Life is a different Wave moving by Time and ending at Shore: Seasonal Updating Hike to 2018-10-04 Korea Seoul Dobongsan Mountain Hike

1. Date and Time : Jan 21, 2019 : 09:00 ~16:00 (7 hours including one hour break).

2. Location : , Yongju-gun, Uijeongbu-City, Gyeonggi-Provice and Dobong-gu, Seoul City, Korea

3. Distance and Course : About 13.78km. Course is to start at Songchu Parking Lot 2 => Songchu Ranger Office => Saemmul Junction => Songchu Waterfall => Obong Junction => Shinseondae Summit (726m Altitude) and back to Songchu Parking Lot 2. Please refer Seoul Dobongsan Shinseondae Hike- Songchu Course and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DV-NHzZwmrE&feature=youtu.be

4. Overall Mountain Explanation.

Including Jaunbong, the highest peak, there are Manjangbong (Peak), Seoninbong (Peak) on the south, Obong (Peak) on the west. The rock peaks are prominent and embrace beautiful valleys such as Munsadonggyegok (Valley), Wondobonggyegok (Valley), Musugol (Valley), Obonggyegok (Valley) etc. It has been called Geumgang in Seoul because it seems like Geumgangsan. Jaunbong (Peak 739.5m) is a keen point all of which is made up of rocks that have been cut and cleaned by wind and rain for ages so that they all look queer and fantastic; a shape of a dragon that ascends to heaven, a turtle etc. Manjangbong, the rear peak of Cheonchuksa (Temple) is a 10,000-gil (the height of a man)-tall stone wall and the cream of the crop among the peaks of Dobongsan.

5. Detailed Hike Course Explanation.

There are several hike courses climbing over Dobongsan Mountain which are starting at East Dobongsan Mountain like Dobong Park Information Center, Darakwon Park Information Center, Bukhansan National Park Dobong office and Wonhyeosa Temple and differently are starting at West Dobongsan Mountain like Obong Park Information Center and Songchu Ranger office. I took Songchu Ranger Office Course today. It was strong hail at higher elevation which was getting stronger at summit area which I could not see almost anything around the Summit as see at the Video.

When I was starting at Songchu parking Lot 2 early in the morning, it was fine weather with somewhat cloudy and walking for few minutes and passing by the small Songchu Village where I could take a choice either through Obong Peaks at right or through Songchu Valley Course at left. I took left side, Songchu Valley course and was walking on easy and comfortable road following Songchu Valley for about a quarter minutes and reached Songchu Ranger Office where I could check whole Dobongsan Mountain guide map showing a whole hike course as see at the photo. I was keeping walking on the same easy road for another quarter minutes and saw Songamsa Temple which was situating at pine tree forest at right as stated as temple name, pine rock temple and crossing over small stone bridge at Songchu Valley Stream. This temple was not so big as others but cute and neat and attractive. I was continuously walking on the same road for 10 minutes more and reached a beautiful wooden bridge at valley stream as see at the photo which was turning point changing the easy road to hard and harsh rocky road as see at the photo and was not able to speed up waking as before and took down walking speed for a quarter minutes and found Saemteo Junction Mark; 1.1km to Sapaesan Ridge at left and 800m to Songchu Waterfall and 2.7km to Obong Ridge Junction at straight and 2.3km to Songchu Parking Lot 2. The climbing road was getting harder and tougher and steeper after the junction than before and found gorgeous and unique frozen Songchu Waterfall at left as see at the photo which felt somewhat chilly. As I passed the waterfall, climbing road was getting more hardly slopped and more energy consuming. I was slowly walking for about 50 minutes on this rocky road and reached Obong Ridge Junction where I could go to 1km to Jawunbong Summit at left and 700m to Obong Peak at right and 4.3km to Songchu Parking Lot at back side. I was passing over this junction and climbing over more severely slopped rocky road and found hail starting along with strong wind. I was shortly changing weather protection jacket and hood for overcome this unexpected hail and strong wind. I was almost struggling not only against this severe hike course but also against worse weather conditions for about 40 minutes and reached excellent photo point where I could take nice view of Shinseondae Summit as see at the photo since hail was fortunately was not getting stronger and heavier until that time. But as I arrived at the junction just below the Summit, only 300m remaining, it was suddenly changing the weather and hail was too severe to take nice view of Shinseondae Summit as well as Jawunbong and Seoninbong Peak. I was wondering how I shall do, either to touch down the Summit, only 300m above or drop the challenge and take back to Songchu Park through the same ascending road. I met few climbers at the junction who came over the Summit and down to the junction and asked them how about situation at the Summit and found all as answered too severe wind and hail at top. But some said it was too risky to climb on top and some other said it was O.K you could go up to the Summit under special attention and care of somewhat slippery on hailed rock. One woman commented “it is waste of your hard endeavor to this junction, few hours. I am a female and come here alone and touch down the Summit under so bad weather. I feel very satisfied to touch down the Summit under unusual weather and unusual pleasant feel”. I was promptly carrying on the rocky last pitch road and trying to climb step by step and reached the top after about 20 minutes hard effort and looking around. But I was unable to sede anything around due heavy hail around the Summit and tried to see somewhere proper place for lunch break and found the suitable area and enjoyed late lunch under some hail. As soon as finish the break, I was trying to rush for taking back to Songchu Parking after about three hours from the Summit.