Surfing on the ice
A snowboarder jumps over a structure on the side of the slope located at the top of the mountain at the High 1 Resort in Jeongseon, Gangwon Province. The round tower is the revolving mountain top restaurant called “Top of the Top.” / Courtesy of High 1 Resort
By Yun Suh-young
Snow-struck was the word to describe the winter this season.
The heavy snowfall recorded in December last year was greater than the total amount of snow that fell the previous year.
Along with the snow, the nation was hit by a sudden cold spell. The weather was unusually cold, unlike the moderate winter temperatures that had steadily moved up and down the thermometer for the past few years.
The weather conditions last month may have been too cold for those who wanted to enjoy winter sports such as skiing or snowboarding. But not to worry ― the cold spell will subside by the end of this week, allowing sports goers to embark on a real winter sports journey.
A delightful addition is the abundant snow that has beautifully decorated the terrain. The ski slopes at ski resorts will have plentiful additions of snow making the slopes more powdery thanks to Mother Nature.
Where to ski
There are a total of 19 ski resorts across the nation.
Among them, High 1 Resort and the Yongpyong Resort are the biggest and most popular. Both are located in Gangwon Province.
A major reason for their popularity is attributed to the amount of snow in the region. Gangwon Province is a mountainous region with plenty of snow during the wintertime.
High 1 Resort is located in Jeongseon. It takes about three hours by car to get there from Seoul.
It has a total of 18 slopes that span over 21 kilometers.
The resort has adopted a convenient ticket system this season where there are different ticketing lines for locals and foreigners. Skiers can also line up by their choice of slope. There is a separate line for refund tickets and also an information line. The system has dramatically reduced the waiting time for ticket buyers.
The ski resort also has a beginner-friendly slope created at the top of the mountain. This is a revolutionary change for amateur skiers who were only able to practice around the beginner’s slope located at the lowest point of the mountain. Beginners can now also enjoy great mountain scenery from the mountain top.
More good news for beginners is that there are professional ski instructors who will be providing free lessons at the beginner’s slope.
At the mountain top, there is a revolving restaurant where skiers can enjoy Western food as well as coffee and tea. The restaurant offers beautiful views.
Another place to enjoy views is in the guestrooms. The ski slopes can be viewed from rooms at the Mountain Condominium which lies at the bottom of the ski slopes. Also, the Convention Hotel which is several minutes away also has floor to ceiling windows to enjoy the outside view.
For more information, call 1588-7789.
The Yongpyong Resort is located a little further away in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, and takes a little longer to get there than to the High 1 Resort. Pyeongchang is where the 2018 Winter Olympics will be held.
The Yongpyong Resort is the oldest among the ski resorts as it celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. It is known to have the best quality snow. It has 28 slopes which span over 29 kilometers.
Getting there without a car may become easier as the resort has expanded the number of bus stops in the Seoul and Gyeonggi region. There is also a shuttle bus that operates six times a week.
For more information, call 1588-0009.
A view of the U-shaped Joyang River and Bamsum, an island-shaped mountain surrounded by the river, from the Skywalk located 600 meters up the Mt. Byeongbang. Visitors can see what lies beneath them through the glass deck of the Skywalk which stretches out from the mountain cliff. / Korea Times photo by Yun Suh-young
What else to enjoy
When visiting Gangwon Province, try visiting the Skywalk located near the top of the Byeongbang Mountain.
The Skywalk is a glass deck which stretches out from the mountain cliff. Visitors can see what lies beneath them as they walk on it. Looking down may be a frightening experience, however, for those who have acrophobia.
But the view over the mountain and Joyang River ahead is a great spectacle so it’s worth gulfing down the fear and taking a try. The river flows in a big U-shape and is often featured on post cards and television advertisements.
Like the name itself implies, it’s meant to make you feel like you’re walking on the sky.
Another attraction is the Zip-wire that carries people to the bottom of the mountain. The Zip-wire is a cable with harnessed seating travelling at a speed determined by wind speed and the weight of the person on it. It feels like riding on a ski lift, only downwards and faster.
It takes about two minutes to slide down to the base from 607 meters up the mountain. It moves at speeds from 70 to 120 kilometers per hour depending on the weight of the person riding it. It operates all-year long except when it rains or snows. It’s also closed on Mondays.
The price of entering the Skywalk deck is 5,000 won for adults and it costs 40,000 won per ride to experience the zip-wire.
For more information on Skywalk and zip-wire, call 033-563-4100.
Other Ski Resorts
In Gangwon Province
Daemyung Vivaldi Park
The Daemyung Vivaldi Park is located in Hongcheon. It takes about two and a half hours to get there by car from Seoul. The resort, however, operates nonstop shuttle buses from Seoul which takes visitors directly to the resort. There are 16 shuttle buses for different regions and are provided for free.
For more information, call 1588-4888.
Phoenix Park
The Phoenix Park is also located in Pyeongchang. Because the region is where the 2018 Winter Olympics will be held, the ski resort offers special courses where visitors can have an Olympic Games simulation experience.
For more information, call 1577-0069.
Elysian Gangchon
The resort is in Chuncheon and is closer to Seoul than other ski resorts in Gangwon Province. Because of this advantage, it operates shuttle buses even late at night and at dawn. It offers a special late night package this season.
For more information, call 033-260-2000.
Alpensia Resort
Alpensia is also located in Pyeongchang. Its condominiums are European style and its hotels are first class. The resort is one of the newest ski resorts in the nation.
It offers a 50 percent discount on late night lifts and 50 percent more discount if you’re a Gangwon Province resident.
For more information, call 033-339-0302.
In other regions
Konjiam Resort
The Konjiam Resort is located in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, which is closer to Seoul than Gangwon Province. The resort lets in only a limited number of people per slope to increase skier comfort and safety. It offers efficient and convenient rental services for skiers. The rented equipment can be picked up at the slope so that skiers don’t have to carry the heavy equipment around. It also operates a concierge service which picks up skiers from the parking lot to the ski house.
For more information, call 1661-8787.
Muju Deogyusan Resort
The resort is located within the Deogyusan National Park in Muju, North Jeolla Province. It takes about three and a half hours to get there by car from Seoul.
The resort has the most diverse slopes out of the ski resorts as well as having one of the steepest.
For non-skiers, taking a gondola to the mountain top can be an alternative experience.
For more information, call 063-322-9000.