Life is a different Wave moving by Time and ending at Shore: Obong

2019년 1월 30일 수요일

Seasonal Upgrading and Different Obong Course Hike to 2018-10-04 Korea Seoul Dobongsan Mountain Hike - Songchu Valley to Jawunbong.

1. Date and Time : Jan 25, 2019 08:30~16:30 (8 hours including one and half an hour break).

2. Location : Yongju-District, Uijeongbu-City, Gyeonggi-Province and Dobong-District, Seoul in Korea.

3. Distance and Course : About 13.32km. Course is to start to ascend at Songchu Parking Lot 2 => Obong Park information => Yeoseongbong Peak => Obong Peak => Songchu Junction => Dobongsan Mountain Summit (739.5m Altitude) => back to Songchu Parking Lot 2 through the same ascending course. Please refer to “Seoul Dobongsan Mountain Jawunbong Shinseondae Hike- Obong Course” and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti20EQhbDO0&feature=youtu.be

4. Access :

There are various ways connecting or changing to the Subway Line No.3 wherever depend on your way. Please get on the subway Line No. 3 and get off at Gupabal Subway Station and exit through Gate No. 2 and catch on local bus No. 704 at Gupabal Bus Stop and moving 28 bus stops taking about 28 minutes and get off at Pureunmaeul Apartment Bus Stop. You should walk 732m from the bus stop to Obong Park Information via Songchu Parking Lot No.2 taking about 12 minutes.

5. Overall Remarks.

There are five major hike courses climbing over 739.5m altitude Shinseondae Summit at the Dobongsan Mountain, first three at East Dobongsan Mountain are Dobongsan Park Information Center, Angol Park Ranger Post and Bukhansan National Park Dobong Office and second two at West Dobongsan Mountain are Songchu Ranger Station and Obong Park Information Center. I took last Obong Peak Course today which I ascend Shinseondae Summit through outstanding beautiful peaks like Yeoseongbong Peak looks like Female symbol and Obong Peak from No. 1 to 5. Please see relevant Photo and Video.

6. Detailed Course Information

I checked ambient temperature around my home before leaving and found temperature was -4 degree C which was not so much chilly and cold. But as I parked the car to the Songchu Parking Lot 2, I felt it was very chilly and cold and checked ambient temperature around Songchu area found – 8 degree C which was 3~4 degree C lower than Seoul downtown temperature. I tried to prepare cold weather and took a temperature protection Jacket and gloves. I started to move to Obong Park information Center through right side valley stream for about 10 minutes and reached the Center and checked hiking course at the guide map and walked on the wide and easy road for 5 minutes and reached first junction Mark; 1.8km to Yeoseongbong Peak and 3 km to Obong Peak at Left and Eco Swamp Experience at straight. I just followed easy walking road and passed check- point for auto counting number of visitors and continuously climbed over hill and stone stair road for more than half an hour from the previous junction mark and somewhat remotely saw Yeoseongbong Peak at left. I took a photo and video at proper angle and kept on walking for about 5 minutes and faced steep rocky and slippery road and walking under safety steel support. There was nobody climbing up and down which I met. I was wondering it might be too early to climb on the mountain under cold weather, - 8 Deg. C. Anyhow I was ascending hike course for about 20 minutes and met first post point, Yeoseongbong Peak which looks like female symbol (rock shape) with fur (pine tree on the rock). I took nice shot to the Peak and walking behind the rock and found very big somewhat flat rock where I was able remotely to see gorgeous Bukhansan- Triangle Peaks, Baekwundae Summit at right, Insubong Peak at middle and Mankyungdae Peak at left as see at the photo. It was not so easy and common to see clear picture of remote Bukhansan Mountain. There was also Obong Peaks looks near-by which we called from No. 1 Peak at lowest to No. 5 Peak through No. 2 Peak, No. 3 Peak and No. 4 Peak as see at the photo. I moved back to Yeoseongbong Peak as soon as I finished nice shots and came across so obvious Sapaesan Mountain at left which was not able to see such nice scenery when I climbed over yesterday because it was too close to see clear picture, standing at the Sapaesan Mountain. I took a nice shot also and now found few people climbing Yeoseongbong Peak. I backed to Yeoseong Peak and checked landmark near-by standing at ridge and stating as 1.2km to Obong Peak and 2.9km to Jawunbong Summit. I was somewhat easily walking on ridge road for half an hour and reached Observation Point where I could shot close and obvious Obong Peak and shot the picture. When I walked on harder and steeper road for more than half an hour after Observation Point, I found Songchu Junction mark stating as 2.5km to Songchu Valley at left and 1 km to Jawunbong Summit at right. I afterword soon faced so steeper and harder climbing road in front which I passed really difficult rocky road climbing over under full support of safety steel pipe or rope and hardly reached next landmark for about a quarter minutes effort saying as 700m to Jawunbong Summit at left. I was walking down at the landmark for some time and climbed on very steeper wooden stairs junction and almost struggling steeper uphill road and wooden stairs for about 40 minutes and reached gorge between Manjangbong Peak at left and Jawunbong Shinseondae Summit at right. I was supposed to climb on really and highly slopped and slippery rocky road under severe windy and eventually touched down 739.5km Shinseondae Summit after about 5 minutes struggling works and took nice shot around view of the Summit and rushed down since wind was too strong to stay there on top as well as so many climbers were climbing on top, limited top area under steel safety fence and probably maximum 10 people at a time. I was hurry up descending and decided to get back to the Songchu Parking lot 2 through the same ascending road. I came across more close and clear picture of Obong Peak on the way down form the Summit after about half an hour and took a nice shot at good angle and back to the Parking Lot 2 after three and half an hour descending from the Summit.

Songchu Parking Lot 2

Obong Park Information Office

Dobongsan Mountain Guide Map

Starting to Ascend the Hike Road

First Junction mark; 1.8km to Yeoseong Peak and 3 km to Obong Peak at Left

Easy Walking Hike Road at Beginning

Round and Squared Stone Stair Road

Yeoseongbong Peak on the Way Up at Right

Steep and Highly Slopped and Slippery Rocky Road under Safety Steel Pipe Support

Yeoseongbong Rock Looks like Female Symbol

Triangle Peaks on the Bukhansan Mountain at Yeoseongbong Peak Position

Obong Peak at Yeoseongbong View Position from Peak No 1 at lowest to No. 5 at highest.

Exceptionally Clear View of Sapaesan Mountain at Yeoseongbong Peak Position

Landmark at Yeoseongbong; 1.2km to Obong Peak and 2.9km to Jawunbong Peak

Comparably Easy Walking Ridge Road

Closer View of Obong Peak at Observation Position

Songchu Junction at Obong Ridge; 2.6km to Songchu Valley at Left and 1 km to Jawunbong Peak at Right.

Landmark; 700m to Jawunbong Peak.

Walking Down for a While through Stairs

Gorge between Jawunbong at left and Shinseondae at Right

Dobongsan Three Peaks Information at the Gorge

Last Pitch Climbing over Heavily Steep and Slippery Rock Road to Shinseondae Summit.

Manjanbong Peak at Shinseondae Summit Position

Jawunbong Peak at Shinseondae Summit Position

Remote Obong Peaks at Shinseondae Summit Position

Remote View of Bukhansan Mountain

Remote View of Sapaesan Mountain at Proper Observation Position on the Way Down

More Clear View of Obong Peaks at Proper Observation Position on the Way Down

2019년 1월 23일 수요일

Seasonal Updating Hike to 2018-10-04 Korea Seoul Dobongsan Mountain Hike - Songchu Valley to Jawunbong.

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.