A novice’s day bouldering on Mt. Gwanak

SEOUL — The morning was cool and crisp. The clouds were low, but light and inviting. It didn’t matter that I was up much earlier than usual; today was my first bouldering experience and I was chomping at the bit.

It began like many others, with a taxi ride to the subway which was much like a ride in the passenger seat of an F1 car (I know, they only have one seat) and a sleepy journey on the subway. Couples were going for coffee and your regular gaggle of hikers was prepping for the day ahead. I heard from one hiker that two old fellas had already cracked open a bottle of soju. The perfect start to a day in the mountains.   

Now I’m not going to lie to you, I was nervous. I have only been climbing for a few months. I’d also never tried bouldering, which is so very different from scaling walls with supportive ropes. I knew the climbing scene here in Seoul and Korea, in general, was legit and I was going to struggle to not look the fool.

The contact I’d had with members of the facebook group Korea Climbing CalendAr and KOTR was encouraging, though. My girlfriend (also a novice on the rocks) and I met some of the group members at Gwacheon Station at 9 a.m. and we headed up the mountain.

After a 15-minute trundle up the trail we were at the first of three bouldering areas. Our group turned a few heads. We were carrying 50 or so bouldering pads up the hill like a colony of worker ants. The hikers clearly thought some sort of cult gathering was occurring. How right they were. The bouldering areas were mapped out and explained by Sungjae Lee and the ClimbMonster club. There were 65 “problems” (climber speak for challenging routes) here of varying degrees of difficulty.

The setting was fantastic. We were essentially spending the day exploring a dry riverbed. The clouds were starting to break and everyone started gearing up.

What followed was a collaboration of Korean and expat climbers, men and women, all trying to complete the routes. Whenever anyone completed the route they were given a round of applause by the crowd of onlookers that had gathered.

The climbing itself was challenging; near impossible for me. OK, let’s take a step back. I don’t have the climber’s body yet. I’ve worked hard sculpting my beer gut over the years and although my arms are pretty long, they are not strong. I thought having ape arms would be beneficial today; turns out you need a little more finesse. But none of this was going to stop me having a go.

If I made one good decision that day, it was to not even entertain the idea of attempting the “highball” routes. These are routes that are borderline stupid, or so they appeared to me. In reality they are routes that are, like the name suggests, higher than normal. One route was so high that people were climbing alongside bolts on the wall, you know, the ones that are there for safely ascending the rock with ropes. Fair play to the guys and girls having a go. I was going to be keeping much closer to the ground. Although I wasn’t able to complete many of the problems, I thoroughly enjoyed trying.

There was an element of competitiveness, too.  If you created a new route, or “first ascended” one, you were allowed to name it. We also had a challenge going to see who could climb a particular sloping boulder, without using hands. Told you those ape arms were useless.

Despite everyone pushing themselves on the rocks, it was only after a few hours that it became clear what was really happening. In this foreign land, in what for many was a new area of the city, a community was forming. The climbing became an excuse, a reason to get together and share stories and tips, and to work together for a common goal. David, from Sacramento, summed it up: “The climbing community in any locale is only as strong as its members permit, and that means that if we all put in a little effort we can enjoy each others’ company that much more, and do something good for the local climbing spirit.”

Although climbing is often considered an introspective activity, days like this are different. We met new people, learned about new climbing spots and challenged ourselves. My initial fears were unfounded. Everyone was willing to offer their advice and never once made me feel the fool I thought I was.

The event was organised by Sungjae Lee and his team.  If you are interested in climbing in Korea, visit the website www.koreaontherocks.com, join the facebook group “Korea Climbing CalendAr,” or come to the film festival “Reel Rock Tour.” The international festival, which is stopping by Seoul on December 10, will showcase new adventure films. It will be held at the SETEC International Auditorium at Hangnyeoul Station. Adidas is an official partner for the event; other sponsors include Kolon Sport, Mad Rock, Arcteryx, Evolve, Beastmaker, Sanirang.net, Coca-Cola and Didimdol.