At any time of the year, Mt. Dorak San is "picture perfect." How will it look if multicolored autumnal tints are added to this landscape. Mt. Dorak San towers high to the left if visitors travel from the new urban district of Danyang in the direction of Mungyeong. The 964m high mountain is home to the famous "Eight Beautiful Scenes of Danyang" that the climber will behold on the route up the mountain designated as Mt. Worak-San National Park.
They include: Sangson-am Rock; Chungson-am Rock; Hason-am Rock; Sain-am Rock; the stone gate of Todam-Sambong; Kudam-bong Peak, and Oksun-bong Peak. Given such an abundance of natural beauty, all of it easily accessible, a one-night stay is recommended. This mountain is comparatively less known because the celebrated Mt. Sobak-San and Mt. Worak- San lie a very short distance away.
However, Mt. Dorak San is a very special mountain whose scenery is spectacular. Because there are no amenities in the vicinity of Mt. Dorak San, it is desirable for climbers to prepare sufficient water and food before beginning their ascent. There are several paths up a mountain, but the general public uses the path that begins and ends at the Sangson-am Rock resting place. (The 8km trek to the summit and back takes 4 hours and 30 minutes to 5 hours). The starting point of the path to the summit is Sangson-am Rock resting place. The path splits into the two courses: one to the left of Sangson-am Rock and one to the right. The two paths crisscross on their way to Shinsun-bong Peak and neither presents any difficulty to the climber.
The ascent to the summit begins from Shinsun-bong Peak and thence to Hyung-bong Peak. The descent reveals the looming Mt. Worak San in autumnal tints. A bonus of climbing on Mt. Dorak San is the spectacle of the fantastically shaped rocks and stones of the valley at Sain-am Rock one passes on the way to Daegang-myon from Gasan-ri plus Choong Joo Lake.
[Information]
Website: www.danyang.chungbuk.kr
Inquiries: Danyang Tourism Office (Tel: 043-422-1146) Worak-San National Park Office Danyang branch office (Tel: 043-422-5062)
How to get there by car
Take the Jungang Expressway to Danyang IC. Then take the direction toward Danyang along National Road No. 5. At Danseong, take National Road No. 36, then turn left at the T-junction at Bukha. From the direction of Mungyeong, take National Road No. 59, then make a left at the T-junction at Jungbang arriving at Sangson-am Rock resting place
Accommodation
Danyang Tourism Hotel, Daemyung Condo plus inns, motels and lodgings at private residences in the vicinity of Sangson-am Rock.
(Source: Korea National Tourism Organization)