It was such a great climbing and I'm so grateful that I was given the opportunity of this climbing.
Thank you for all of you who helped me to be an enough climber to come here!
For, I could not come to climb Insubong last year... I was not good enough. So this climbing trip was a sum of my effort in 2016.
Last year around this time, my partner was teaching me how to climb crack. I already had a few experience of crack climbing for about one season... one summer in Ogawayama, that means a few times.
In 2016, I decided to focus on just free-climbing only... I gave up my favorite shower climbing and hiking in the mountains... I had no money left if I pay my money to climbing gym. That meant I had to gave up mountains...
Now I came to Insubong and being able to climb the rock without too much of hassle... I am aware that I grew as a climber. If I came here last year, I would not be able to enjoy as much as I enjoyed the climbing this time.
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| Insubong a huge rock |
Now I am in front of the base of climbing, it is the mountain hut, and shelter and food is supplied.
This made our climbing much easier and comfortable.
This mountain hut was a very serene.
It is a wonderful place to stay!
It is located about an hour hike away from the last bus stop. So you should not carry anything more than your backpack. No suitcase.
Bring regular rock gear plus sandal to walk around the hut.
Bottled water is available in the hut and meals are provided.
so just bring yourself.
You have to be very brave to be able to lead climb in Insubong.
In this trip, I was a second climber all the time so very safe, but I could still feel how difficult it is to lead climb here...
When slab became like 5.10a, it is almost same as face.
5.10b slab climbing require much more physical skills... like long reach and difficult balance...
It is very tough even in 5.10b.
A short person is definitely disadvantageous, extra effort required.
We climbed only multi-pitch routes, no short, this time since this climbing tour is a part of my alpine training.
There is a Japanese topo book by a guide, Hirose san.
Perhaps there must be an English guide? If there is, I'd like to get one.
The hut provides Korean Family style meal, which always include, free of charge refill of rice, sea-weed, soup, and Kimchee. Main dish changes every day.
You have to bring your own sleeping bag and mat.
While we are staying there, we encountered a night of over 100 college students staying in this hut and it was crazy. They came without appointment, and of course, half of the people could not fit in this space so they slept outside.
I think sleeping outside must have more comfortable than inside, since it was so noizy and my partner could not go to sleep.
From the airplane.
To goto Insubong, first get to Suyu subway station, then catch a cab to Insubong.
I am not sure if my spelling is correct... Widon is the last town nearby.
In Widon, we could soak in a hot spa. You can also reach Widon by bus 109, or 120.
It was such a wonderful climbing..
From where I am now, Korea is much easier to get than any other cragging spot mainland Japan.
So I am planing to visit Insubong again in September.
Anybody who likes to join us are most welcome!
To be able to enjoy the climbing, you'll have to be able to climb 5.9 slab comfortably, also 5.10a crack, and maybe some wide crack experience is needed.
My climbing grade is not at all high, about 5.10b are RP, 5.9 are onsite... so this might be minimum requirement to be able to enjoy, but overhang wall is scarce. Mostly balance climbing.
My climbing career is 3 years so far, since my very first climbing is May, 22nd in 2014. I am growing natural speed so 3 year in climbing perhaps a good measure.
Shanti to all of you who helped me a better climber!