I climbed the steepest mountain on Earth, and then had climb down.
Introduction
The weather is getting warmer and the spring birds/flowers are starting to get repetitive, so I decided to start a new arc; conquering every mountain in my area. Specifically, I live in the middle of the “Yeongnam Alps” which has at least ten mountain ranges advertised as hiking destinations. After doing no research and asking no one with hiking experience, I decided to start my adventure by climbing the Gaji mountain.
Background
Located in the northern region of the Yeongnam Alps, Gaji-san basically separates the cities of Ulsan and Miryang. In the southern foothills sits Seongnam-sa (석남사, southern rock temple). Established by the monk Doui-guksa in 824, Seongnam-sa served a central training ground for training warrior monks who fought against the invading Japanese during the Imjin War. In 1972, the temple was rebuilt by the Abbot Inhong-sunim (a Buddhist nun) and today is entirely run by female monks. Near the summit, there are several unique rock formations with great fables attached to them. And as I learned the hard way, it also has the highest summit of the region.
No travel tips this time. I literally live about 15 minutes away, so I took a taxi right to the main entrance. Other travel blogs suggest taking buses 807 or 1713, so have fun.
The Journey
10:30 AM. I pay the 2000 won ($2) entrance fee and make my way to the first rest stop to liberally apply sunscreen and make sure my camera is ready. Buddha’s birthday was celebrated three days ago, so the paved walkway is decorated with hundreds of paper lanterns. The first 500 meters are colorful and easy, making me think this is going to be a relaxing day.
11:10 AM. I’m a little lost, as every paved pathway seems to lead to the Temple Seongnam-sa. I check my phone and literally walk until the red dot lines up with the supposed mountain trail. I then notice a sign that points directly into a rock wall that says, in Korean and English, Gaji-san summit. A closer look reveals the rocks are slightly stacked as stairs and lead to an incredibly steep and narrow path. I’ve come this far, so I might as well continue.
12:00 PM. I’ve been walking at about a 90° angle for what feels like 3 hours. The pathway has opened up as the mountain side becomes more heavily forested. I can hear birds, but cannot take any good pictures. Luckily, I am finding a lot of new insects and getting some nice photos. I can’t identify trees by their leaves yet, but I know I haven’t seen this one yet.
12:30 PM. I’m now covered in sweat and regretting this trip. I haven’t had to stop yet, but I am checking my phone every 10 minutes hoping the red dot moves closer to the summit. After another 500 meters, I make it to a clearing with information signs. I now have two options. Walk along a path that is even steeper than what I just climbed, or walk semi-paved path that is literally three times longer. F*** mountain hiking.
1:00 PM. The air is getting thinner and is clearly having an effect on the locals. Every hiking group I meet is now stopping me and asking the same questions I get in rural areas. This actually motivates me a little to go faster so I look like a real mountain hiker. Once again, I’ve reached a clearing and see a paved road. I’m now so close to the summit and there are now pockets on the trail where I can take pictures of the mountain side.
1:30 PM. I slowly make my way to the end of the paved road to a wooden platform overlooking the city of Eonyang-eup and the mountain side. Like any tourist, I take many panorama pictures of the mountain side and valley. There are more information signs explaining that the mountain summit is famous for wild azelea bushes, which I have seen along my walk. I already have hundreds of pictures of azealas, so I decide to just focus on reaching the summit. I use the platform to my advantage and rest my legs for about 20 minutes.
1:50 PM. I try to stand up and immediately regret stopping. My legs are sore but there’s no reason to stop now. Once again, the path is narrow and steep. There’s no place to stop to rest, so I just grab the tree branch in front of me and move forward. The birds at this altitude appear to be completely fearless of humans, like this little grouse.
2:10 PM. Dear lord I finally reached the summit. Seeing the confirmation plaque feels like receiving an Olympic medal, although not the gold. The view is amazing and I spend quite a while taking panorama shots of each side.
There’s another Korean man already at the small summit whose more indifferent about the view. He takes several pictures of me at the summit and I make my way back to the wooden platform. I take a moment to erase any out-of-focus pictures and rehydrate, then realize that I’m literally only halfway done with the trip. Dear lord I hate mountain hiking.
Pengsoo is the intellectual property of the Educational Broadcasting System of South Korea. Please do not sue me.
2:30 PM. I decide to descend down the same path since part of it is paved and I do not know what to expect on the western face of the mountain. The paved path is much steeper than I remember, and I’m really starting to feel fatigue in my legs. Although I wanted to enjoy the weather and ambiance of nature, I decide to put in my headphones and listen to podcasts as a distraction.
4:30 PM. The past three hours have pretty much been the same. I walk for about 20 minutes then need to rest a few moments. I refuse to sit down because I’m convinced I wont get up. The sun is setting behind the mountain and the temperature is dropping about 15 °F. I’m positive that I won’t make it to the bottom by nightfall and will be eaten by a bear. However, the butterflies are starting to slow down and I can now get some better pictures.
5:30 PM. I can hear flowing water, which means I’m close to the Temple. The area is still heavily wooded and I cannot see that far in the distance, so I might be hallucinating from fatigue. I’m still convinced I’m never making it to the end.
6:10 PM. I reach a paved road, meaning I’m right next to the Temple! I never doubted for one moment I’d make it to the end and conquer Gajisan! Other blogs claim this a hard mountain to hike, but I’m not even tired. Since I’m here, I stop by the Temple to get the normal photos. The one distinctive feature of Seongnam-sa is the Budo monument to Doui-guksa, the founder of the temple.
6:30 PM. I reach the front gate and call another taxi to bring me home. While riding home, I find a pretty good website about Korean mountains. Apparently, Gajisan is the highest mountain in the region and the Western path (ie. the one I didn’t take) is recommended because it isn’t as steep. Lesson learned, I’ll pick an easier mountain next week.