Wooooheeee, Suraksan Mountain. This is an incredibly impressive hike, both for its diverse climbing terrain and its unmatched views of other mountains in northern Seoul. Though the ascent was not more than an hour and a half, it definitely got my adrenaline pumping. Despite the amount of time I spend on mountains, I’m ashamed to admit that I’m not always completely comfortable balancing on a single metal peg just centimeters from plummeting to certain death. Nevertheless, the reward for making it up this dicey terrain is huge. One you have ascended you not only have fantastic views of the cityscape, but, when facing west, you have the best views of two equally impressive mountains: Bukhansan (which I’ve mentioned countless times) and Dobongsan.

This is absolutely one of the best hikes in Seoul and these pictures do not even come close to doing it justice. I need to go back and properly document how exciting and rewarding Suraksan Mountain is.

To get to Suraksan Mountain, hop on the subway and head north, all the way up to Suraksan Station on line 7. Head out of Exit 1 and follow the hoards of hikers. My beau and I did a nice loop, ascending by exit 1, traversing the mountain and descending down by exit 3. I would highly recommend this route to anyone wanting to check out the mountain. For pictures that do the mountain more justice (and more detailed information about the mountain) check out Tigers and Magpies.

More spring hiking is on its way!

… And yes, that is a makeshift medical station for massages, etc. en route to the peak.