And I figured, that looks like a beautiful place to go! Look at all those people hiking, surely I can do that! I quickly invested in a "muscle girl" coat (as my students call puffy jackets) and some hiking boots and headed east. I followed the article exactly: boarded a bus from Dongseoul Terminal and went straight to the information office when I arrived in Taebaek.
At first sight, Taebaek City is not the impressive. It was originally a mining town, which is very evident in the older neighborhoods. However, there is also a "strip" with all the important Korean creature comforts: Puma Store, Paris Baguette, well-lit Kimbap restaurants, and a chain of high-priced outdoor clothing stores. The first night, I walked around the town and then headed back to my motel (suggested, of course, by the information office) to enjoy CABLE TV! 
Wednesday I woke up early, layered up, and headed to the bus station. The Information Lady had given me a bus schedule and map of Taebaeksan (san means mountain, so Taebaeksan means Mt. Taebaek) and a suggested route. The suggested route was 5 Km, and she said should take about 4 hours. I would start at Yuilsa, hike up to Cheonjedan, then head down to Banjae and continue to Danggol Plaza. I figured, ok, hike in the morning, get some lunch, stop by the coal museum (I have to support the local happy), and then go see a cave (Yongyeon Cave is also a highly-promoted local tourist spot, I don't just think of going to caves randomly).
Here is the thing about hiking on this mountain: I chose it because I thought it would be really beautiful to hike on a snow-covered mountain...I didn't really think that in order for the mountain to be snow-covered it would most likely also be really windy and COLD. But oh well, I was determined! When I started up the trail, it was snowing already. If I had any fears about the mountain not being snow-covered enough, they were allayed after about half a kilometer. There were a few other hikers, but not the big groups like I had seen online. It was snowing pretty heavily by 2 Km, and for a long time I was the only person I saw. I passed a few hikers going the opposite way, and I thought, hm, am I supposed to turn around now? Is there a sign saying it is too windy at the top? But, of course, if there was a sign, I could not read it...so I just kept on going! 
Finally I made it to Cheonjedan Alter...actually, apparently, there's more than one alter at the top, so I made it to one of them after passing through the famed Colony of Yew Trees. I'm not really sure why Yew Trees are so special, but I definitely felt like I was in Narnia. Or inside a snowglobe. 
After snapping a few shots of the alter, I headed down to Manggyeongsa Temple. I didn't know what to expect, but it was actually a rest area! I could hear chanting coming from inside the temple, and I saw my first Buddha statue in person. There was a small concession stand, and the man even gave me free coffee! This was a popular resting place for other hikers, and it was here that the whole course of my day changed!
There were a few different groups of hikers at the temple, and they were overjoyed (and maybe a little shocked) to see a lone white girl hiking through on a mountain through a blizzard. One group, 5 friends who were all hiking together, were really excited to see a white girl, and decided I needed to have a photo shoot. They felt it was their mission to make sure I had several poses in front of all of the important structures at Manggyeongsa.
After several photos, they climbed up to King Danjong's Monument House, and I followed a few minutes later. I figured, if I'm going to come all this way, I might as well see what that building is. At the top, they again started talking to me. They quickly established that I was a "strong woman," because I was hiking by myself and had not eaten lunch yet. After the Monument House, they were going to Cheonjedan, and my plan was to go to Banjae. As I was going down the stairs from the Monument House, another Ahjussi (Ahjussi is a term for an older Korean man) stopped me and said "Cheonjedan! 3 minutes! 3 minutes!" He wouldn't let me go down the stairs. So I had to turn around, find the group of superfriends and admit that I would be following them to Cheonjedan. They were very happy about this. 
Before I go any further and sound like a reckless traveler, let me say, this is how Koreans are. I was maybe the first non-Korean these people had seen in a while, and they find it really exciting. Furthermore, Korean men are fairly weak, and I wasn't getting any creepy vibes from them anyways.
I was glad I went up to Cheonjedan, because it was a different alter than I had seen the first time. It was really windy, but now I had 5 Ahjussis eager to take my picture and to make sure I posed by every important part of the alter. Their favorite phrase: "Best-a Pose-a." (Sometimes Koreans add vowel-sounds onto the ends of words...).
At Cheonjedan, we were studying the map and I was trying to explain that I was going to Banjae and then onto Donggol Plaza. This did not seem like a good plan to them. Their car was parked at the Baekdansa Ticket Office, and said I could go that way. I said no, I am going to Banjae. This was still unsatisfactory for them...mainly because I was not wearing ice-spikes on my shoes and apparently the way would be too treacherous for me. Their solution was that I should go hiking with them! They were hiking across the top of the mountain to Somunsubong Peak and then through the Jedanggol Valley to Danggol Plaza. This was a longer hike than I had planned, but between hiking by myself or hiking with 5 hilarious Korean men, who am I to argue?
The hike was really fun! All of the guys were really generous (ice spikes, a walking pole, and even snow gloves) and fun-loving. A few times, we made a "sled" out of a plastic bag...and every now and then we would stop for a photo shoot. Whenever we passed other hikers, they would be really friendly too. One couple even gave me some kimbap (a seaweed roll similar to sushi, but minus the raw fish).
On our way down the mountain, the men decided it was lunch time. Korean hikers are prepared! They dusted off snow, gave me a mat to sit on, and out of their backpacks came dishes, a mini tank of petrol, cups of rice, seaweed, kimchi, and more marshmellow pies. Waiting for the lunch was the coldest I had felt all day though! It seemed like it took forever for the ramen to cook! They always made sure I was served first before any of them, which I found really touching. In Seoul, it often seems that the men have no manners...but these men were very polite.
At Donggol Plaza, "the Leader" bought me some coffee and told me to wait at the restaurant. You can buy coffee in a can here, and at restaurants, they keep the cans in a little heater, so they are always ready to drink. Canned coffee is pretty good! He disappeared to go find a taxi, but the other 4 suddenly appeared and brought out more tangerines and marshmellow pies. They were going to take a taxi back to their car. I think they wanted to drive me back to Taebaek (it was about 40 minutes away I think), but I politely declined. I think they were a little surprised, but they promised to email me photos.
SO, that was my hiking adventure!
The "leader" (I didn't learn his name, but he definitely seemed to be the Alpha male) told one of his friends (whom I think of as "glasses" -- "Glasses" is the Ahjussi who was most out-going and said "Ohhh, you a strong woman.") to give me his ice-spikes. He compromised and just gave me one for my right foot. "Pink scarf" seemed really worried that I didn't have a walking pole, so he kept trying to give me his. The "young one" would stop everyone now and then and give me tangerines and marshmellow cakes.
The hike was really fun! All of the guys were really generous (ice spikes, a walking pole, and even snow gloves) and fun-loving. A few times, we made a "sled" out of a plastic bag...and every now and then we would stop for a photo shoot. Whenever we passed other hikers, they would be really friendly too. One couple even gave me some kimbap (a seaweed roll similar to sushi, but minus the raw fish).
On our way down the mountain, the men decided it was lunch time. Korean hikers are prepared! They dusted off snow, gave me a mat to sit on, and out of their backpacks came dishes, a mini tank of petrol, cups of rice, seaweed, kimchi, and more marshmellow pies. Waiting for the lunch was the coldest I had felt all day though! It seemed like it took forever for the ramen to cook! They always made sure I was served first before any of them, which I found really touching. In Seoul, it often seems that the men have no manners...but these men were very polite. When lunch was over, the men packed everything back up, even the trash. Korean hikers do not litter, and our lunch area was just as neat as we had found it. Somehow, two of the men went down another way I guess, because it was just me, the "Leader," "Pink Scarf" and the "Young One" on the way down. The final stretch seemed to take FOREVER and was pretty slippery, as the snow became more tightly packed. It was during this time, I realized how close Koreans hike to each other. I was really afraid that if I slipped I would take the whole lot out.
At Donggol Plaza, "the Leader" bought me some coffee and told me to wait at the restaurant. You can buy coffee in a can here, and at restaurants, they keep the cans in a little heater, so they are always ready to drink. Canned coffee is pretty good! He disappeared to go find a taxi, but the other 4 suddenly appeared and brought out more tangerines and marshmellow pies. They were going to take a taxi back to their car. I think they wanted to drive me back to Taebaek (it was about 40 minutes away I think), but I politely declined. I think they were a little surprised, but they promised to email me photos.
SO, that was my hiking adventure!
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