7 November 2022
River view
Yebongsan and Ungilsan from Paldang Station
Today was an excellent hike, probably a top 5 hike! It was just about 5 hours, about 14km, 30,000 steps, great views, great weather.
The only issue was the noise. For the first half blackhawk helicopters were constantly hovering nearby. For the second half some guy was screaming orders at a woman, maybe he was her personal trainer?
Depending on how peaks are counted, there were 3 or 5, but the main 2 were Yebongsan and Ungilsan. The hike starts from Paldang station, which is about an hour from my hotel to the start of the trail by subway including changing trains once. The hike ends at Ungilsan station and in theory should have taken the same length of time to return to my hotel, but the train was late, and then stopped numerous times for no known reason. Including once where it came to a screeching halt just after we left a station and a guard came running onto the train, said something on his walkie talkie, and then we just carried on. Whoever we ran over could not be found.
Anyway, too many pics today, the farmer smoke created some interesting atmosphere, which my lungs probably appreciated less than my camera lense.
Paldang station. Top tip, there is no convenience store nearby so get your supplies before you leave Seoul. I did, I always check Naver for convenience stores near any station I plan to start a hike from. It has a CVS button right on the map to toggle them on and off.
It is only a short walk to the start of the actual trail. That is one of the peaks for today.
The starting gate had a cat protecting it. Note he bows down to me and my awesome boots, which is correct.
The path had no fences today, but was generally well sign posted... more on that soon. There are a few bits where the leaves have hidden the trail, I expect that will become tricky on some upcoming hikes on less trodden routes.
Parts were very rocky. Note the railing with ropes to guide the way. I never understand how they select the bits that need this and the bits that do not.
Late autumn colour. The lower down the more colour.
A view across the river to another mountain I might climb later on this trip. It is actually shorter than today's mountains. I think the mountain across the way always looks higher then the one you are on for some reason.
A view back towards part of Seoul from part way up. The main parts of Seoul are further along the river to the right.
Some more view. I was making great progress.
Getting near the top of peak number one.
Hmm, It seems I could have just run up this convenient wheelchair ramp the whole way?
Except its a funicular railway to the observatory! I observed a couple of people there working.
The observatory is of a non military nature so there is no razor wire, and this is a little shop someone probably runs on the weekends, it looks like an ice chest they would fill with ice creams hauled up by people that work at the observatory and have access to the little train thing.
A view all along the Hangang river back towards Seoul.
Yes, I still get hot and sweaty when it is cold. I could have worn shorts today if it was not so cold when I started out.
Today's stance has a great background.
The smoke today is all from farmers burning their crops. I could smell / taste it. It looks cool in photos, but I would still prefer it to be clear.
Here is a bit more smoke with peaks peaking through it. After peak 1, I just skipped along the most obvious trail and after about 20 minutes thought to myself, should I be going this far down already? No. I had taken the wrong trail. So I had to do a double back. This was my fault, I did not check a map or sign, I just assumed I knew.
More of the special wheat! Growing wild. I double checked I was on the right trail. I was, now.
This unmarked peak is a hang glider departure point. But wait, I am 2 hours into this hike, how do they carry their canvas covered bamboo poles held together with twine that somehow become a human suspended from a kite up here?
They use this track up the back of the mountain. This is not on the map at all. Must be a private road.
A bit more view because the tree was cool.
After peak 1 there were a few more along the way without views, it was miles of up and down on this leaf covered trail.
Occasionally the leaves gave way to rocky bits of the trail.
There was some down and up again. Here I am going down before going back up that peak in the background, which is only a sub peak before a superior peak behind it. Today's word of the day is clearly, peak.
Near the centre, you can see the observatory from earlier. I had walked along the ridge line up to the observatory from the left, then continued on off the frame to the right and back around to here... still a bit of distance to go too!
A view down the valley in another direction. Some of the trees down there are still yellow.
View from the final peak of the day, Ungilsan. I think the bridge in the middle is the train I will catch, which then goes in a long tunnel under the mountains I had climbed over. It is the same river as the shots in the other direction, it makes a 90 degree left turn around this group of small mountains.
Some more view from Ungilsan.
It felt like a 2 selfie day, so that's what I did.
The descent down had some colourful bits.
Obligatory Buddha.
Nearly back down... I like this pic.
And, back down. If you sqint you can see the observatory just about smack bang in the centre of the frame.
I arrived back at Ungilsan station expecting to be on a train in 5 minutes time, but it was 20 minutes late. An elderly Korean woman followed me around the platform telling me repeatedly that she loves America, take me there! Disneyland! Trump! Levi Jeans! No amount of telling her I am Australian seemed to register, I do not think she actually understood English. I am pretty sure she was old when the Korean war started!