The restricted-access one. The secret one. And, perhaps most excitingly, the last one. Remote and exclusive Jeombongsan (점봉산) was the final mountain on our 120 summits list.
How poetic to end our mountain mission in Seoraksan National Park (설악산국립공원)! Seoraksan was the first national park Kent and I explored in Korea, back in 2012. Our Daecheongbong ascent kicked off a six-year love affair with the mountains of this country, leading directly or indirectly to this project.
For the very last peak of our 120 summits project (and the 76th summit of the year!), in 2018, we were back in Seoraksan – only in a very different part of the park! The western side of the park is undergoing a lengthy rest and regrowth period; it’s almost entirely closed to the public. I’d initially written off Jeombongsan, thinking there was no way to visit.
But, turns out, there is a way to visit this secretive section of the park! Sort of. With ID and an advance reservation, you can join a select group of hikers heading up to Gombaeryeong (곰배령) – a pass just a few hundred meters below the peak. As soon as I learned this, I knew we just had to do it. I also knew it would make a perfect final peak for our project.
However, I was completely incapable of using the confusing, Korean-only website. So, I just called the park office and asked if we could come. There were technical difficulties and language barriers to overcome – but to my delight, it worked! We would be heading to Gombaeryeong immediately after the fall fire closure, on one of the last days of 2018.
We had to juggle our plans to make it work, but we were more than happy to do so. On Saturday we were down in the far south again, bagging peaks – and apples! We slept just outside of Pohang before driving up the coast to our final peak.
The day of our hike was a dark and stormy sort of day. As we drove toward Seoraksan, heavy clouds were gathering on top. The first few snowflakes were starting to fall.
This being a KnC mountain mission, it would not have been complete without one near catastrophe. This time, we arrived just barely on time…only to discover that we were at the wrong location! The correct trailhead was on the opposite side of the mountain!
To get there, we faced a 45-minute drive over a high pass. We drove as quickly as it was safe to, snow swirling around us and tension building. Luckily, the roads were good right up until we reached the correct entrance. Things were a little hairy for a kilometer or so to the parking lot, but we made it!
Luckily, our lateness wasn’t an issue. We simply showed our IDs at a little office in exchange for blue, credit-card size tags. A forest ranger showed us the map of where we could walk, which was a simple out-and-back on a road that would eventually become a trail.
Then we set off down a snow-covered dirt road. We planned to hike the whole thing and not run a single step. We were tired from a weekend (and year!) of nonstop adventures. Plus, we really wanted to savor the experience! It was the last mountain of our mission and the year. And it was a really unique one!
So we donned all of our winter wear for our walk. Despite bitter cold (temperatures of -6 combined with strong winds and blowing snow), we both really, really enjoyed it. I think I needed this. Walking in the forest gave me a sense of calm and well-being that I’d been lacking.
With the luxury of time, I noticed little details, like sheets of ice surrounding still flowing water, and how a waterfall still gurgled below a skien of ice.
At first, we walked along a wide road. There were footprints in the snow from a few hikers ahead of us, but no tire tracks. So when we walked into a village, we were surprised! There were cafes and little places to stay, and we marveled at the tranquility of this little oasis. Smoke rose above a few of the homes, but none of the shops seemed open for business.
After passing through the village, we went over the river on a bridge and left the road behind. The trail ahead was broad and clearly marked by a low fence to either side. These barriers made it clear that we were just visitors in an otherwise pristine forest – a sanctuary for wildlife.
There were no human sounds in this forest. No highway noise or boisterous laughter. Wind rustled through the trees overhead, and a woodpecker tapped out a warning. It really felt like the wild place we knew it to be.
We had proof of its wildness before long. Just beyond the village, we saw a huge pig! It was neither the first nor the last time we’d seen one of Korea’s wild boars, but it was one of our closer sightings. It was incredibly cool.
A dozen or so hikers before us had left footprints in the fresh snow. It was mildly slippery, but we used our poles for balance and found that we didn’t need our packed crampons. The ascent was very gradual and completely within the forest the whole time. There were several resting places, and I noted with envy a couple of other groups enjoying sweet potatoes – my favorite Korean snack.
We met the majority of the day’s hikers close to the top. Most were on the descent. Our late arrival had actually set us up to have the pass to ourselves!
We climbed up and into the cloud that hung low over the pass. We couldn’t see a thing through the blowing snow, but it was magical! On the pass, there was a long wooden walkway leading to a massive stele. We scurried over to enjoy it – amazed to have such a special place all to ourselves! I was so excited and full of emotions! But, to be practical, we had to hurry. It was super cold, so we made every moment up there count.
We took a picture for a trio of ladies who joined us on top, let them head down ahead of us, and said our final goodbyes – to Gombaeryeong and to our mountain mission. The gentle slope down was easy for our descent. Once again, we did not run, so we were able to appreciate a close encounter with a woodpecker!
We descended out of the cloud and into a little sunlight, but we remained pretty cold. On the way up, I’d led the way and we’d been mostly quiet after the road section (where we walked together). But on the way down, we chatted harmoniously about this whole crazy year-long experience. We investigated the village again for potential food, but finding none, returned to the car.
And finding no food near the car either, we decided to head to Sokcho for a dessert date and smash whatever remained of our car snacks. We parked on Jochimryeong, another nearby pass, so Kent could enjoy a sandwich.
Then we wound down switchbacks into the deep valley made remote by the new highway. The east side of Seoraksan was beautiful: winter-y and wild in the last afternoon light. We had a terrific cafe date and played crib for the first time in ages. And then we went home, and now our mountain mission is done.
Know and Go! Jeombongsan
Transportation
Okay, for this one, you might actually need your own wheels. Or a friend with wheels. This is not the main part of in Seoraksan National Park (설악산국립공원) The place where this hike starts is pretty remote. The Jeombongsan office (점봉산생태관리센터) is located in Jindong-ri. Haven’t heard of it? Yeah, me either – and I went there!
This village is technically in Girin-myeon, Inje-gun. It looks closer to Oseak, but it’s not connected by road. So, you might have a tough time finding public transit. If you don’t have a car and renting one isn’t an option, you could always bus to Girin or Yangyang and hire a taxi to get you to the start.
Hike & Run
I was so happy to learn that although Jeombongsan remains off-limits, there is some hiking and/or running that you can do in the lesser-known western half of Seoraksan.
The trail to Gombaeryeong is a simple, 9 kilometer out-and-back. It begins and ends on the southeast side of the past in the small village of Jindongri, mentioned above.
The most important thing to note about this hike is that you can’t simply roll up and do it. Advance reservations give access to 450 people per day. There are three entry times in summer and two entry times in winter, all prior to 11 am. Try giving the Jeombongsan office a call – or ask a Korean friend for help.
Stay & Eat
Apparently a few especially lucky hikers can stay in Gangseonmaul – a remote village right on the trail! However, if you want to experience a homestay, your Korean better be better than mine. I can’t even point you in the right direction! There’s also a cafe in this village and some pop-up food stalls – however none were open when I visited in winter 2018. It could be that they’re seasonal, but I can’t say for sure.
The nearest city is Yangyang. In Yangyang, you have links to regular public transportation, restaurants and motels. Nearby Sokcho is also a popular destination, which you might want to consider if you’re planning on doing a few days of Seoraksan exploration.
Other Notes
Jeombongsan is on the Korea Forest Service 100 noted mountains list, available here. Of course, this mountain is also part of Seoraksan National Park!
Kent and I hiked the out-and-back to Gombaeryeong in December 2018. This route was just over 9 kilometers and took us exactly three hours.
Gombaeryeong is 1164 meters above sea level. This pass is the highest currently accessible part of the trail. The peak of Jeombongsan is significantly higher at 1427 meters, but you’ll have to be patient if you want to reach those heights. This peak has been closed for nearly a decade, and I’m still waiting on word on when it will officially re-open.
Perhaps because the peak has been closed long-term, there is very little English information online about anything pertaining to Jeombongsan (or Gombaeryeong). I found a couple of Korean-language blogs, but even the official KNPS site has scant information on this secretive summit.
Want more of Korea’s marvelous mountains? Hit the 120 summits main page, or check out the national parks of Korea!