAIN and BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF ABOUT YOUR OWN FITNESS LEVELS!!!

Foolishly I assumed buying a simple map from the Ticketing Office would suffice as a guide for my first hiking attempt. Make the effort to learn enough Korean to ask experienced staff or climbers about the levels of difficulty for the different routes. Bear in mind that the locals have the agility and strength to rival mountain goats so if you’re a novice hiker from the city, it’s best to multiply by three the times and distances they quote you.

I should've started with the Osaek Valley instead of aiming for the waterfall.

Also it’s vital to pay close attention to the contour lines on the maps and don’t underestimate the speed at which you can tire out on the hills. Osaek has “the most direct routes to Daecheongbong” which is the main peak in the national park ( 1,707.9 metres) but I mistakenly thought that aiming for Seorak-pokpo ( waterfall) , situated halfway up the route to the peak was a modest enough goal. According to the map, the climb up to the waterfall would be about one and a half hours. No sweat, right?

Pristine-looking stream but still safer to drink from the spring or yaksu

Lesson No 2: Pack ample water and snacks to fortify your body and spirits when attempting these trails.

What seemed more like three hours later, I was still somewhere on the foot of Daecheongbong with the waterfall still nowhere in sight. Dozens of walkers who had passed me had reassured me that the pokpo was nearby but I decided I had been over-ambitious and turned back, listening dutifully to the demands of my raucous tummy. On my way down the steep trail, I paused to admire a squirrel which hopped onto a log across the path. It seemed unusually still and tense and then the source of its nervousness was clear – a snake under the log. Are there poisonous snakes in Korea?

Lessons No 3, 4 and 5 emerged in rapid succession:

3. Pay attention to where you’re walking

4. Carry a fully-charged mobile phone with direct dialling for the tourist emergency number ( Call 033-1330)

5. Avoid walking alone.

Actually I was never really alone – there were many walkers ahead of me and behind me, climbing up or down and if I had indeed had the misfortune to be bitten by a venomous asp, I would probably just have to endure a few minutes before some hikers would come upon me. I could rest assured that they would be amply equipped to help.

Most of the walkers I encountered looked dressed and armed to the hilt for something closer to an assault on Mount Everest. I envied them their competent-looking boots, pairs of sturdy walking sticks, wind-cheaters, gloves, baseball caps and sun-glasses. They would probably also have a first-aid box handy within their backpacks or at least a mobile phone to link to some mountain rescue operation nearby.

Heck, the Koreans looked so fit and strong, I bet even the halmeonis ( grandmothers) could’ve slung me on their backs and carried me down without much fuss.

source:
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=658326

Seoraksan, Part 1 - Not So Easy Getting Away From It All

If you don’t have much time and you just want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, it may be best to take the express bus straightaway from the Incheon International Airport out to places like CHUNCHEON where you can then change buses to go to Seoraksan National Park. Click here for the schedule of bus services from the airport to Chuncheon.

However, you may need to be psychologically prepared for the masses of Seoulites who choose to descend on this famous autumnal attraction in Gangwon-do which makes getting away from it all a little harder to achieve.

It’s a matter of good luck and good timing. You want to be there to see the maples at the height of their scarlet glory but so do thousands of other local and foreign visitors. After all, we all have access to the same information provided by KNTO travel advisory which posts the dates when the autumn foliage reaches its peak in different parts of the Korean peninsula.

pic: KNTO

* You may try to avoid the city only to find the city folk turning the pristine outdoors into bewildering near-chaos with the impatient honks from the long queues of tourist buses on Highway 44 struggling to squeeze into the car parks.

* You may curse yourself for failing to making reservations for a decent place to sleep and end up trying your level best to catch forty winks in a foetal-like position in your seat in the coach.

Above: Very serious photographers vie for best spots to catch the 'dampong'

The usually quiet mountain trails are not unlike the human traffic of the local shopping mall during autumn as you have to share narrow footpaths with endless groups of children out on school trips, ajummas from walking clubs chattering away excitedly or passionate photographers jostling for the most ideal spots for capturing the prettiness of the dampong ( maple ) leaves.

Below: School groups can be scary!

For more on Seoraksan, click here.

sources:
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264219
http://www.airport.kr/airport/traffic/bus/busView.iia?seq=604&flag=E