Hallasan / Seongpanak and Gwaneumsa trails / Sara Oreum / Jeju island, South Korea / 한라산, 성판악 탐방로, 관음사 탐방로

Hallasan
Hallasan is a massive shield volcano on Jeju Island and the highest mountain in South Korea (1947m). A large crater over 400 m in diameter tops the volcano. You will see the Baengnokdam crater lake on the top If you are lucky with the weather. In my case, it was dry since it was autumn. About 360 parasitic cones are found on the volcano's flanks. While following this route you will see one of them - Sara Oreum.

Seongpanak and Gwaneumsa trails
You will climb by the Seongpanak trail and will go down by the Gwaneumsa trail. As a result, you will be able to enjoy both trails. It is the most popular route to climb the volcano. The Seongpanak trail has two shelters on the way - Sokbat shelter and Jindallaebat shelter. Important - there is a checkpoint next to the Jindallaebat shelter. It will be closed after 12 p.m. (in November and winter) to make sure that everyone returns before sunset. So make sure you reach this shelter in time. I heard that in summer it is closed after 14 PM but I cannot confirm.

Technical difficulty
I mark the trail as easy. It is just a long 19 km walk with a significant elevation gain of 1260 m. The are no climbs, scrambling, walking on edges, no boulder hopping. You do not need a rope, helmet, etc. You can do, it if you have an ok fitness level, just take as many breaks as you need. I spent 6 hours in total on the trail, but 1 hour out of 6 hours I was waiting in a long queue to take a picture next to the milestone on the top. It requires 5 hours of non-stop hiking to finish, but some people need up to 12 hours for this route.

Access
There is a checkpoint at the trailhead where you should scan your QR code to pass. You can get a QR code at the following link https://visithalla.jeju.go.kr/. Make sure you do it several days in advance. It is free. This service is done to regulate the number of people on the mountain.

Parking and public transportation
You can park in a parking lot next to a visitor center. Coordinates are 33.384859, 126.620015. It should be noted that when I arrived (about 7 AM) the parking lot was full. I was told to park my car next to Jeju International University at 33.438888, 126.569301and take a bus N281. It is about a 15-20 min journey one way. So be ready. I have attached a bus schedule of the Jeju International University bus stop to the first waypoint pictures. Buses go every 10-15 mins.

Gear
It significantly depends on the season. For the end of October / the beginning of November, I would say you need:
1) High-cut hiking shoes
2) 2+ liters of water, electrolytes
3) fleece jacket
4) windbreaker
5) gloves and a warm hat

Hiking basics
- I grade all routes based on technical difficulty only. Stamina requirement is inferred from distance and elevation gain information.
- While passing local settlements, do not make any noise.
- Do not leave any trash on trails.
- Take a headlamp and a power bank to charge your phone.