Exploring the Yeongnam Alps: A Winter Hiking Adventure
If you love mountains, you may have heard of the "Yeongnam Alps" at least once.
When I first heard the name, I thought it might be an exaggeration.
However, once I hiked along the ridge, I quickly understood why it was named this way.
Looking at the endless mountain ranges from the ridge, I found myself wondering, "Is this really Korea?" So this time, I went on a linked hike connecting Sinbul Mountain and Yeongchuk Mountain with friends.
The Yeongnam Alps is a mountain range located on the border of Ulsan and Gyeongnam, covering areas like Ulsan, Miryang, Yangsan, and Cheongdo.
There are several peaks over 1,000 meters above sea level here.
Thanks to the broad ridges and alpine meadows, the scenery here is somewhat different from typical Korean mountains.
Instead of rounded peaks, the long ridges create the appearance of a massive mountain range from a distance.
This is why many people began to refer to this area as the "Yeongnam Alps." This time, I hiked Sinbul Mountain (1,159m) and Yeongchuk Mountain (1,081m).
Due to the long ridges, it is possible to hike these mountains in a connected route.
The starting point for the hike was Sinbul Mountain Natural Recreation Forest.
The route goes from Sinbul Mountain to Sinbuljae, then to Yeongchuk Mountain, and back to the recreation forest.
The total distance is about 16-17 km, typically taking around 6-7 hours to complete.
This course is recommended for those with some hiking experience rather than beginners.
Although I enjoy hiking, it had been quite a while since my last hike.
The initial uphill was more challenging than I expected.
Nonetheless, I took slow steps with my friends.
There were well-marked signs along the trail, so I hardly worried about getting lost.
However, since it was winter, there were slippery sections, so I focused carefully with each step.
The first major point we encountered was Sinbuljae.
Located between Sinbul Mountain and Yeongchuk Mountain, it is a must-pass point for many hikers.
This place also offers a representative view of the Yeongnam Alps.
Especially in autumn, the silver grass covers the entire mountain, creating a stunning wave-like spectacle.
Unfortunately, the weather was cloudy today, so we couldn't see the magnificent view.
Even in winter, the scenery was quite impressive.
The ridge was beautifully tinged with yellow.
However, the wind was quite strong, making the perceived temperature feel much lower.
I realized that without proper winter gear, it would be hard to stay long.
We headed toward the summit of Sinbul Mountain from Sinbuljae.
This section took about 30 minutes one way.
As we neared the summit, the wind grew stronger, and the temperature felt noticeably lower.
Near the summit, we could also see frost-covered trees.
Seeing the white, frozen trees made me feel as if I had entered another season.
After taking a photo, we returned to Sinbuljae.
Next, we headed toward Yeongchuk Mountain.
This section is about 2.5 km along the ridge, with few steep ups or downs, making it relatively easy to walk.
The golden meadow-like scenery spread across the ridge was truly magnificent.
It even reminded me of the Swiss Alps.
It was a moment when I fully understood why it is called the Yeongnam Alps.
We took a commemorative photo at the summit of Yeongchuk Mountain as well.
The descent required more caution.
Since winter had not completely passed, there was a lot of mud on the trail.
There were slippery sections, so we descended slowly.
By the end of the hike, I had walked about 30,000 steps.
The hike took about 6 hours.
While it wasn't an easy course, the stunning views made it worthwhile.
The scenery of the Yeongnam Alps viewed from the ridge will stay in my memory for a long time.
The open ridges and vast meadow-like terrain created a truly special scene.
If you love hiking, I highly recommend you take this trail at least once.
Source :https://blog.naver.com/ulsan_nuri/224204048507
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