On Top of the World

 Koreans love their hiking.  I consider myself an adept and fairly passionate hiker, but I don't hold a candle to the average Korean hiker. 






The weather has been getting cooler and the leaves are starting to change, so Philip, Veronika, and I set our sights on Baekundae, the 836 meter highest peak in Bukhansan National Park.  Bukhansan is directly north of Seoul, and, as such, has earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the “Most Visited National Park per Unit Area."  

Snacks given to us by the women in the back sitting on the rock

We took subway line 3 to Gupabal station and climbed up to exit 1.  Thanks to the many impeccably-dressed hikers, we were able to easily find bus number 704 to take us to Bukhansanseong bus stop.  The beginning of our hike was through the entrance of the park, past many stalls and stores selling hiking gear.  Once the real climbing was underway, though, we climbed up, up, and up, passing several temples along the way.  As we were hiking, some older women called us over to speak to us and gave us each a persimmon and a handful of cold boiled peanuts! (Just as a side-note, to all you Southerners, try explaining 'hot boil' peanuts' to Europeans... they think we are crazy!)  I still can't get over how nice everyone is to us!

The last kilometer or so of the hike took us up a steep flight of rocky stairs to a point above the treeline.

That's me, in the middle!

From there on  up we had to scramble up the bare rock face with the help of metal cables!  The trail was incredibly steep and pretty tough, but we kept pausing as we ascended to marvel at the beauty of the view!  All of Seoul was spread out before us!  On the very top the 360 degree view really did make us feel like we were on top of the world!

At the top we enjoyed our lunch of delicious kimbap and Austrian beer chocolate (I love Veronika!) and a little bit of a nap.  In the forest below we could see a giant golden Buddha between the trees and hear the intonations of a monk. Completely surreal, to be so close to a city yet surrounded by such peace.

The way down seemed even steeper thanks to our slippery shoes, but the metal cables proved true.  
 

















To get back to the start, we followed a steam bed, and we were lucky enough to have the trail pretty much to ourselves. Many parts of the trail were too steep and rocky to have been managed without the cables that marked the path.  Korea sure means business when it comes to hiking!  We were practically the only people without hiking shoes and hiking polls!

After a long day of scrambling, we finally made it home to pizza, chicken, and a movie.  After spending such a beautiful day outside, I can't get Fall out of my head!