Fully Enjoying the Spring of Mt. Baekdu in the Heaven of Wild Flowers

Mt. Baekdu trekking, that is, walking the grassy plains around the crater lake of Mt. Baekdu covered with wild flowers and the plains of the alpine flower gardens, will begin in China west side of the crater lake. Unlike the east side which can be reached only by the four-wheel-drive automobiles, the west side of the crater lake is a gentle hill where one can trek. This place is 1800-2400 meter above sea level. Spring comes here in June. Around June, yellow alpine roses start to blossom after a long harsh winter, and covers the whole hill under the west side of the crater lake. The attraction of the trekking in the west side of the crater lake is to walk around, while watching the blossomed wild flowers covering the grassy plains ranged from the peak of the crater lake to the ridgeline of the Chungsukbong from which the crater lake is viewed at a glance. Anybody can climb the hill as the slope is gentle. This is the only wild flower trekking course to witness the beauty of Mt. Baekdu.

There are other trekking courses; Oeiryunbong trekking, starting at the west side of Chungsukbong, is to tour the 5 related ridgelines toward North while looking down the crater lake on the right side. Alpine flower garden trekking is to tour the Kumgang canyon, which is called `Korean Grand Canyon` due to its eccentric lava features, and the alpine lake called Wangji. Then, it tours the unexplored Kumgang waterfalls.

Tour packages: Outdoor 7 (02-2285-5322) (1) Wild Flower Trekking (5 nights 6 days). Depart on July 4 & 13. Cost: 1.08 million won. (2) Oeiryunbong Trekking (4 nights 5 days) Depart every Thursday beginning on August 2 (nonstop between Seoul and Yenji). Cost: 1.2 million won. www.outdoor7.co.kr

Baeksan (02-725-2744) (1) Wild Flower Trekking (3 nights 4 days) Depart on July 6. Cost 960,000 won. (2) Wild Flower Trekking (5 nights 6 days). Depart on July 6. Cost: 1.08 million won. (3) Oeiryunbong Trekking (4 nights 5 days). Depart on July 12. Cost: 1.02 million won.

Cho Seong-Ha summer@donga.com