Hike Korea

Hike Korea Hike Korea specializes in Korean Mountains. North and South. It conducts independent guided tours and guided hikes to achieve this.

Hike Korea is a foreign owned travel company registered in Korea that specialize's in highlighting for visitor's to Korea its more unique attractions outside its urban districts. These are its mountainous and rural treasure's that include its numerous mountain trails, natural beauty, and Korea's indigenous links to its ancient terrain. Please visit the trails page to view some its products. Hike K

orea also meets independent and customized travel inquiries. Hike Korea also conducts cultural research and travel promotion through photography, media and writing. Its core philosophy is to brand Korea's image to the world as a travel destination of unique and intriguing discovery. Hike Korea emphasizes strongly the link Korea has with its ancient mountain culture and uses this as its foundation for its empirical studies and tours. Its long term goal is to one day see most of Korea’s wonderful cultural and historical attractions interconnected by a series of national trails that pass through mountains, rivers, valleys, villages, and cities. Hike Korea is the only travel company in Korea that reaches out to all corners of the peninsula. Hike Korea also publishes English books and photographic essays on Korea's unique mountain culture and is deeply involved in cross-cultural exchange between North and South Korea. It's owner Roger Shepherd has traveled many times to DPRK and self-published photo-art books displaying Korea's mountainous terrain from the North and South. He has exhibited his work in Pyongyang and Seoul and works closely with relevant ministries in North and South Korea. His work is well received by the Korean communities on the peninsula and around the world.

Peaks of North & South Korea art project 남북봉우리의 프로젝트. Twelve peaks were drawn in and to be printed onto a 2026 calen...
16/07/2025

Peaks of North & South Korea art project 남북봉우리의 프로젝트. Twelve peaks were drawn in and to be printed onto a 2026 calendar #달력 and some heavy ply cotton teeshirts. These designs are by Rogerio Pastor, a time traveler. The Northern ones are modeled from original oil paintings which Pastor painted when in the late Silla dynasty. The Southern ones from his pilgrimage on the Baekdu-daegan. They all took many weeks. What appeared as simple line drawings in the beginning became higher detailed as they got prepared for a printing medium. An interesting digital experiment. I can say there is quite a process in outputting files properly for print. I learn more about that all the time.
In the end, Art is a kind of expression. It is with the paint brush that I still toil that. As we enter a new period of inter-Korean relations we see there are several more obstacles to overcome. Even if ya thought it was tough in the pre-covid period, it is even tougher now. But in a way, the only door probably ajar still with the North, is the one with the South. I bet.
Connecting Korea without a border through art is something I’ve been imagining since corona. This project will go online through in August. All work #남북봉우리프로젝트 #남북통일 #백두대간 #로저셰퍼드 #남북아트

In July 2018, I made a one week visit to the Paektu plateau in North Korea to investigate a possible route for back pack...
11/07/2025

In July 2018, I made a one week visit to the Paektu plateau in North Korea to investigate a possible route for back packers. We used the Partisan trails. These trails and camps were used by the Korean communist revolutionists that fought the Japanese in these regions of Korea in the 1930s. They were recovered in the 1960s and are used as pilgrimages for Koreans all over North Korea. #남북통일
#백두고원 #간백산 #하이크코리아

Jirisan 2N/3D Traverse: Misako is a 77-year old Japanese lady from Kyoto. I don’t get many, if any Japanese clients. I d...
12/06/2025

Jirisan 2N/3D Traverse: Misako is a 77-year old Japanese lady from Kyoto. I don’t get many, if any Japanese clients. I don’t know them that well. She couldn’t speak English and had a little bit of Korean. I can’t speak any Japanese, and as the guide, lugging weight on a hot stuffy ridge, I won’t try to learn any either. We’ll get by. I learnt, she had started hiking about seven years ago, when her husband became ill and put in a hospice. They had no children. She wasn’t confident about her strength or pace, but she walked very well on her traverse across Jirisan.

Misako was a quiet, cautious and conservative person you might say. Somewhat stereotypical of a post WWII generation from Japan, I'd imagine? She was also kindly with a good sense of humor. She could say in good English if she was feeling tired and hungry.

I found out on day 2, that she wasn’t keen on walking the next morning, in the dark up to the sunrise, from Cheonwangbong 1915m. She told me she had never walked in the dark before and was afraid of stumbling and of other hikers brushing by. Jiri is pretty gnarly terrain. You’d call it falling I guess, and breaking something at her age. I told her she should still try, because it will be totally worth it and Korean hikers are very respectful on the trails. She had seen that by now.

On the last morning, we started at 3.45am and she walked well and easily up to the summit 1915m, in more superb weather. With a small bunch of other Korean hikers, who we had walked the ridge with for the last three days, Misako got to participate in a unique Korean mountain tradition. A sunrise from Cheonwangbong, the highest peak on mainland South Korea. Maybe her first mountain top sunrise ever.

Misako got to participate in a unique Korean mountain tradition. A sunrise from Cheonwangbong, the highest peak on mainl...
12/06/2025

Misako got to participate in a unique Korean mountain tradition. A sunrise from Cheonwangbong, the highest peak on mainland South Korea. Maybe her first mountain top sunrise ever.

During the long steep walk down to Jungsanri, we stopped at 1400m to visit the idyllic Beopgyesa temple. She took an interest in the history of the Japanese invasions of Korea (13th and 15th centuries). Beopgyesa, has good recordings of this history at their temple. This included modern history occupation (1910-1945) and the iron spikes that were impaled at Beopgyesa to puncture Koreas precious pungsu-jiri, or Geomancy. Beopgyesa, also gave me an opportunity to show her what I meant by mountain spirits, as Koreas sanshin is well revered there.

After we ate a healthy Jirisan san-chae bibimbap at Jungsanri, I showed her the nearby Partisan Museum. These are the Koreans that fought guerrilla warfare against the occupying Japanese which after her 1945 liberation grew into a resistance movement against South Koreas first presidents, Rhee Syngman and Park Chung Hee. I haven’t been back here for a few years, and it was great to see this old designed complex in well kept condition. For a no-entrance fee museum, its grounds and halls are charming. Misako was impressed by the amount of respect the Koreans had even for a diverse part of their modern history.

There was one more thing I wanted to show Misako. We drove to Cheonwangsa. I have not had a chance to be here for a few years either. I was curious to note that the site now seems unmanaged and last used for annual festivals. It is hard for visitors to Jungsanri to even know if Cheonwangsa exists - it being tucked away over a curvy hill behind the village. But there is an unaccepted national treasure there. At Cheonwangsa is a very old undated green statue of what they think is the Mother God of Korea, Mago-halmi. Its a five-thousand year old story, much more! Mago-halmi seemed even older than that now, in the unused shelter.

I drove Misako to her guesthouse in Jinju. I reminded her to think of three things about Jirisan. Mago Halmi, Sanshin, and the Partisans.

In the year 2017, I went to North Korea twice to explore sections of the Baekdu-daegan. It was a total of 10 weeks in-co...
07/06/2025

In the year 2017, I went to North Korea twice to explore sections of the Baekdu-daegan. It was a total of 10 weeks in-country. In May to early June I was in the Kangwondo and Phyongannamdo provinces. The topography was similar to the south. It would make sense that. But there were less roads and they were unsealed. There were no convenience stores or anywhere to buy food. We carried canned food, rice, dry foods like biscuits and nuts. Most days we could get fresh vegetables from our local guide or locals. Occasionally we ate meat. Freshly slaughtered duck or piglet. We drove as far deep into the Baekdu-daegan we could. The end of a rocky lane. Set up camp and next morning walked up to a peak of the Baekdu-daegan. We would spend the whole day hiking. Only the local really knowing where to go. Using our (2008) topo-maps printed in South Korea, to keep us orientated. We'd return to the campsite and vehicle, wash in the stream, cook and eat dinner and then smoke and drink around the campfire.

A great day out with Mike and Kath from Florida, who are on a long tour of Asia. Their daughter Amanda and her husband E...
03/06/2025

A great day out with Mike and Kath from Florida, who are on a long tour of Asia. Their daughter Amanda and her husband Ethan are working in Korea and joined us for a glimpse of western Jirisan for a day. We managed to stay relatively dry. The Guryong Pokpo trail was magical in the early summer rain. Chur.

Started day two with my guests from Australia 🇦🇺 with a sunrise trip to Nogodan 1505m in Jirisan. After that we went bac...
27/05/2025

Started day two with my guests from Australia 🇦🇺 with a sunrise trip to Nogodan 1505m in Jirisan. After that we went back to our hotel and rest a little, before departing for Goheung. We hiked over the eight peaks of Palyeongsan. It was pretty tiring. The weather was warm with a deceptive high humidity that hid in thin zephyrs that came up the valleys. But a great walk. We drive to Beolgyo and checked into the Beolgyo Business Hotel. Ate a delicious bbq pork belly dinner in the township. Tomorrow off to Wolchulsan. Chur Chur.

Kumgangsan, October 2012금강산, 내금강산, 10월 2012년. #금강산 #내금강산 #상팔담 #온정령 #묘길상 #보도암 #북한
25/05/2025

Kumgangsan, October 2012
금강산, 내금강산, 10월 2012년.
#금강산 #내금강산 #상팔담 #온정령 #묘길상 #보도암 #북한

Had a great time this weekend with students from on their 1N/2D backpack of Baekasan and Ongseongsan in Hwasun county, ...
19/05/2025

Had a great time this weekend with students from on their 1N/2D backpack of Baekasan and Ongseongsan in Hwasun county, Jeollanamdo. It was the second group this month. They are participating for the adventurous journey part of their bronze medal level for the . The program is designed to take them out of the classroom and into projects where their thinking skills become more inter-connected by working with others. In this case with the enjoyments and stresses of backpacking in nature with your peers. In other circumstances it can be getting involved with local communities, science projects and more.
There was a deluge of rain the night before the hike started. Fortunately, it had ceased by the morning, and the three separate groups took off into the wet hills. By the end of the day, the weather was clearer and they had a dry campsite around the woodfire. The next day, May 18, a big day in the Gwangju, Jeollado area, the weather was likely the best day of the year. Sunny with a cool breeze. The hydrated forests sparkled and the overhead sky was cobalt blue. The groups completed their walks on time, and departed back to Jeju on an afternoon flight from Gwangju.
#백아산 #백아산하늘다리 #옹성산 #옹성산출렁다리 #하이크코리아 #로저셰퍼드

Had a great time this weekend with students from on their 1N/2D backpack of Baekasan and Ongseongsan in Hwasun county, ...
18/05/2025

Had a great time this weekend with students from on their 1N/2D backpack of Baekasan and Ongseongsan in Hwasun county, Jeollanamdo. It was the second group this month. They are participating for the adventurous journey part of their bronze medal level for the . The program is designed to take them out of the classroom and into projects where their thinking skills become more inter-connected by working with others. In this case with the enjoyments and stresses of backpacking in nature with your peers. In other circumstances it can be getting involved with local communities, science projects and more.
There was a deluge of rain the night before the hike started. Fortunately, it had ceased by the morning, and the three separate groups took off into the wet hills. By the end of the day, the weather was clearer and they had a dry campsite around the woodfire. The next day, May 18, a big day in the Gwangju, Jeollado area, the weather was likely the best day of the year. Sunny with a cool breeze. The hydrated forests sparkled and the overhead sky was cobalt blue. The groups completed their walks on time, and departed back to Jeju on an afternoon flight from Gwangju.

Kodaesan 1766m 고대산 of the Baekdu Mountain Range #백두대간 in North Korea. Located between Sinheung and Bujon in the provinc...
15/05/2025

Kodaesan 1766m 고대산 of the Baekdu Mountain Range #백두대간 in North Korea. Located between Sinheung and Bujon in the province of Hamkyongnamdo. We stayed with staff at the Partisan camp #밀영 located at the top of a valley on the slopes of Kodaesan. The site was once a hideout for anti-Japanese fighters during the 1930s and into WWII. With their staple foods, they grew vegetables and took fresh water from the stream. They cooked in hearths, and on one night we did eat dog meat and drink acorn soju while listening to our ruddy faced local guide tell us stores about being chased by bears and tactics to evade them. They would hunt bear more actively in the period of when he was younger. He said the paws were the best bit to eat. There is always female staff at the camps. They are called partisan camp stewards. They guide groups who come from all over North Korea to see the revolutionary sites of Koreas freedom fighters. They are called mil-yong 밀영 (secret camp). With little electricity, the nights are dark and real here. Peaceful. The steward sang a song on her guitar. Her voice imbued the air and the forest listened silently. July 2012.
See my site of North Korea images in my biolink.

On day two of the backpacking adventurous journey for bronze medal, the weather was glorious. Although one couldn't se...
12/05/2025

On day two of the backpacking adventurous journey for bronze medal, the weather was glorious. Although one couldn't see as far as they might on a perfect day, the sky and light was typical spring after a rain. The greens illuminated in the forests, and the air was cool and fresh. The course starts with a tough 90min climb up a rocky spur to the ridge that connects you to Baekasan 817m. It involves a steep ascent with ropes to pull up on. They did it at their own pace that managed for everyone to get to the ridge. From the ridge the sun was shining in wispy clouds of white. A cool wind kept us in good condition. Baekasan had a small crowd on it. It was a Sunday and it is a beautiful mountain tucked in the back of a local county. They took the ridge from there to the sky-bridge and a bit of a wind still hung around enough to make it rattle. Nothing compared to yesterdays gale on the Ongseongsan skybridge to nowhere. It was a scurry down the gentle descent to the village of Won-ri where the adventurous journey ended for this group. The other two groups had finished on the southern side of the course. They had passed over Baekasan yesterday in a gale. Hike Korea hosts adventurous backpacking journeys for schools registered in the International Duke of Edinburgh Award Program. Chur.





#백아산
#화순군
#전라남도

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