[Jo Yongjun's Journey] The Last Snow Country This Winter to Cherish in Both Eyes

Seonja Ridge, Haneul Ranch, Balwang Mountain... Daegwallyeong is Now a Winter Wonderland

Amid the fierce cold snap, the heavy snowfall last week has transformed the Pyeongchang Daegwallyeong area into a winter wonderland. Travelers enjoying horseback riding experiences at Daegwallyeong Sky Ranch.

Hiker climbing Seonjaryeong

Rime frost viewed from the summit of Balwangsan Mountain

[Asia Economy Reporter Yongjun Cho, Travel Specialist] It was a journey to find spring by the East Sea. For a while, the unusually mild winter weather made me think that spring had come quickly. The news of flowers blooming in the southern regions instead of snow also contributed. But what a surprise. I thought I would pass this winter without seeing any snow, but I ended up encountering a heavy snowfall. It happened last week on the Yeongdong Expressway section near Daegwallyeong. The entire mountain was covered with a white blanket. Every bare branch that had been exposed all winter bloomed with pure white snow flowers. Daegwallyeong, located at the great gateway crossing the Baekdudaegan mountain range, is now finally showing a winter that feels truly like winter. Daegwallyeong is known for its abundant snow. Clouds laden with moisture hit the 1000-meter-class peaks such as Hwangbyeongsan (1407m), Balwangsan (1458m), and Seonjaryeong (1157m), causing heavy snowfall. Winter in Daegwallyeong is a path leading to a snow country (Seolguk) that opens up a maddeningly beautiful pure white world. So much so that the spring coverage was put aside. With an excited heart, I turned the steering wheel and headed toward Daegwallyeong. It was the road entering the winter snow country. Hikers dressed in colorful mountaineering clothes were climbing Seonjaryeong and Balwangsan, and the snow-covered Daegwallyeong ranch was lively with the laughter of children playing. Although the snow was not deep enough to sink up to the knees, it was still enough to enjoy the winter scenery adorned with snow flowers. Although the beginning of spring has passed and a brief cold snap came, if you go to Daegwallyeong now, you can fully enjoy winter.

As winter is nearing its end, Pyeongchang Daegwallyeong has been covered with snow. After suffering from a drought of snow, the recent heavy snowfall has turned the land white. While Seoul and the metropolitan area have not even seen snow, Daegwallyeong is now a true snow country.

As soon as you exit Daegwallyeong IC, the bare hills are covered with beautiful snow. The representative spot for snow viewing in Daegwallyeong is Seonjaryeong (1157m). You enter the snow country along the ridge. Seonjaryeong is a Baekdudaegan peak located on the boundary between Pyeongchang and Gangneung. Surrounded by high and low mountains in all directions, it is imposing with an elevation over 1000 meters. However, the Daegwallyeong pass at the trailhead is 832m, so the elevation difference to the summit is only 325m. The trail is not steep. If you prepare your winter gear well, you can easily hike it. Thanks to this, it is considered a famous winter snow flower spot. You climb Seonjaryeong, dazzling with pure white snow flowers in full bloom and a spotless snowy field.

The route from Daegwallyeong to Seonjaryeong is divided into a ridge trail and a valley trail. The Baekdudaegan ridge trail offers excellent views but is cold due to the wind, while the valley trail has a cozy charm, making the walk enjoyable. If the ridge trail shows grand and vast scenery, the valley trail features clusters of Korean pine, larch, oak, sedge, and dwarf bamboo, presenting a quaint landscape.

Seonjaryeong is not only excellent for its snowy scenery but also preferred because the trail is gentle and easy to climb. Hikers walking on the snowy path chat with people they meet in nature as they head to the summit.

From the summit of Seonjaryeong, Balwangsan lies to the south, Odaesan to the northwest, and Hwangbyeongsan to the north, waving like the hem of a skirt. The scenery is dazzlingly bright and breathtaking.

If you are not trekking for snow flowers but going on a family outing, I recommend going to Haneul Ranch and the Sheep Ranch. Haneul Ranch is a vast land connected to Daegwallyeong Seonjaryeong at an elevation of 1057m. It is a mega ranch covering 10 million square meters, about three times the size of Yeouido in Seoul. It was opened to the public for the first time in 40 years in 2014 and is crowded with tourists all year round.

Last week, with over 20cm of snow piled up, Haneul Ranch is presenting beautiful winter scenery. Children visiting the ranch, which has turned silver all over, enjoy rolling in the snow, having snowball fights, or sledding.

I met a family strolling through the snow-covered ranch. The family from Incheon said, "This is the first time we have seen snow this year, and we didn't know how touching and wonderful the crunching sound of snow underfoot could be." This shows how un-winter-like this winter has been.

Haneul Ranch offers four courses, including the 'Wide Landscape Trail,' where you can walk while enjoying the snow-covered natural scenery, as well as various experiences such as feeding sheep and horseback riding. But above all, I strongly recommend riding a tractor carriage up to the summit where the wind turbines are located.

At the summit, the biting cold wind piercing the nape makes you shrink your body, but the continuous ridge of the Baekdudaegan and the wind turbines appear exotic. Travelers who get off the tractor lie down or run around on the cold white snow, seemingly cozy, making memories.

Jeon Eunseon from Seoul said, "The biggest charm of Daegwallyeong is the clear and clean air," adding, "When I stand here, the stress piled up from the worries of the world seems to disappear in an instant."

Silver snowstorms ripple in the winter wind blowing along the ridge. At that moment, people who have set out for horseback riding (outdoor horse riding) are galloping across the snowfield with the wind turbines far behind. The powerful steps of horses galloping along the Daegwallyeong ridge with their manes flying naturally draw exclamations. Horseback riding allows you to freely gallop and roam the vast Haneul Ranch and ridges. A safety officer accompanies the ride, but you must have some riding skills to participate.

Near the old Daegwallyeong rest area is the Sheep Ranch. It is a beautiful place where the pure white hills meet the blue sky, and travelers walk below.

Walking leisurely along the walking path around the ranch, the grand view of Daegwallyeong summit and the pure white scenery spread before your eyes offer an emotion that cannot be felt in the city.

Daegwallyeong has another winter attraction: Balwangsan (1458m), accessible by gondola. Taking the gondola at Yongpyong Resort allows you to reach Dragon Peak on the ridge near the summit of Balwangsan in 9 minutes.

Surrounding Balwangsan are peaks such as Oknyobong (1146m), Durubong (1226m), and Gorupogisan (1238m), and the waterway of Songcheon flows through the eastern valley. Climbing Balwangsan offers magnificent views of nature at various points. Even if the snow accumulation on the ridge below the mountain is low, the grand mountain terrain alone is enough to elicit awe.

Daegwallyeong (Pyeongchang) = Text and photos by Yongjun Cho, Travel Specialist jun21@asiae.co.kr

◇Travel Notes

△Getting There=Take the Yeongdong or Second Yeongdong Expressway toward Gangneung and exit at Daegwallyeong IC (formerly Hoenggye IC). Go about 1 km toward Yongpyong Resort, then turn left and go 5 km to reach the old Daegwallyeong rest area, where the trail to Seonjaryeong and the Sheep Ranch are located. Haneul Ranch can be reached by going straight at the roundabout after exiting Daegwallyeong IC. To comfortably enjoy snow viewing at Balwangsan, go to the gondola station at Yongpyong Resort.

△Food=In Hoenggye, where Daegwallyeong is located, Osam Bulgogi (squid and pork belly grilled with red pepper paste seasoning) and dried pollack grilled or in soup are famous. Doam Restaurant is known for Osam Bulgogi. For dried pollack grilled or soup, 'Hwangtae Hoegwan' is well known. Ichon Rest Area, located 2-3 minutes from Haneul Ranch, serves delicious potato dough soup, handmade knife-cut noodles, and buckwheat pancakes.