3 April 2026
Not as hard as I expected
Yangpyeong over Yongmunsan to the temple for the 3rd time
This was my third time doing this hike. Last time it was really hard, I got very wet, and had fog all day. Today there was no rain and it was really not as hard as I expected, despite all the rocks. If you like rocks, today is the day.
Getting to Yangpyeong takes about 90 minutes, getting back from 2 stations past Yangpyeong (Yongmun station) took well over 2 hours. At every station the train seemed to stop and let a KTX (bullet train) go past.
Anyway, lots of pics, so I better get to the stats -
18.25km
31,000 steps
2,259 calories burned
1,605m vertical ascent
7 hours and 14 minutes - faster than last time.
Yangpyeong station. It is also a KTX (bullet train) station, I probably should have got a bullet train here. There are numerous convenience stores between the station and the start of the hiking trail.
It is about 3km from the station to the trail. Last time I went a different way and got lost as part of a park had been demolished to make a highway. This time I just followed a road.
There are already lots of rocks and I haven't even left the town yet.
Looking back through the pollution at Yangpyeong. There are quite a few large new apartment buildings in the small city, more than last time.
Time to hit the trail. I used the blowers to give my hair a quick zsoosh before I left. I am not sure how to spell zsoosh.
The trail starts with hessian rugs. But the hessian is now very worn. I recall on a previous visit it was brand new. It is easier to walk on when it is worn.
The lower bits have some steps and a lot of ropes. The middle bits have none. At the end, steps and ropes appear again. I guess that is because a lot of people start from either and end don't do the trail that joins the peaks, instead they turn around and go back from whence they came.
The rocks are starting. Despite the pollution it was often very bright today.
Rocks, all day.
Soon I will be above the stairs.
That will be the first main peak, Yongmunsan I think.
A rare smooth non rocky bit.
Lots and lots of pollution towards Yangpyeong.
I had already come over that smaller peak.
The first of 2 main summits. I had it to myself.
Getting further away from Yangpyeong. I hate typing Yangpyeong.
A different city down there. Not that you can see it.
After the first main peak, the vertigo inducing grated stairs.
There will be no more stairs for a few hours. Just rocks.
I stopped here for some pocari sweat. My hiking / running pack is still going strong, for well over a decade now.
I had come down from that way.
Next I will head over to that peak, which is actually higher. There is an army base structure on the top.
This pile of rubble used to be an ancient fortress, according to the map on my phone.
What a view! (not).
Not a fortress... just a natural rock flow.
It was around this point that last time it really started raining hard.
Last time there was dense fog through here.
No fog today, just boulders.
Second summit. You cannot get to the actual summit due to the army base.
Like so many summits with an army base, there is a secret road. That is a mountain rescue car. I saw about 4 groups of guys in rescue gear, some flying drones. I also saw the police helicopter hovering around. I do not know if they were looking for someone or doing a drill. I would have thought if they were really looking for someone they might have tried to ask me to keep an eye out.
Summit view is not great. I think it cleared up right as I ended the hike, but that might just be because I was not looking so far into the distance once I was back at the bottom.
More view. With a rock.
Lots of my big wrinkly head.
The summit is filled with infrastructure. The army base blew a bugle at 1pm, probably to tell everyone lunch was ready.
Time to head down.
It was slow going to get down from the summit to here.
The path today was defined well enough that I did not need to follow the ribbons in the trees, but they were there anyway just in case.
As you get further down the rocks get a lot bigger. There is not really a trail, just a rope to kind of follow.
Big rocks, with moss, but never really slippery.
Surprise snow / ice. I was not expecting that.
I put my ski's on for a while, then wrote my name in the snow.
Still more rocks.
A giant rock! I know I am getting near the end as I remembered giant rock from last time.
I have seen enough rocks now.
But still more rocks.
Finally I came out of the rocky valley and arrived at a temple. Very colourful, I have a feeling this is for the upcoming Buddha's birthday.
Time to leave the park and head to the bus.
It is a nice area, lots of gardens and tea houses.
The street through the 'town' is nice too. It even has a convenience store. A nice place to wait 20 minutes for the bus.
After a terrifying bus ride, I transferred to Yongmun station where I had to wait 20 minutes for the slowest train back to Seoul of all time.