The mountain was perfect, but our day was not. If my life was a novel, Naeyeonsan (내연산) might be the chapter in which I learned not to bite off more than I can chew. In reality, that might be a lesson I’ll never master.
It was late November in 2018. We were ‘winding down’ a tough training cycle in preparation for the year’s big race. This taper consisted primarily of climbing as many mountains as we possibly could: our mountain mission would soon be coming to a close after one final push into the winter. I was slightly under the weather, and we kicked off this adventure already running a mild food and sleep deficit.
Our Naeyeonsan day began with an hour-long, early morning drive to the mountain. To our surprise, there was an attendant already on the scene, so we paid entry to the temple grounds. After a literally en-lightening bathroom visit, we took a peak at the trail map and began to run.
Thin light from a dawn beyond the clouds lit the river as we ran alongside it. The scenery promised to be striking, but a good warm up (and a bit more brightness) would help us appreciate it. A little observation platform marked the spot where we turned right and began to ascend. We were heading up to Munsuam and Munsubong, and this climb, switchbacking across Naeyeonsan’s rocky slopes, was tough.
Kent began in the lead, and I had a hard time keeping up! I was tired, in mind and muscle: perhaps from the previous day’s workout or perhaps from all of them. But I was eager to explore this new mountain!
We passed the sleepy, quaint hermitage without disturbing it. We didn’t stop even as we reached Naeyeonsan’s ridge, as a rising wind had me chilled to the bone. Thick forest meant that we couldn’t see much to either side of the ridge, and the dawn was blanketed by moody grey clouds. So we ran on to our first summit – Munsubong – and made our first stop there.
After this peak, we soon found ourselves on the wide, even surface of a road-like trail. It was terrific for running and we made great time zipping along! It was also really good for staying warm and boosting my chilled spirits.
We really enjoyed the three kilometers of easy, breezy terrain that led us to the Naeyeonsan’s main peak. Samjibong stands at 711 meters, a magical height that has special significance to team KnC. We also really enjoyed this peak, with its two steles and bonus summit signs!
We couldn’t stay on Samjibong. With the sun buried beneath mountains of cloud, the high ridge remained really cold! Moving on, we continued to run around the Naeyeonsan amphitheater. But we’d already decided we wouldn’t try to nab any more summits. We lacked warm gear and sufficient running fuel, and we wanted to check out the famous valley as well as the peaks.
Looking for the next ‘exit’, we chose wrong. We did not choose a descent marked by a sign: instead, we took an option marked only by a couple of ribbons. Kent consulted a map and proclaimed the faint route a trail. I agreed to test it out, but felt hesitant. I thought we should turn back should the going get too rough.
Too rough for us has sometimes been really, really rough, so it wasn’t until we were well down the mountain slope that we even discussed turning back. By then, everything had kind of gone to hell.
Dirt crumbled under our feet and sent us sliding, kicking down rocks and tumbling into the leaf litter. One extremely steep section sent us down into a dry riverbed on our behinds, and it was there that we had it out. Kent was convinced our only error had been in not bringing along trekking poles, while I insisted that path we were on was possibly closed, and too sketchy besides – poles or no poles.
As we debated the finer points on either side of this argument, we stamped our way through the bush and eventually lost sight of any ribbons or trail clues. We found ourselves in an area where there’d been a recent landslide. At this point, we had three options: (1) continue down the ravine in the landslide and hope that we ultimately met a trail, (2) traverse to the right across an extremely steep slope in the hopes of meeting up with a different potential trail on the map, or (3) retrace our footsteps to go back up the way we’d come.
A few shaky footsteps into the traverse, and I slipped again. With a pumping heart, blurred vision and a ringing in my ears, I braced myself against a tree and demanded that we go back up. Working together, we were able to retrace our steps and get ourselves safely out of another sketchy situation.
However, we weren’t totally out of the woods yet. A hard, breathless scramble back up to the ridge involved countless false leads and felt like it took forever. In reality, we’d only descended about 200 meters. But this unwanted diversion had cost us nearly an hour, which might have become the next point of contention if I hadn’t decided to run back down the ridge as fast as I could.
Back at the peak, we were both still a little salty. But we reunited to make our way down into the valley on an official trail. Once there, we ran along the river, past some of the promised ‘12 attendant waterfalls of Naeyeonsan’.
A high observation platform offered views down on one of the waterfalls, a bridge, and a massive staircase leading up to a gazebo perched on a rocky ledge. I instinctively turned to Kent, and found that he was looking back at me. Together we looked out over this delightful scene and smiled.
Despite the beauty surrounding us, I wasn’t quite cured. Maybe it was exhaustion or maybe I was hangry, but after having had the ridge all to ourselves, I was unreasonably annoyed by the slow-walking, noisily chattering, ill-appropriately shod tourist crowds. I zoomed down, ever faster, unwittingly running away from the mountain as I ran out my feelings. Realizing this, I felt guilty and fought back tears for the remainder of the run.
After a few minutes rest at the temple and a pit stop to refuel our hardworking bodies with some roots and bibimbap, I finally started to feel normal again. With a little perspective, I could even laugh at the fears and follies of the morning. Poor Naeyeonsan: a beautiful mountain deserving of a much more magical journey.
And so you see, we often makes. We get overly ambitious. We run on fumes far too often. And as a result, Naeyeonsan wasn’t one of our finest mountain memories, but it was another shared experience in Korea’s mountains. We drove home somewhat emotionally hungover – but ultimately happy to be together and sharing a big, classic KnC challenge.
KNOW AND GO! NAEYEONSAN
TRANSPORTATION
Naeyeonsan is north of Pohang on Korea’s southeast coast. The closest town to the peak is Gwangcheon, named after the stream of the same name. Pocheon is easy to reach by bus, train or expressway, and getting to the base of the mountain is via a direct bus. From the bus terminal, walk one big city block east to catch bus #5000. A journey of just over one hour will get you to the Bogyeongsa temple stop – right at the main entrance to Naeyeonsan! Or catch the same bus outside Pohang KTX station for a journey of 45 minutes to the mountain.
Alternative access options exist: you could start at Hui village slightly north on highway 7, or gain trailhead access just off highway 68 in the south. For the adventurous, there’s another access point on Jeokjang Road on the western edge of Naeyeonsan.
We happened to be driving for our visit: coming from Gyeongju and heading to Inje! We used the main entrance on the eastern side of Naeyeonsan.
HIKE & RUN
Naeyeonsan is one of those wonderful, horseshoe-shaped land formations, like Naejangsan and Seonunsan. The Gwangcheon begins high on Naeyeonsan’s southerly slopes and makes its way to the sea over numerous scenic falls in the plunging Cheonghagol valley.
Naturally, the main trails on Naeyeonsan feature these landscape features: there’s a loop around the mountain on its high ridge, and a path alongside the stream. But there are also dozens of smaller trails linking these central trails – and going beyond! There are all kinds of options available to you here: choose your own adventure on Naeyeonsan!
STAY & EAT
We stayed and ate in Gyeongju because it’s nearby and our favorite city in all of South Korea. Definitely visit Gyeongju, but it’s really not that close to Naeyeonsan – especially on public transit!
Plus, there are so many options right at the foot of the mountain! Naeyeonsan has a proper tourist village, complete with motels, minbaks and camping. You can also fuel up (or after) – just take your pick of mountain veggie restaurants (we did – and can vouch for excellence)! There’s also a couple of cafes and convenience stores to serve your most pressing needs.
OTHER NOTES
Although Hyangrobong on the western edge is higher at 932 meters, Naeyeonsan proper is 711 meters and located on the north rim. Naeyeonsan is wildly popular for its natural scenic splendor and appears on both 100 summits lists. The Korea Forest Service listing is here, and the Black Yak listing is here.
Our 14 kilometer run took place on a chilly day in November 2018.
On to the next adventure? More summits await back on the 120 summits main page!
Have an excellent Naeyeonsan adventure – you deserve it, and it would help us make up for ours!