a day at Geumosan

Saturday I woke up with no real plans and so decided to hop on the bus to Gumi and go to Geumosan. Geumosan is a mountain just west of Gumi famous for a waterfall, temples and a 1000 year old Goryo dynasty rock carving of the Buddha near the summit. It's labelled as Korean National Treasure number 490 (hey, it's in the top 500). I hopped on the bus at SeoDaegu at 11 and was in Gumi by 1145. I had lunch and grabbed a cab to the park entrance (5000 won.... I love Korea sometimes).

The mountain is 976 meters, but the rock carving is to the west of the park entrance and would take most of the day just to get to and thus not leave enough time to get back. With that in mind I opted to cheat and take the cable car the first 300 meters up and over to the right trail and to a temple and waterfall and hike from there. The first temple, Haeunsa, is small and not unlike many other temples in Korea except that is has a statue of Buddha in the Chinese style. However it's right at the top of the cable car so it's worth a look. The waterfall looks more like a garden hose stuck out of the 12th floor of an apartment building and turned on, but I was told that in the rainy season it's quite beautiful (the picture of it in July did look nice) though for anyone who's seen Niagara, Victoria or Angel falls I imagine it's a bit of an anti-climax. There is also a cave where a Shilla dynasty monk is said to have achieved enlightenment and so many people go there to visit the small shrine. It's a bit of effort and I couldn't believe that some people were taking their 70+ year old grandmother up there. I actually ended up helping a family who managed to get her up the cliff but couldn't get her down. She lowered herself using a rope and then I had to pick her up and place her down at the base. Safely she only weighed aboyt 80 lbs and all I had to do was turn and place her down (It was a 3 foot drop, so not much.......... unless you are 70+ years old). She seemed to love it, and I was happy to help, but I wonder what they would have done if I hadn't shown up. The other two girls with her, presumably her daughters, could barely pull their own weight up. Anyway, it was a fun story.

There is then a 2.2 km hike (read intensive slog) straight up the side of the mountain to Mae an Buddha, Yaaksam (temple) and the summit. The first 1.5 km are straight up. Like look up 80 degrees and march. Maybe the most intense stretch of hiking I have ever done. However, once at the end of it you are rewarded with spectacular views and a flat trail. The hike up also had a few nice spots to stop and relax and take in the view, and the trees kept the sun away for most of the hike, so it was easier going up in 25 degree shade.

However, I was a bit let down when, at the end of the 1.5 km death march you must make a choice. Left to Mae an Buddha or right to Yaaksam and the peak. Well since I had come to see the Mae an Buddha I opted for left. It was another 20 minutes before I came across it. I sat down to check it out and finish my water. For a good five minutes I had the place to myself and all I could hear were birds, bugs and the wind. Very zen. Then of course came the sound of a Korean hiking club. Conversation at 70 decibals, trot music playing and lots of yelling to take pictures of each other. Well my mood was killed so I walked back to the fork in the road. At the time I was worried that I wouldn't have enough time to get to the peak so I opted to head down (I probably would have but the cable car closed at 630 and I didn't want to walk down in the dark).

I managed 937 of 976 meters (well 637 as I cheated with the cable car :P) and while I didn't hit the summit (and thus truly conquer the mountain) I saw what I really went there to see. My camera cord is missing now but when I find it I will upload some pictures. Today (Sunday) I will sit and feel sore.