Hallasan National Park, Jeju Island, South Korea

5thelonious22 5:00 PM Mar 29, 2020

Highest point in Korea
To make sure hikers are able to return to base before sundown, you have to enter the trail no later than noon and must reach the final section of the approach by 12:30. Gwaneumsa trail was about 8.7 km long taking about five hours at a leisurely pace. Most of the hike was in a shaded area which would make it comfortable even during summer. The first 3 kilometers were just a stroll with nicely laid out boardwalks for some stretches. There are railings parallel to the trails in case an injured person needs to be transported from higher elevation, which made it extra reassuring for me. Although steep, it was still a relatively easy hike and I made it through the last section without much problems. From about 1600 m above and onwards, the trails were covered in ice and snow which slowed me down a bit as I didn’t even think about carrying crampons in late March. As I got a late start the summit area was a little crowded with hikers having lunch or taking breaks. Luckily, the Baekrokdam peak is a crater and there was a relatively wide area for people to sit around at the summit. Unlike the Baekdusan Cheonji Lake, Baekrokdam is devoid of any water except a small patch of water that looks like a small puddle from the top. While not particularly scenic, it is nice to stand at the highest point in the country. Because of the strong winds, I didn’t stay long and started to head down the less steep Seongpanak Trail which was about 9.7 km to the parking lot. Few kilometers from the summit was easy with boardwalk paths and steps. There was a three kilometer stretch of snow covered trails that made the descent quite stressful though. Once the snow covered area was cleared, it was a long but relatively flat walk rest of the way which my knees were thankful for. The entire round trip took about nine hours total without much rest. Having crampons would have shaved at least an hour off of that time.

5Raymond H 5:00 PM May 20, 2022

Majetic view of Jeju City
We love the hike but descending the trail (We used Gwaneumsa Trail up and down) was taught with endless rocks. There are many steps to negotiate. Only the fittest will survive in this relatively lower gradient mountain. Overall, we had a great time. Just don't forget to pack your lunch and picnic at the top together with hordes of colourful ahjummas and ahjussis