Distance: 5.7km (5.7km), time spent: 4:17 (4:17).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 1915m / 1151m / 1915m.
Weather: Some sun, mostly cloudy.
Standing on top of Cheonwangbong at 1915m, at the highest point on the mainland of South Korea, I take the first breath of the Baekdudaegan. From here, it's all downhill. Chunks of white clouds meanders aimlessly around the summit. The first day on the trail is a short leg, given that the first half of the day has been spent climbing up here to the trailhead from Jungsanri. After spending over an hour at the summit, maybe in the hope that the sky will clear, I pick up my backpack. It is time to go, an adventure awaits.
At the start of the Baekdudaegan trail, the summit of Cheonwangbong.
From Cheonwangbong the trail is easily discernible, being the only way you can go. Apart from going back down again. Due to the amount of people walking in the national park, the Korean Forest Service (KFS) has restricted the access to confined paths. Wooden fences or ropes perimeters the trail on both sides. Additional staircases are aiding you on the steep parts of the trail. Some part of me is feeling a little bit like a small child being led by the hand, being used to walk freely around in the mountains of my home country. The scenery however, is great and the restrictions does not diminish in any way the beauty of the mountains of the exquisite wisdom.
Looking back towards Cheonwangbong.
The clouds seems content after I left Cheonwangbong and yielded more space on the sky, allowing views to be opened on both sides of the mostly open ridge. The tough and long-living Korean yew trees (they can live for over 1000 years), jumok-namu, are making appearances all around on the ridge. It is a beautiful walk and on a clear day it must truly be spectacular. Being a foreigner in South Korea I am often met with curious looks on the trail from passing hikers.
The trail going on an open ridge below Jeseokbong.
I met Hyeok-Je Jeon before climbing up towards Jeseokbong, here standing at the viewing platform below the summit.
On my way up to the next peak after Cheonwangbong, Jeseokbong at 1808m, I meet Hyeok-Je Jeon. He strikes up a conversation with me and we keeps company to Jeonhabong (1730m), from where he goes back down from the ridge. He is a nice and pleasant person to be walking with. At a viewing platform just below the summit of Jeseokbong (the trail does not go over the summit, but instead meanders around it) he points out the charred remains of burned Korean jew trees. The result of a careless hiker making a fire on the ridge. The views from the wooden platform are great, with Jungsanri still visible far below. We stop for a rest at Jangteomok shelter, where he offers me some candy and energy bars. Jangteomok shelter is a very popular shelter, due to its close location to Cheonwangbong; it is very common to wake up early from the shelter and go to the summit to watch the sunrise.
View from the Jirisan mountains.
The Baekdudaegan ridge from the rocky outcrops on Jeonhabong.
At the summit of Jeonhabong is some rocky outcrops that I clamber up upon, providing great views backwards to the starting point of the trail and forward to the Baekdudaegan ridge continuing through the Jirisan mountains. The trail now and then ducking through clusters of trees. I am in a good mood and in no rush, taking my time enjoying the scenery. The summit of Chotdaebong (Candlestick peak), at 1703m, is off limits for some unknown reason and so fenced off. The area near the summit however is providing me with good views down through the royal azalea fields (which will bloom pink in the early summer) to my end point at Seseok shelter.
An undulating trail, fenced in to prevent hikers to clamber all over the place.
Looking back from Samshinbong, a staircase aiding you on the steep climb up.
Camping is not allowed in a national park in South Korea, so if you plan to stay the night you have to stay at one of the KFS shelters. What you get when you pay to stay at a shelter, you have to book in advance to be allowed to spend the night, is an allocated numbered sleeping space and no more. You have to bring all the food, cooking gear and sleeping gear yourself, although blankets can be rented at the shelter. Each shelter also has a small store, selling very basic provisions (not enough for a proper meal). The Seseok shelter is a quite big building located with great views to the southeast.
Although most of the trail went on an open ridge, the trail frequently ducked under cover of the trees.
While making my first dinner on the trail, consisting of the then to be usual ramyeon (noodles), I am yet again being treated to the jeong of the Korean people. Another single hiker is inviting me over, sharing his dinner with me, lots of bacon and kimchi. I will try to explain the notion of jeong in a later posting. It has gotten dark when we eat; bright lights can be seen flickering in the horizon. A very nice first day on the trail being at an end.
The Seseok shelter below the royal azalea fields.
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