Distance: 24.0km (721.4km), time spent: 11:55 (353:53).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 770m / 900m / 1424m.
Weather: Sun and clear blue sky.
I am at the final days of my walk, days there was something mystical and exciting about when I read about them in the guidebook. The cause of it may be that these are the days that seems so far away when you are in the beginning of a journey, those that lies as something mystical in the horizon and the future. Now that I am here, the start at the summit of Cheonwangbong feels a long time ago. There are hoarfrost on the ground outside Olleh house beneath Jochimryeong in the morning. Halfway through October, the nights are getting cold.
Sunrise over the mountains in the east, from a viewing platform just above Jochimryeong.
Before I go, there is a knock on the door and one member of the family running the place are coming with breakfast for me, three bags of warm rice that contains ham and eggs, together with a bag of sweet potatoes. I choose anyway to save them for lunch, to save time later being the reason for it, and eat a pack of noodles instead. It is still dark outside when I walk back up to Jochimryeong again; my breath makes tiny wisps of smoke in the air. It is gradually getting brighter. The sky has a reddish hue when it creaks beneath my shoes up the pathway from Jochimryeong. I still a bit why I chose to walk down from the pass yesterday, I actually liked it at the pass. That being said, in hindsight, I do not regret it.
Blue sky, mountains in the horizon, a bird in the sky, a beautiful day in the mountains of South-Korea.
A short distance after setting off, I come to a viewing platform, which appears just in time to show the sun's approach over the mountains in the east. A great light and a red ball that almost disappears behind a cloud when it is above the mountains, my audience over, but the sunrise is following me through the trees upwards. A faded sign marks a favoured place for taking photos, there is a little layer of clouds lying and swaying calmly back and forth in the valley below, the East Sea baths in the sun. The trail changes direction after the sign, both vertical and horizontal, towards west and beneath the embrace of the forest again.
Sangbu Dam, a water reservoir, is visible through the trees with Jeombongsan in the background. Signposts along the trail stated that you should not go down to the reservoir.
There is a mountain in the horizon that has my complete attention today, and that is Jeombongsan, I already notice that I am beginning to look after the mountain through the branches in the woods. When I peek through the trees, I can also see Sangbu Dam nearby with its accompanying windmills. And for a good time the path goes so deep down in the forest that I do not see the mountain, hidden behind the trees or another ridge. Just as before Danmokryeong, where a fine flowing creek is running below the trail. The sound of water trickling downwards are always uplifting.
The leaves lies heavily on the ground. A walk through the forest on the way to Jeombongsan and Hangyeryeong.
At Danmokryeong, I cross the border of Seoraksan National Park, the last national park on my journey through South-Korea. I have already done it so many times now, that I think very little over that I am moving into a closed section again. Even though I do wonder what will happen and what I will do if I am caught. I am not alone in doing it; the ribbons hanging along the path bear witness to that. Now when I do this, I do my best to tread carefully in the nature.
View from Jeombongsan, Mangdaeamsan just below and in the background pointing sharply to the sky, Daecheonbong.
Jeombongsan is getting closer and closer. Up towards the mountain, I can look over to the very heart of Seoraksan, where rock formations extends itself pulsating towards the sky. An army helicopter flies over, hopefully not in pursuit of me. The last part of the climb up to the summit (1424m) is steep, but not as hard as I had feared. It would be a pure lie to say that my body is not aching a little now; the walk has taken its toll. In the guidebook, there is a picture of the summit area covered in snow. Despite the hoarfrost on the ground in the morning, it was probably hoarfrost here on the peak as well, there is little reminiscent of that now. The sun warms the mountain.
In a contest in the 21st century, Jeombongsan was voted the most beautiful mountain in South-Korea. And with an unbroken view in 360 degrees, it is probably difficult to disagree, even though it is probably the mountain and not the view that made it receive most of the votes. Beneath the summit in the direction of Hangyeryeong, the mountainside almost looks like a savannah, though of a more alpine appearance. The most beautiful mountain demands a break.
The summit area of Jeombongsan, sometime voted the most beautiful mountain in South-Korea. In the background above the signpost, you can see Sangbu Dam.
A lunch break is taken just before Mangdaeamsan (1236m), where the bags of rice, ham and eggs comes into its own. Just the thought that I have been on the peak I am looking up at, are getting me in a good mood now. The wind is blowing well at the moment; the autumn sways from side to side. I need coffee, a double dose of Korean coffee (kopi), so up with my stove. I am getting close to Hangyeryeong now, with Daecheonbong towering in the background. The area around Daecheonbong is famous for its jagged and torn rocks; going downward the path is giving me a preview.
From the summit, the landscape reminded me of a savannah, with the green trees as lonely trees among the barren earth.
For now, cliffs and rocky formations are breaking up around me as well, which I have to climb across and around. I can look down towards the Osaek gorge (the five colours valley), which apparently is a beautiful valley like the Mureung gorge. Navigating down are however starting to turn a little bit difficult. In the midst of all the cool scrambling that I like, I struggle a little bit finding the correct way. The guidebook did warn me about this part. At a point, I take a wrong turn down, and have to spend some time going back up to the trail again. The view is atoning for the entire struggle, it is an enjoyment all the way down, I can look down towards Hangyeryeong and dream of all that exists of food and drinks there.
Jeombongsan.
At a point, I get standing and wondering for a while, before I find out that the trail is continuing visible around an outcrop. I am glad it is still light, but the clock is beginning to tick a little, I do not want to go down here in the dark. After the last challenge it gets better, which consisted of a quite awkward descent where I have some problems finding good placements for my legs and feet. My backpack is in the way and I do not dare dropping it down, in case it should fall over and disappear further down. The first time I did not feel completely confident with the scrambling on the walk.
Before I arrive at Hangyeryeong, I have to twist myself around some barbed wire to get down to a road. I walk tired up to the doors of the restaurant. It is many people here; I have not met anyone on my journey from Jochimryeong. While it is darkening outside, I sit inside with a potato pancake (gamjajeon) and a cold beer, and wandering where I am going to spend the night. It is not enough space on the pass for my tent, and the hyugeso does not operate as a minbak. The people at the place are trying to help, but their English is not good enough.
View down towards Hangyeryeong and the hyugeso there (in the middle of the picture) from one of the cliffs on the way down.
I end up taking a taxi, which is convenient standing outside, to the little village at the entrance to the Osaek gorge, Osaekri. The Osaek gorge is a popular tourist destination, which means that it will be a couple of restaurants and hotels here. Not a hotel for me though, the taxi driver drives me to a minbak run by an amiable older couple, who unfortunately does not speak English, but are very helpful. My body aches quite a lot now, and I have to laugh when I see how thin I have become when I look in the mirror. Something I try to atone for by tussle up in the dark to a restaurant, it is quiet and very few people outside. The restaurant has grilled boar on the menu, which is served with a lot of vegetables, rice and soup. I have to grill the meat myself, of course.
A preview of what Seoraksan National Park has to offer, on the way down to Hangyeryeong. Rocky formations that breaks loose from the vegetation and extends towards the sky.
The end of the walk today reminded me a lot of the walk down to Neuljae through Gaegumeongbawi, with Beorimigijae also fresh in memory. Luckily, I now came down before it got dark. Today, I have stood on the summit of what has been voted the most beautiful mountain in South-Korea, and tomorrow the very heart of Seoraksan is awaiting me.
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Nice mate!
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