I was debating whether I should upload this one at all, but eventually I decided to share it anyway.
I had attempted this route a few times before, but previous efforts were cut short by severe weather conditions in winter (the trail can get pretty wild all the way between descending from Baegunsan and going up Haogogae) or fading daylight combined with a headlamp that simply wasn’t up to the task.
This time, the challenges were different. It was July, meaning the usual Korean summer heat and humidity were in full force, and in addition, it started pouring rain on the first climb up to Gwanggyosan. Still, I refused to let the poor conditions stop me. They however slowed me down considerably.
I believe this route could be completed in 3–4 hours with a strong push, and I’ll definitely be back one day to give it another go under better conditions.
One important note for anyone considering this route: carry enough food and water! There are no opportunities to resupply along the original route, which is why this attempt was unsupported. I also couldn’t find any natural water sources along the way, so if anyone knows of a spring or such along this route, please leave a note in the comments!
P.S. I almost got lost on the final downhill after accidentally going off-trail, but managed to bushwhack my way back onto the right path.