Seoul Bukhansan Mountain Climb in Korea - Nahanbong Peak Course - Hike

1.     Date and Time : April 17, 2018 09:20~16:00 (6 hours and 40 minutes including one break hours).

2.     Location : Bukhansan Mountain in Seoul.

Distance and Course : About 15.5km. Course is to start Bukhansansung (BHS) Information =>Uisangbong (502m Altitude) => Yeonghyeolbong (581m Altitude) =>Jeungchibong (593m altitude) => Nahanbong (681m Altitude) => Daenammun=>Gugi Ranger Station (GRS). As introduced at KNPS (Korea National Park Support) linked at below, you could not remarkably shorten time and distance because their route is almost same as my course, maybe 5 hours and 11.6 km respectively in case you climb Daenammun from BHS Information and back to original with the same route. http://english.knps.or.kr/Experience/ParkContent.aspx?SEQUEN=25&ParkDiv=01&HikDiv02=01&MenuNum=1&Submenu=Npp&Third=HikingCourses&Fourth=01 ,

3.     Access :

There is various ways to come to Bukhansansung (BHS) Information by means of public transportation. But I suggest you may use Subway (Line No. 3 or 6) Line connecting to local Bus line (No. 34) which you get off at subway-Bulkhwang Station and exit Gate 8 and walk about walk total 200m at exit direction as explained at Change Map attached. Please take Green Color Bus No. 34 at Bus Stop (ID:12-021) and move (16 stops and about 26 minutes) and get off at Bus Stop (ID:12-233)-Bukhansansung Entrance. You may carefully check each Bus Stop ID at 2 or 3 stops before arrival as explained at Get Off Map. Please note each Bus Stop has always independent ID number as shown at photo-Bukhansansung Entrance Bus Stop. I started to walk to BHS Information from Bus Stop-Bukhansansung Entrance (ID:12-233) as you see at attached photo and turn right at Bukhansansung Entrance Junction and walk 8 minutes for 504m at Bukhansan Mountain direction and meet Bukhansansung Information as at the Walking Map from BHS Entrance to BHS Information.

When you back home from GRS, please walk about 12minutes and 809m referring to Walking Map attached. On the way back to Bulkhwang Station, you may take Bus No.7212 at Bus Stop-Gugidoang Hyundai Villa referring to attached Bus Stop(ID:01-149) at the photo and get off at Bulkhwang Station Bus Stop (ID:12-254), 4 times stop from the get on. But you must question to bus driver as Bulkangyeok? If he replies to you O.K. or yes, you then take a bus. If he say no, you then wait next 7212 bus which take you to Bulkhwang Station since 7212 Bus turn left or right depend on their direction, the one turn left to Seoul downtown and the other turn right where to Bulkhwang Station.   

4.      Overall Remarks.

As stated at the Obong Peak Couse last time, this Nahanbong Peak Course can be also classified as medium high level hard and difficulty and generally well organized with proper safety system as long as you keep following Course Guideline and Safety instruction. This Course can be organized with 4 different step courses. First Course is to climb to Uisangbong (502m Altitude)-1^st hard level among 4 peaks and Yeonghyeolbong (581m Altitude)-3^rd hard level, Jeungchibong (593m altitude)-4^th hard level and Nahanbong (681m Altitude)-2^nd hard level. It is a highlight the reason why climber would like to climb this route they could so closely view fantastic surrounding and neighboring major peaks like Baewundae-836.5m altitude, Mankyungdae 800m and Nokeokbong 716m altitude during climbing.

5.     Detailed Course Information

You take well prepared paved road paved with proper concrete block and pass BHS ranger Station at right and keep easily walking for about 5 minutes and meet three way junction landmark saying the one 1.2km to Uisanbong Peak and the other Baewundae 4 km. There is Route Map panel near to the Landmark showing climb route around the area. Please make reference to the dark bold line at the panel. You should turn at the junction right to Uisangbong direction and climb up the hill. There are many different trees showing their opening light yellow green on the way up as see at photo. I could naturally realize the reason why people call as spring is staring to everything or everyone. They start with some different style, color and time for their return or start to move. When you walk about 20 minutes on this mountain pass, you would meet landmark saying 700m to Uisangbong and keep walking. But you should change walking to climb from the post as see at the photo. You could realize yourself “More higher is more harder”. There is always steel wire rope support whenever you walk on rocks which are enough to protect you during climbing. There is a Seonang Site at middle of Uisangbong peak which was a soldier’s house at Bukhansansung castle and one strange shaped rock. I took a photo and attached herein. You should carry on climbing on rocks with rope support and change the climbing on stairs from the rock at almost last moment to Uisangbong Peak and hardly touch down to first target today, Uisangbong after about one hour climbing effort. You should walk down on rock for about 10 minutes and meet Bukhansansung castle with Safety Post saying Cheonsudong 2.4km. You should keep walking on ridge for about 20 minutes and meet Yeonghyeolbong Hill and start to climb on rocks with rope support usual. You would find so nice and close view of major peaks at Bukhansan Mountain during climbing and should leave this so amazing nature scenery, no missing. You could touch down Yeonghyeolbong-581m altitude after half an hour struggle against rocks. You could comparably easy climb to Jeungchibong Peak-593M altitude after 15 minutes effort since it is close by from the Yeonghyeolbong. You could remotely see Nahanbong Peak situated at the other side at the Jeungchibong as see at the photo. When you walk down for a while from the Jeungchibong, you would meet Bukhansansung Castle again where you see Yeojang-Low Wall for watch and defend from enemy. You would start to climb Nahanbong Peak, today’s main goal and finally reach the Nahanbong -681m altitude after 45 minutes hard climbing endeavor. Nahanbong is a guard post castle which they use monitor enemy and defend from enemy attack at useful natural advantages, high and so sharp cliff at both direction, right and left side. You would do start to move to Daenammun direction from this post where you should bear in your mind climbing on the same obstacles, rocks as before. When you walk on these rock pass for about 30 an hour more, you would reach three way junction, the one to Daenammun-400m and the other to Shinsung Information Center. You could meet Daenammun after about 20 minutes walking down where turning to GRS 2.5km at right. When you walk down about 20 minutes, you would see meet the landmark saying 2.2km to GRS and keep walking down on narrow rock and stone pass. You could reach 1.6km to GRS landmark after another 20 minutes walking on the same pass. The narrow pass start to change from rock and stone pass to stone pass and sometime easy and comfortable stairs road with nice beautiful azalea flower blossom on the pass, going very well with yellow green leaves. I took a so nice looking view of cherry blossom at valley stream when I crossed wooden bridge and stairs. I took photo this so beautiful scenery. I keep walking down on comparably comfortable road from previous landmark-1.6km to GRS for about 30 minutes and finally reach GRS as see at the photo. Thereafter I walked down to Gugi Hyundai Villa Bus Stop as explained above Article 3 Access.