Hiking Dobongsan in Bukhansan National Park, Seoul
Written by Bessie on Sunday, September 13, 2009 in Korea, Republic of
Feelin' normal
We'd been wanting to hike Dobongsan (Dobong mountain) for some time now, and being mid-September we thought, the kids are back in school, it's not quite summer anymore, maybe it will be less crowded. But in a crazy-populated city like Seoul, not-crowded is sort of an absurd request. In case your curious, Seoul proper, one of the 10th most populated cities in the world, has nearly 10.5 million people, the greater Seoul area has 24.5 million, so yeah, it's densely populated.Feelin' normal
Rocky peaks, here we come; One of these things is not like the others...
So we set out to hike from Dobongsan station, to a rocky peak, and back down to Mangwolsa station. Bukhansan National Park is a treasure in Seoul, offering beautiufl green space. At 80 sq km (50 sq miles), it's not huge, yet it's one of the most visited national parks in the world.
We start with a temple.
Not long after entering the park, we came across a Buddhist temple, Gwangnyunsa. Of the ten or so temples we've encountered in Korea, this is one of the most elaborately decorated one we'd seen yet.
It was a fairly steep up hill climp. With the occasional stopping for crowds, it took us about 2.5 hours to get to the 700m (2200 ft).
You're not likely to get lost, just follow the stream of hikers.
Climbers on the peak next to Jaunbong Peak. Ours was only about 50 feet up slightly less steep rocks.
Jaunbong Peak is 3rd from the left; No way - an animal!
Us on the Jaunbong Peak. North Korea is off about 20 miles in the background.
Did I mention yet it was crowded?
It was so crowded, I fought off a panic attack on the peak of the mountain. Hanging out on the rocky peak jutting up in the air with 100 strangers isn't exactly a Zen moment. The video gives a better idea of the crowds on the peak, although I wasn't really looking to capture the joys of that experience. The views and fresh air were utterly amazing though.
Do they make designer hiking boots?
It's worth mentioning that Korean hikers are impeccable dressers. We'd seen them on the subway a lot, and we used to scoff, like, if they dress that well, they're probaby not doing very difficult hikes. That's really not it at all.
Most hikers on the trails we've seen look like they stepped out of a catalog. It's easy to spot perfectly coordinating outfits and shoes with just the right shade of lipstick. And of course there are matching couples outfits. It's easy to say we stuck out.
Mountain descent; Walking the Walk.
Comments on "Hiking Dobongsan in Bukhansan National Park, Seoul"
Loved the triangle of health food! Beautiful views of Seoul and the temple. Thanks for the lengthy video featuring the happy teacher couple having a wonderful adventure. Nice to hear your narration. Peace and love to both of you!
Thanks for doing such a great job sharing. What a climb! So nice that you found a Quiet Spot all to yourselves. I can't help but reflect on the high population of Seoul...they must really be stacked up there! Love your piggies, Bess! LOL
Well, fair-skinned and blonde hikers....you certainly stand out in a crowd! And, excuse this parental unit's critique....but did I see Bess in SANDALS while the feet of other climbers appear to be in proper climbing shoes!! I'm sure the view was spectacular but I can see how nervous one would get on a precipice in a crowd all jostling for position....yikes!
This was gorgeous! I like your videos! Also, very cute demonstration on how to eat a triangle kim bap.
by Alex at September 21, 2009 08:42 AM