Hallasan

Name: sonsaengnim
Posted on: 28/10/2010
Hallasan is not really a strenuous walk, unless you are unfit. There are, at the moment (October 2010), three trails along up the slopes of the mountain. The trails on the north and east side ascend to the very top, however the trail on the western approach will only take you to within 250m of the summit. The Seongpanak trail, on the eastern side of the mountain is the most rewarding and slightly easier than the northerly approach. It starts at about 750m and a round trip to the edge of crater at the summit is 19.2km, according to park authorities. Nonetheless, the slopes, aside from the last 250m of ascent, although long, are gentle and couldn't properly be called steep. The distance is perhaps the only factor to introduce any difficulty, however if you have a reasonable level of fitness, and hike with some regularity, it should not take more than six or seven hours in total. Autumn and early spring are the best times to do it, but be warned that like other volcano-dominated islands (Bali by Agung, or Lombok by Rinjani, for instance) Hallasan often determines Jeju's weather and has a tendency to be a cloud trap, to the point where you can't see inside the crater. During good weather the scenery is spectacular with great panoramic views of Jeju, and Halla's crater lake. Hiking Hallasan is a life-affirming ritual for most Koreans, nearly all of whom do it at least once during their lives. Expect the slopes to be busy at all times of year, even winter. By busy I mean frustratingly congested. Not even starting early in the morning, even at first light, will ensure avoiding this. The shelters sell some basic provisions, and remember you must reach them by 1300 in order to be allowed to climb to the top, for some inexplicable reason.