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Senin-bong (Dobongsan)

International > Asia > S Korea > Seoul/Gyeonggi-do (No…

Description

Senin-bong is located in Dobongsan, which is located in the northeastern part of Bukhansan National Park. Like Insu-bong, it features high quality, granite climbing. Many consider Seninbong to have just as many, if not more quality crack routes than Insu-bong with fewer crowds. 

Lodging: You can stay in the area or anywhere in Seoul for a good balance of city and nature life. Stay near the 1 line if you are taking public transportation. 

Gear: Depends on how clean you want to climb (Seninbong is not as heavily bolted as Insu but still is for sure), but I would recommend at least a full rack of cams and some wide gear. 60m rope would suffice but a pull cord/tag line would be very useful. 

Getting There

For public transit, take the 1 line to Dobongsan train station (도봉산역), take the 1 exit, and make your way west towards Dobongsan/Senin-bong. If you're walking towards a huge, beautiful, granite peak that looks like the pictures uploaded, you're going the right way :)

If you are accessing by car, type in Dobongsan Public Parking Lot (도봉산공영주차장) in your Naver Maps to get to the base of the approach trail. Park here and start your journey. Note: the parking lot is kind of expensive (I think 2 or 3,000 won for 1 hour, half price for compact cars) and I have not found an alternative parking spot to date. After racking up, pass by the plethora of outdoor gear stores, street food carts and hiking gear shops to the base of the main trail. There are many ways to the base of Seninbong, but to get to the left most routes of Senin-bong towards the routes 'Leopard' and 'Bat', I navigated up the trail towards '석굴암'. At one point there will be a big fork in the road and it'll seem like going left is the more direct route, but stay right towards the direction of 석굴암. You will cross a river bed, pass by a ranger station on the left with bathrooms, and go up the route with many stairs. Towards the end, take the stairs towards temple and take a climbers path right before the first building. There are some black rubber water pipes and worn rock as a marker (see pictures). Scramble your way up and you will soon be in front of the staging area.

Routes from Left to Right

5.10b/c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 1
Corner Crack(코너크랙)
Trad
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 1
Ascent (어센트길)
Trad 4 pitches
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 4
Leopard (표범)
Trad 6 pitches
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Corner Crack(코너크랙)
 1
5.10b/c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Trad
Ascent (어센트길)
 1
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad 4 pitches
Leopard (표범)
 4
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Trad 6 pitches

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

A visual diagram of Senin-bong, with the routes 'Leopard' and "Bat' furthest left.
[Hide Photo] A visual diagram of Senin-bong, with the routes 'Leopard' and "Bat' furthest left.
Picture of Senin-bong from the Dobongsan parking lot.
[Hide Photo] Picture of Senin-bong from the Dobongsan parking lot.
8. You've arrived. The X is where you would be coming from the approach. To the left of the flake is the start of the route 'Leopard', the left most multipitch route on this face of Senin-bong.
[Hide Photo] 8. You've arrived. The X is where you would be coming from the approach. To the left of the flake is the start of the route 'Leopard', the left most multipitch route on this face of Senin-bong.
7. To the right is to the temple. You should see a deer/climber's path to the LEFT. Scramble up a rough path. You'll see some fixed lines to help you go up. You're a few minutes to the base!
[Hide Photo] 7. To the right is to the temple. You should see a deer/climber's path to the LEFT. Scramble up a rough path. You'll see some fixed lines to help you go up. You're a few minutes to the base!
5/6. More stairs...
[Hide Photo] 5/6. More stairs...
5/6. Up the stairs we go...
[Hide Photo] 5/6. Up the stairs we go...
1. At this point, you have passed the shops and the street food to the start of the approach. If you think it looks too flat, don't worry. The uphill part of the approach is coming up ;)
[Hide Photo] 1. At this point, you have passed the shops and the street food to the start of the approach. If you think it looks too flat, don't worry. The uphill part of the approach is coming up ;)
4. Go up the pathway that directs you to '석굴암'.
[Hide Photo] 4. Go up the pathway that directs you to '석굴암'.
3. Unsure if this pic was taken on the way down or up. Regardless, if you see a ranger station with bathrooms as you see on the left side of the picture, you're going the right way.
[Hide Photo] 3. Unsure if this pic was taken on the way down or up. Regardless, if you see a ranger station with bathrooms as you see on the left side of the picture, you're going the right way.
2. When you get here turn right.
[Hide Photo] 2. When you get here turn right.