Although the winter may not be the time of year when most people go hiking,
Korea’s mountains and fields are especially gorgeous during the colder seasons.
The beauties of nature are especially charming when covered in snow, and Korea
offers plenty of places to indulge in winter trekking.
Every winter
Taebaek Mountain turns silvery-white under a blanket of snow. Since it takes
only two hours to reach the peak and has few cliffs and smooth slopes, Mt.
Taebaek is the perfect place for a winter hike regardless of age or trekking
experience. With convenient transportation options, including night trains from
Cheongnyangni Station in Seoul, the mountain is perfectly situated for a weekend
getaway. Once there, visitors can enjoy spectacular summit views, sometimes as
far as the East Sea when the weather is clear. The area around Mt. Taebek is
also renowned for its beauty, including Yeongjeong and Yongdam Pond.
Taebaek Mountain (Photo: Yonhap News) |
Deokyu Mountain sits at the crossroads of North Jeolla and South Gyeongsang
Province. It’s famous for its scenery year-round, with wild azaleas covering
its slopes in spring and blazing fall colors when the leaves turn. There’s an
active ski resort in the area, but there’s still plenty of solitude for winter
hikes. From the snow-covered fir forest leading to Hyangjeokbong Peak to the
long and deep Muju-gucheondong Valley, the area around Deokyu Mountain is full
of winter delights.
Located at the southern end of the Baekdudaegan
Mountain Range, Jirisan National Park spans three provinces and includes 20
peaks taller than 1,400 meters. Jiri Mountain itself is one of the most famous
and important mountains in Korea, and its peak offers spectacular views of the
surrounding areas. When covered in snow, the mountain takes on a particularly
romantic quality. The most popular trail follows the ridge from Nogodan Peak to
Cheonwangbong Peak. The surrounding area also has many beautiful and
historically significant Buddhist temples, such as Hwaeomsa.
Deokyu Mountain (L), Jiri Mountain (R) (Photo:Yonhap News) |
Sobaek Mountain (Photo:Yonhap News) |
Halla Mountain(Photo:Yonhap News) |
By Oh Jun Kyung
Korea.net
Staff Writer
[Source : Korea.net]