Distance: 20.0km (25.7km), time spent: 9:47 (14:04).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 1151m / 1340m / 1651m.
Weather: Sunny.
The first night on the trail yielded no sleep at all, the dormitory acting like a furnace during the night, both in sound and heat. Standing in the pitch-black darkness outside the shelter you could probably hear the sounds of the constant snoring reverberating from within. At 2 o'clock many people woke up and rummaged around before venturing out into the night, I suspect a visit to Cheonwangbong to witness the sunrise was the reason for the early commotion.
With a glint in my eye I look at the magnificent view from the ridge above Seseok shelter.
Come morning and a clear blue sky is greeting my second day on Baekdudaegan, rays of sun washing my face. Today I will traverse 20km of ridge, to the Nogodan shelter below the watch of the Crone Altar Peak. I start the walk with a glint in my eye, a marvelous view of green and blue ridges are unfolding before my very eyes on the ridge above the Seseok shelter. Small rivers of clouds are softly meandering their way through the valleys far below. A perfect indication of what the Jirisan mountains has to offer on a great day.
Looking south from the Jirisan mountains.
Following in the footsteps of yesterday the trail is still easy to follow, and still roped off at places to keep people on the beaten track. Now truly showcasing what the Baekdudaegan is all about, an undulating walk on the ridge with no quarter given. The trail goes up and down, ducking in and out of the cover provided by the trees, hence not forgetting to share the beautiful views of the surrounding landscape with you. Going from peak to peak, all dressed in verdant foliage, I watch the trail progress onwards. Behind me, each peak is going one step back in the line. At the back of the line now, Cheonwangbong still watching over its mountain domain.
Cheonwangbong, Jangteomok shelter in the lower center.
From the Seseok cabin I climb up to the highest point of today's walk, Yeongsinbong at 1651m. Here azalea trees flanks the summit with alpine bamboo growing in-between. Views are good. Taking you down from the summit is a magnificent staircase, winding its way for a long time through and above the alpine forest. The trail passes two more peaks, Chilseongbong (1576m) and Deokpyeongbong (1522m), before I arrive at the Byeoksoryeong shelter and time for a break.
The onward ridge, seen from Yeongsinbong. Banyabong in the distance to the left.
The trail is continuing in the same manner to the Yeonhacheon cabin, offering stunning views at times as the path crawls over the peak of Hyeongjebong (1452m) and the meeting point with another ridge at Samgakgoji. The Yeonhacheon cabin is a smaller cabin than the others I have passed (with the exception of the Rotary shelter) and the atmosphere is more quiet and laidback here. I eat lunch outside the cabin, attracting the curiosity of other hikers. A candy bar is gently shown into my hand. If it were not for the location of the shelter, being too far away from Jungsanri and too short away from the Seseok or Jangteomok cabin, I would definitely have stayed at this cabin.
A verdant ridge, Cheonwangbong in the background, with the ridge continuing further to Chotdaebong. Then twisting and turning its way, passing by Byeoksoryeong shelter.
The small and nicely located shelter of Yeonhacheon.
The walk is just as hard as it is beautiful, and I can feel the constant going up and down in my legs. More impressive staircases are helping you on the way after Yeonhacheon. After having stood upon the summit of the first Samdobong (Three Provinces Peak) on the trail, being where the Jeollabukdo, Jeollanamdo and Gyeongsangnamdo provinces all meet, I turn down the offer of climbing up to Banyabong (Prana Wisdom Peak). According to my guidebook, the peak at 1732m offers stunning views, but I resist a detour off the track being tired.
One of the many impressive staircases on the trail.
At Nogodan the entrance to the summit is closed for the day, for an environmental reason that I cannot understand, given that they have built a boardwalk on top of the vegetation that goes all the way up to the summit. An early reminder of the closed sections that will come later on the trail. This is just a minor annoyance though, the walk having been a great one. If the rest of the Baekdudaegan is as beautiful as today, I am in for a walk of epic proportions.
A natural staircase going through a tunnel of foliage.
Arriving at the Nogodan shelter, I am being firmly told that I have to go down; they cannot find my name on the list of reservations. I argue that they should try a little harder, given that my name is difficult for the Koreans. In the end, they find out that I am registered under the Jirisan Visitor Center, which booked for me, and now they are smiling and I am being allowed to stay. The shelter is another big one, quite modern in appearance, and you sleep in something that resembles cubicles here. And, hey, they got a closet here with heating that could be used to dry your clothes if they are wet. Ramyeon noodles for dinner.
Looking down the Piagol valley.
Today was a stunning walk, almost 20 kilometers of pure walking joy. On the trail I met many curious Koreans, almost all of them wanting to shake my hand when telling them about my purpose of walking the mighty Baekdudaegan. For today, it was truly mighty and magical.
My cubicle with my gear in the dormitory of Nogodan shelter.
<- SeseokGogiri ->
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