Stairway to (my own personal) Heaven

Disclaimer: this post has a lot of photos.

I love fall. I love the leaves, I love the smell, I love the food, I love the skies, I love EVERYTHING. I love wearing scarves again after our summer separation, I love bundling, I love crunching leaves on the sidewalk, I love how invigorated I feel just walking outside. I love wearing a sweatshirt and cupping a warm mug of something delicious. I meant 'everything' just now when I said it. Seriously.

So you know how Korea's kind of been a challenge for me? Well, fall had definitely become this kind of idyllic future time that was coming and onto which I had to grasp and milk for all it was worth. And can I just say, I have done a better job of that this year than ever before I think. Exhibit A: my current feelings of NOSTALGIA towards my time here. Yes, nostalgia: "a wistful affection for the past; typically a period or place with happy personal associations." That takes some serious doing, and I did it. :) Well, me, my friends, and some epically wonderful weather and fun in the past few weeks. :)

I think I can best sum it up in some of my hikes. The hiking season started off with Seoraksan, Korea's main mountain. I knew this mountain had some pretty serious stairs to conquer near the top (serious to the tune of 808 metal stairs at the top of an already pretty vertical ascent), but it definitely kicked my butt more than I expected:

a small portion of the climb... did I mention it rained on the way down?

Did I also mention there was hardly any view at the top because of said rain? Oh, Korea.

Anyway, I kind of assumed that after that mountain, none other would live up to the same standard of stair steepness and severity (oh yeah alliteration). 

False. Every mountain since then has contained some form of quad-killing upward movement. 

These stairs are nothing compared to the Seoraksan ones, but the rest of the hike just outside Gwangju was pretty rocky and intense.

The view of my city from Mudeungsan was much better than the last hike, though. :)

Wolchulsan National Park was next. I was excited for this hike because it lead to a suspension bridge dubbed, "Cloud Bridge." There's only one way for that to end: awesomely.

RIGHT?! sweet.

However, this hike contained more haphazard ways of climbing than I've ever encountered. From ropes, to huge metal staples in boulders, to logs bolted to rocks, to some of the skinniest steps ever, this hike was not for the casual hiker:

Look as Kate disappears backwards down the stairs... forwards was not an option on these puppies.

This past weekend I hiked Gyeryongsan near Daejeon with some friends, and true to Korean form, it threw some pretty intense upward climbs at us. The thing is, though... I realized that I love that about these Korean mountains. I love that they don't mess around; they send you straight up the mountain with very little assistance, and you feel awesome for having made it to the top.

WAIT A MINUTE! THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LIFE-TEACHING MOMENT.

It is. I'm learning here, people. As is to be expected with me, it took me a while to realize this, but at least I know it now: I like being challenged. I can appreciate hurting, regrouping, and feeling awesome on the other side. So while these mountain weekends I've been having may have been hard on my legs and lungs sometimes, Korea's been hard on my heart, soul, and mind. And check it out: I made it through. And now I'm stronger. And that is what I want my life to always be like.

And now for your enjoyment, some wonderful views I've taken in:

I kind of died inside when I saw this tree.

One of the peaks we climbed on Gyeryongsan

Another view from Gyeryongsan

The random Korean hikers we always meet are half of the fun!

JUMP! on Mudeungsan... and accidentally on a grave.

This was more of a stroll than a hike, but walking around the outside of Namhansanseong Fortress was looovely.