Updated Hike - Seoul Bukhansan Mountain Hike in Korea-Baewundae Summit Course.

1.    Date and Time : Sept 27, 2018 11:0~17:00 (6 hours including break one hours).

2.    Location : Bukhansan Mountain in Seoul.

Distance and Course : About 10.69km. Course is to start NPS Bukhansansung Information =>Daeseomun => Muryangsa Temple => Daedongsa Temple => Ammun Gate => Baekwundae Summit (856.5m Altitude) =>Back to NPS Bukhansansung Information through the ascending course. Please refer to “Bukhansan Baekwundae Hike “Course Information” attached herein and to the link at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvu1LsaJMCg

3.    Access

There is various ways to come to Bukhansansung 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. You may simply return to your original position through reverse clurse as stated above.

I could estimate total transportation as 3.0 hour for one way from Subway Yongsan Station to Bukhansansung Entrance Bus Stop which comes 6 hours for round transportation. But you would reduce this transportation time to 4 hours for round trip in case you use private car or rent car which you could save two hour for the transportation. 

4.  Outline and Summary

      Inside the Samgaksan (Bukhansan) (Mt.) national park, there are lots of clean valleys among major rock peaks made of granite. It gives a beautiful view, and there live over 10,300 species of animals and plants inside. Also, it offers various historical and cultural relics including Bukhansanseong (Fortress) which has the history of 2,000 years since the era of 3 States and over 100 temples and shrines. It provides various views and places to learn ecology, culture and history. Samgaksan (Bukhansan) (Mt.) has various flowers blooming one after another in spring time, making it a land of fairy tales. There cannot be any other paradise when you are resting upon a valley with thick forests and clean waters in summer. In autumn, when you are following the road next to Bukhansanseong, Historic Relics No. 162, you can feel the solitude of the autumn itself. And in winter, the snow covered Insubong (Peak), Baegundae, and Mangkyeongdae will give you the mystic taste of purity and divine nature.

5. Detailed Course Information

As shown at the photo of the Bus Stop-BWD Entrance, you will meet the three way junction at the same direction as the Bus is running and move about 10m forward from Get Off Bus Stop and turn right at the Junction and walk to Bukhansan (BHS) direction about 510 m and 10 minutes from the junction where you could meet three way junction again just in front of  BHS Information Booth at left. You could easily and comfortably walk on Paved with concrete block about 10 minutes and meet Landmark branching to Baekwundae Summit and Uisanbong Peak. But I took a straight direction where it said as 4km to the Summit and meet Yongamsa temple after another 10 minutes walking. You keep walking on the same road about 15 minutes and meet Daeseomun, Main West Gate at Bukhan Sanseong Fort Castle as you see at the Photo. It was early spring last year when I came over this road which was cherry blossom road. But It was very green trees and grasses which were preparing for season change to winter soon. I could feel very fresh and clean air on the way and somewhat emotionally excited under so nice weather. As I walked through such an excellent road for about 10 minutes more, I reached the Muryangsa temple which looks more elegant than in spring due to well matching or harmony to autumn. When I finished quick around the temple, I saw fantastic view of Wonhyeobong Peak, Yeomchobong and Jangkunbong on the road at left and took a photo and video. I kept walking up on the road for about 5 ~6 minutes and met the Junction between 2.6km to the Summit at left and 4.1km to the Summit at right. I choose left course and moved for 2 ~3 minutes and reached changing road becoming narrow and steep path mostly with stone stairs and ascended this raod for about half an hour and touched three way junction again as left direction leading to 400m to Bukmun (Great North Gate) and as straight direction leading to 1.6km to Baewundae Summit. I moved up straight and continued to cross wooden bridge at valley and climb rocky steep hill for 20 minutes and reached landmark stating as 1.3km to the Summit. I came across somewhat steep rocky narrow path with steel rope support and kept walking the similar way for about a quarter minutes and touched break and rest place and somewhere around middle between junction to junction and took a short break. I continued to ascend similar road and wooden stairs for half an hour and reached junction staying as 400m to the Summit or to the other Peak. I took a Summit Course and ascended on the wooden stairs for about 5 minutes and reached Ammun Gate Junction where I could take left course climbing up to the Summit or where I could go straight down to Uiedong Course which I took last time. When I climbed over the big rocky road and saw so beautiful Mankyungdae Peak as you see at the photo and looked up to straight and found so nice view of Baekwundae Summit with many people walking up and down through narrow sloped path. There was small peak at the middle and top which I could see remotely at the photo. I turned left again and found so nice and fantastic peaks surrounding the Summit and left the picture at the photo along with some others. When I climbed on this rocky road, I was jammed time by time depend on up-jam or down-jam and ascended for about 10 minutes and found so close and impressive view of Insubong Peak at right and kept moving up to the Summit and touched down the Summit ( 836m Altitude) after about 10 minutes endeavor. I decided to descend the mountain due to crowded at small summit area as soon as the Summit. I willingly took a photo to Dobongsan Mountain on the way down which is located at North East from Bukhansan Mountain as you see at the photo. I returned NPS Bukhansan Booth via Ammun Gate Junction after 3 hours from the Summit.

Updated Hike - Paju Gamaksan Mountain at Gyeonggi province in Korea - Photo and Course Rout

1. Date and Time : Sept 17, 2018. 10:00~15:00 (4 hours including half an hour break).

2.  Location : Paju City at Gyeonggi Province in Korea.

3. Distance and Course :

About 10.74 km. Course is to start Gamaksan Healing Parking Lot  => Suspension Bridge => Manamsuep (Meeting Forest) => Yaksutoe Break (Mineral Water Spring) => Sudgamatoe (Charcoal Kiln) => 120m to Summit Junction at Hill => Gamaksan Monument at 675m Altitude Summit => Back to Gamaksan Healing Parking Lot through ascending road. Please see attached “ Gyeonggi Paju Gamaksan Hike Course Information”.

4. Particular and Summary :

We called five hardest and steep mountains in Kores as Seolaksan, Chiaksan, Bukaksan, Gwanaksan and Wolaksan and five hardest and steep mountain in Gyeonggi province as Gwanaksan, Gamaksan, Sonaksan, Hwaaksan and Wunaksan. This Gamaksan is one of five hardest and steep mountains in Gyeonggi Province which is inclusive of beautiful cascade, elegant valley and mysterious rock cliff and also outstanding picturesque landscape which you could look down to Imjin River and remotely Songaksan Mountain at Gaesung City in North Korea. There is a Woonkye Cascade is somewhat small Water Fall flowing enough water to not so higher rock cliff. But this water looks like small pretty Korean women. There is Bideul Great King Stone Monument which is so deeply erosion for long time that we could not read and/or interpret. There is rumor this monument might be Jinheungwang Territory Monument or Seolingui (China General) Territory Monument conquering Goguryeo Dynasty one time. You could read more details at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0D5xuJgUM4&t=323s

5.  Access :

There is various ways to connect Subway Line No.1 which you are supposed to get off at Deokjung Station and changing to local bus line, No. 25-1 at bus stop just in front of Deokjung Station. Please take the bus at Bus Stop ID: 39-521 walking through Gate No.1 at the station as you see at the map of “Changing Subway Line No. 1 to local bus line 25-1”. You should count how many bus stop this bus is passing and get off at Bus Stop ID:30-886 after 40 times stops as see the Map of “Get Off at the Gamaksan Suspension Bridge”. But 40 times bus stop does not mean actual bus stops but passing number of bus stop since bus shall not stop whenever no passenger, get on and off. Therefore you should pay attention from Get On Bus Stop to the Get Off Stop when you feel close, like 1 stop before as ID:31-367, two stop before as ID:31-654, three stop before as ID:31-372 and son. You would better saying to Driver as “Gamaksan Chulrungdari”. He most provably says as “Yes” or “No”. If he says “Yes”, you should then prepare to get off and do so at this stop. If he says “No”, you should wait some more. As soon as arrived and got off at the Bus Stop- Chulrungdari, you could walk to the Climb Start Point through Parking and Stairs, about 1.03km and taking about 15 minutes and meet the Suspension Bridge as see at the photo. You should take the same number bus at the bus stop 31-365 on the way back, crossing the road and opposite side of the road and asking the driver as “Deokjung Yeok”. If he says yes, take the bus and start to count again 40 times passing the stops and get off the Deokjung Station and enter to Subway Line 1 and connect to your final destination referring to subway line map which is available every station.
I could estimate total transportation as 3 hour for one way from Dongdaemun History and Cultural Museum Station to Gamaksan Suspension Bridge which comes 7 hours for round transportation. But you would reduce this transportation time to 5 hours for round trip in case you use private car or rent car which you could save two hour for the transportation. 

6.  Overall Remarks.

      It was very clean and fine weather and suitable for mountain hiking, sky high and clean air with beautiful cloud. I was first of all parking the car at Gamaksan Healing Parking Lot and start to ascend wooden stairs leading to the well-known Gamaksan Suspension Bridge taking about 10 minutes from the Parking Lot suspension. When I reached the bridge, there was fortunately no person on the bridge. I could take photo and video under no interruption and very fine sunny condition. I found this suspension bridge connecting the Junction either to Beomryunsa Temple or Woonkye Cascade. I choose to road to Beomryunsa Temple via Woonkye Cascade and turned left at the junction. I walked few minutes on wooden deck road and reached Woonkye Cascade, almost no water falling due to recent exceptional longer dry season in summer. But I came here last February this year which was covered by thicker ice. I quickly looked around and walking to the Beomryunsa temple through paved road which was so steep for short while that I could take somewhat hard breath. I struggled for steep road for 5 minutes and reached Beomryunsa Temple Beomryunsa temple situating at foot of Gamaksan Mountain looks so elegant and beautiful. I was visiting this temple in February this year which was so cold that I could not look around with enough and relaxed time. But I was slowly approaching Daeungjeon (Main Temple) and looking around the Daeungjeon including outdoor Buddha statue and World Peace Monument which takes about 10 minutes. As I walked to junction at the temple, I found landmark stating as 2.3km to the Summit and start to climb the uphill and spent about 20 minutes and found junction again stating as 1.35km to the Summit. I kept walking on the uphill road for 5 minutes and reached Mannamsup (Meeting Forest) which I took short break. There was landmark there stating as 1.28km to the Summit. I just followed the arrow indication for half an hour via 2 to 3 time Sudgama (Charcoal Kiln) and touched Natural Mineral Water Spring Break Area and took a so fresh chilled spring water and continued to walk up steep uphill road for 40 minutes and reached Junction at the Hill, going left to Summit for 120m and right to Janggunbong Peak. I turned left at the junction and walked uphill road for about 15 minutes and finally touched down the 765m Altitude Summit and was looking around the Summit. Please see above linked Utube channel. There were 3 to 4 different roads at the Summit which I could take on the way back to the suspension bridge. But I decided to return through ascending road which I took this morning and back to the parking lot after about 1 and half an hour descending from the Summit.

Remote View of Gamaksan Summit at the Suspension Bridge