How to recover from a mountainous ultra marathon? By hiking a mountain, of course! Seldom has such a serious mountain been considered ‘active recovery’. But for us, Suraksan (수락산) was the perfect place to stretch tired muscles and, of course, keep on peaking.
Our performance at the Korea 50k had been even better than expected. Plus, it was Earth Day! There was lots to celebrate. Climbing Suraksan was just the place to party!
After a funny, post-ultra night that involved some true midnight snacks, Kent and I slept in until around 8 am! Then we were up and feeling fantastic, so we put into motion both our bodies and our plan to enjoy Suraksan on our day off! We took the subway to the station of the same name, stashed our stuff in a locker, and set off!
It had started to drizzle by the time we went outside, but I really wanted Suraksan, so we just donned our windbreakers and kept going! The way to the start meandered first along the street, on a wooden walkway alongside a stream and up a paved road to a temple. Then, the hiking truly began!
Suraksan’s trails were wide, well-groomed paths through a damp, lush forest. Great vibes, and very relaxing – there were surprisingly few people out and about, despite the hour – but perhaps because of the weather!
Yet we’d barely scratched the surface of Suraksan! Just before the ridge, it suddenly got really steep. Once we gained the ridge, we began on the cables sections!
Man! Each stretch of cable was more thrilling than the last on slick, slanted rock ending abruptly in plunging drop-offs to the forest below. We powered to the summit mainly on arm strength we previously didn’t know we possessed!
On each steep climb, we kept thinking we were about to reach the top, and were continually surprised by the sight of more peach-hued boulders far above us! The air, cleaned by the rain, was clear, and we had terrific views over the city and across to Bukhansan and Dobongsan. The valleys were full of new green growth: Korea starting to put on its summer foliage.
A helpful gentleman experiencing the mountain sans shoes helped us take some summit stele photos. We’d finally found the top of Suraksan, and the other hikers – the small summit area was actually a little crowded!
After a short break at the top, we descended along the same lovely way we’d come. We kept our route simple, and didn’t run at all. Instead, we appreciated Suraksan’s river valley and the lovely cherry blossoms blooming alongside it.
Then I bought Kent a maekgolli and we had some excellent potato pancakes for lunch! That’s what I would call a perfect day, with Suraksan as its central feature!
KNOW AND GO! SURAKSAN
TRANSPORTATION
One of the easiest mountains to reach on this or any other list, Suraksan is not only a mountain, it’s a subway station! Located on the northern outskirts of Seoul, it’s super simple to reach Suraksan. Take the dark green subway line (line 7) north from wherever you happen to intersect it, and Suraksan is two stops from the end of the line.
One of the main trails officially starts from exit 1. There’s even a trail map inside the subway station!
Note that you can also reach Suraksan from Jangam station, the last station on line 7. There are less options (for trails and fine mountain cuisine) in this area, but the routes are actually more direct.
There are also trails on the east side of the mountain, if you’re aiming for edgy.
There’s no sense in driving here, especially if you’re in Seoul or Gyeonggido. Save your car rentals for further-flung adventures.
HIKE & RUN
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: urban mountains are great for trails! There are actually so many ways to get to the summit of Suraksan, thanks to its popularity and heavy use. There are major and minor routes up the mountain, so you can really choose your own level of adventure. There are also so many other peaks to visit along Suraksan’s ridge – including Bulamsan, another well-known Seoul summit. Go long, my friends!
If you want to go really long, consider combining your Suraksan hike with a section of the Seoul Trail! The very first course of the Seoul Trail, Section 1 wraps around the base of Suraksan.
If this is going to be a quickie, note that it’s not going to be that speedy. A return trip to Suraksan’s summit, at a hike, took us about 2 hours and was 7.5 kilometers long.
STAY & EAT
We did. We stayed at a motel in Dongducheon the night after the Korea50k. After our Suraksan hike, we attacked the snacks at the foot of the mountain, and I highly recommend you do the same. Though this is not a national park, there are abundant vendors and snacks right at the trailheads. Wander into the city, and you’ll find even more options – for sleeping too!
OTHER NOTES
Suraksan is a jagged and exciting 637 meters. Judge this mountain not by its height, but by its rugged peaks and deserved popularity! Well known to Seoullites, Suraksan is also listed on the Black Yak 100 summits list: see it here!
Kent and I hiked a 7.5 kilometer out and back on Suraksan on Earth Day in April 2018 – the day after our best ever Korea 50k!
There are more mountains back on the 120 summits main page! You can also explore the lower slopes of Suraksan on the Seoul Trail!
May your Suraksan experience be stellar, friends.