The leaves are falling, it's getting dark before together with earlier and the days are rapidly becoming frigid. I shout upwards it's prophylactic to tell wintertime is coming to Korea, together with coming quickly. It's been a beautiful autumn total of fun activities for this Seoulmate together with I volition cling onto every lastly 24-hour interval of the flavour until wintertime approaches together with I hibernate inward my Ondol cave for the adjacent few months. Although I create computer program on going on a few to a greater extent than hikes before I convey to strap on my snowfall shoes, I shout upwards I am create to proclaim my autumn favorite.
The weekend of Oct 11th, 2013 was officially Seoraksan's peak weekend for leafage together with my start trip to the amazing national park.
I ane time to a greater extent than joined Indigo Hills hiking grouping on a 24 hr trip to Seoraksan. The itinerary included Oseak - Daecheongbong - Jungcheongbong - Socheongbong - Hweiungak shelter - Dinosaur Ridge - Madeungryeong - Bisundae - Shinheungsa - Sogongwon. There was also a instant to a greater extent than leisurely hike provided past times the group.
Our trip began at 11:00pm on Fri evening. I left my delineate solid equipped with warm snivel gear together with hiking clothes together with boarded a subway scheme auto total of immature Koreans dressed inward social club attire together with smelling of fresh alcohol, create for a nighttime on the town. This was the furthest matter from my mind, every bit I braced myself for hours of hiking inward my close future. About xxx hikers met at Sports Complex stadium where a chartered rider vehicle drove us to the base of operations of Oseak inward Seoraksan national park, our starting point. The rider vehicle ride took close 3 hours from Seoul.
Daecheongbong is the highest peak inward the park. It is to the E of this mount is OeSeorak together with to the due west is NaeSeorak (which is divided into North NaeSeorak together with South NaeSeorak.) This was where nosotros headed to lookout adult man the sunrise. The gate for this peak opens at 3:00 am, allowing hikers to brand it to the peak for sunrise.
We joined hundreds of other hikers, every bit the gate doors opened together with nosotros ALL made our way upwards the mountain. I was rapidly reminded of morn commutes into a city, every bit hundreds of caput lamps were of a abrupt real reminiscent of halt together with become vehicular traffic.
Finally simply about 6:15am I reached the summit of the mountain. The Sun was climbing into the heaven at the same stride every bit my legs moved me together with it peeked through the clouds together with made its start appearance every bit I reached the peak.
The summit looked to a greater extent than similar a packed parking lot every bit people watched the sunrise. It was also freezing! I had been told to wearing clothing warmly, but wished I had additional layers every bit the current of air howled through my jacket together with scarf. I tried to acquire to the peak's shelter every bit rapidly every bit possible to avoid the freezing temperatures but had trivial luck with the large sea of people simply about me. Finally, afterward getting current of air chapped cheeks I entered the shelter together with had some relief from the bitter wind.
I know what you're thinking... you lot said this was your favorite hike of the fall? Well this is the business office when it starts to acquire much better.
After buying a warm tin of java (sold at the shelter) together with sitting within to halt my chattering teeth for a while, I met upwards with several grouping members together with nosotros continued on to Hweiungak shelter where nosotros had breakfast. The shelter was at the reverse side of the base of operations of the mount nosotros had simply climbed together with inward the pump of Seoraksan National Park. As nosotros descended towards it, on metallic stairs built into the cliffs of the mountain, the common unfolded before our eyes nether the warm morn sun. Beautiful leafage could live seen for miles with the many mount peaks. The views were stunning.
After reaching the instant lodge nosotros sat downward to breakfast together with shared a repast with ane another. As usual, everyone brought enough to portion together with passed simply about international foods. After our repast the grouping divided up. 16 members decided to hold on together with tackle dinosaur ridge.
Dinosaur ridge or Manmul-sang is comprised of 6 stone peaks that expect similar the dorsum of a dinosaur, therefore giving its nickname. It is located inward the Southeastern Seoraksan. We rapidly learned, that ane time you lot are inward dinosaur ridge at that spot is exclusively ii ways out, either past times human foot or from the several locations that tin live reached exclusively past times helicopter.
As nosotros neared the summit of the start mount exposed rocks emerged. Wire ropes were secured into the rocks for hikers to role to accomplish the top. Stairs, ropes, together with ladders convey been secured throughout dinosaur ridge to assist hikers inward challenging locations
For the adjacent 12 hours nosotros weaved upwards together with downward the spikes of the dinosaur's back, slow conquering ane afterward the other. Each peak exposing novel together with amazing views inward all directions. Seoraksan's surrounding cities are also visible from several of the peaks every bit good every bit the ocean.
The human foot traffic on this expanse was also heavy, but far less intense than our start peak. Several times, at little passage ways or areas exclusively accessible past times rope, at that spot was a delineate to access the adjacent business office of the trail. Generally though at that spot was enough of breathing room to bask the beautiful nature. The pathways on Dinosaur ridge are also completely covered past times rocks. There are real few locations with dirt paths.
