Guide2026 Jirisan Hwadae Overnight Traverse Fail – I Have to Come Back Again...
A honest account of attempting the Jirisan Hwadae overnight traverse on June 27, 2026 — from Hwaeomsa to Daewonsa. Hypothermia, wrong turns, bonking, and a bailout at Jungsan-ri. A real failure log with tips for next time.
Standing at Nogodan Pass watching the sun rise, my chest swelled with emotion. I had no idea that feeling was the price of a 3:38 AM departure. Hypothermia, a wrong turn, bonking, and a bailout at Jungsan-ri. This is not a success story. This is a brutal failure log.
📋 Hwadae Overnight Traverse: Basic Info
[Hwaeomsa Trailhead]
📍 Hwaeomsa Parking
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Date | June 27, 2026 |
| Route | Hwaeomsa → (Daewonsa target) → Bailout at Jungsan-ri |
| Distance | ~42km (bailout) |
| Time | 03:38 ~ 19:43 (~16 hrs 5 min) |
| Transport | Friend's car + car relocation service (110,000 KRW) |
| Pre-registration | Gurye County Office (20,000 KRW) |
📝 Preparation
Traverse Certification Registration
No certification, no point. Pre-registration with Gurye County Office is required, and the fee is 20,000 KRW (bank transfer). After registering, you'll receive a stamp booklet by mail. Stamp it at each shelter along the route to build an official record. Once you complete the Hwadae or Hwajung traverse, mail the booklet back to Gurye County to receive a completion medal. Installing the Blackyak BAC app is also recommended for on-trail certifications.
Gurye County Jirisan Traverse Registration: Link
Car Relocation Service
Since the trailhead (Hwaeomsa) and exit point (Daewonsa) are different, a car relocation service is essential. Book 3–4 days in advance. Cost: 110,000 KRW total — split two ways, that's 55,000 KRW each.
Car Relocation Service: Jirisan Hwadae Traverse Transport
Gear List
| Category | Items |
|---|---|
| Clothing | Vest/quiver, belt, trail running shoes, short sleeve, shorts, arm sleeves, calf sleeves, hat/buff |
| Water | 500ml soft flask × 2 |
| Safety | Headlamp, blinker, whistle, first aid kit (bandages, alcohol swabs, antibiotic cream, dressing pads, Tylenol, needle, etc.) |
| Nutrition | Energy gels, powdered meal, donuts, canned cola/energy drink, glucose tablets, fried chicken |
| Misc | Power bank/cable, handkerchief, wet wipes/tissues, gloves, poles, sunscreen, goggles, Vaseline, knee tape, trash bag |
| Certification | Stamp booklet, Blackyak BAC app |
| Post-hike | Change of clothes, towel, sandals |
🚗 Getting There: Transport Options
Since the start and end points are different, you need to plan your transport carefully.
🚌 Guided Hiking Bus
Pros
- Sleep on the bus during transit
- Drops you at the trailhead, waits at the exit
- Works solo (around 60,000 KRW)
Cons
- May be cancelled if not enough participants
- You're locked into their departure time
Available Services
| Name | Type | Link |
|---|---|---|
| The Alpine (좋은사람들) | Website | Visit |
| Daum Daily Hiking Club | Website | Visit |
| FairPlay | App | Search on App Store / Google Play |
| Alle | App | Search on App Store / Google Play |
🚗 Private Car
Pros
- Leave whenever you want, no time pressure
- Cost splits among group members
Cons
- Someone has to drive (fatigue)
- Fuel/charging cost
- Need car relocation service or taxi if start/end differ (110,000 KRW)
🚕 Taxi
Pros
- Splittable cost (approx. 110,000–130,000 KRW, better with more people)
Cons
- Doesn't relocate your car — extra travel time to/from trailhead
- More complicated logistics before and after the hike
My Choice
We drove in my friend's EV, then arranged the car relocation service (110,000 KRW). Split two ways: 55,000 KRW each. No fuel cost — we charged at Imsil and grabbed a 2-hour nap on the way.
⏱️ Segment Log
| Location | Clock Time | Segment | Cumulative | Certification | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hwaeomsa | 03:38 | Start | 0:00 | Blackyak Hwadae, Jirisan Traverse | ✗ |
| Nogodan Pass | 05:53 | 2:15 | 2:15 | Blackyak Baekdudaegan, Jirisan Traverse | ✗ |
| Imgeollyeong | 06:40 | 0:47 | 3:02 | Blackyak Hwadae | ✓ |
| Banyabong | 07:43 | 1:03 | 4:05 | Blackyak 100 Peaks | ✗ |
| Samdoobong | 08:43 | 1:00 | 5:05 | Blackyak Baekdudaegan | ✗ |
| Yeonhacheon Shelter | 10:39 | 1:56 | 7:01 | Blackyak Baekdudaegan, Jirisan Traverse | ✓ |
| Byeoksoryeong Shelter | 12:28 | 1:49 | 8:50 | Blackyak Hwadae, Jirisan Traverse | ✓ |
| Seonbisaem Spring | 13:30 | 1:02 | 9:52 | — | ✓ |
| Yeongshinbong | 15:06 | 1:36 | 11:28 | Blackyak Nangnam Ridge | ✗ |
| Seseok Shelter | 15:19 | 0:13 | 11:41 | Blackyak Baekdudaegan, Jirisan Traverse | ✓ |
| Jangteo Shelter | 17:03 | 1:44 | 13:25 | Jirisan Traverse | ✓ |
| Cheonwangbong | Bailed | — | — | Blackyak Hwadae | — |
| Chibatmok Shelter | Bailed | — | — | Blackyak Hwadae, Jirisan Traverse | — |
| Daewonsa | Bailed | — | — | Blackyak Hwadae, Jirisan Traverse | — |
| Jungsan-ri Visitor Center | 19:43 | 2:40 | 16:05 | Jirisan Traverse | — |
🌄 Hwaeomsa Departure – 3:38 AM, Already Too Late
Charged up at Imsil and napped for 2 hours in the car. Woke at 2 AM. Arrived at Hwaeomsa around 3:10 AM. Had a quick snack, used the restroom, and stamped the Blackyak Hwadae and Jirisan Traverse booklets.
Departed at 3:38 AM. Wearing trail running shoes, but since this wasn't a race, we decided to power walk rather than run. Headlamp on, moving steadily upward. The first 3km was flat. After that, the real climbing began.
💡 This was already a red flag. 3:38 AM is too late for this traverse. The general recommendation is a 1–3 AM start.
☀️ Nogodan Pass – Sunrise, Peak Condition
Passed several hikers who had started earlier. Reached Nogodan Shelter — it had been under construction the last time I visited, now fully built. Continued to Nogodan Pass at 05:53. Still feeling good this early in the day.
Stamped the Blackyak Baekdudaegan and Jirisan Traverse books. I had forgotten to stamp at Nogodan Shelter itself, but there was a stamp here too. Watched the sunrise briefly, then texted the driver to relocate the car to Daewonsa. Back on the move.
🥶 Imgeollyeong – The Start of Hypothermia
Gentle ups and downs led us to Imgeollyeong at 06:40. Descended to refill water.
Here came the first mistake. My friend soaked both clothing and arm sleeves with water. The mountain air was cool — it's still early summer — and the wet fabric caused a rapid drop in body temperature. Condition deteriorated noticeably.
On top of that, we forgot to stamp the Blackyak cert on the way up and had to backtrack. Trudged back down, got the stamp, and pushed on.
⛰️ Banyabong – Off-Route by 1km, Did It Anyway
Banyabong is not part of the official Hwadae traverse route. It's a ~2km round trip from Norumok with steep climbing that burns significant energy. Still, many hikers detour here specifically for the Blackyak 100 Peaks certification.
We dropped the vest at Norumok and went for it with just what we were carrying. The thinking: "I'm never coming back here, so let's finish this now."
Thought it would be quick since it was only 1km. Brutal steep grade. Four flights of deck stairs later, summit at 07:43.
❌ We should have turned back here. My friend already had hypothermia and a headache. The time and energy cost of the Banyabong detour was far greater than expected. But we got the 100 Peaks stamp... so half a point for that.
Back down to Norumok. Gave my friend Tylenol and wrapped them in a rain jacket to stabilize body temperature.
🪜 Samdoobong – Not Power Walking. Just Walking.
Rested for a while, then decided to keep moving, however slowly. Not power walking anymore — just regular walking. Samdoobong at 08:43.
Stamped and headed for Yeonhacheon. A massive staircase waited on the other side of Samdoobong — reportedly 500 steps. That part checked out.
Going far down means climbing far back up. The stretch to Yeonhacheon was brutal.
🍗 Yeonhacheon Shelter – Fried Chicken Rest Stop (Too Long)
Yeonhacheon Shelter at 10:39. Stamped the Jirisan Traverse book and got the Blackyak Baekdudaegan cert.
Between the wrong turn and the hypothermia, we were running on fumes. Sat down at Yeonhacheon for nearly an hour, eating fried chicken to refuel.
❌ Too long a rest. The hypothermia was gone, but the extended break tightened up the legs and piled pressure on the remaining distance. 20–30 minutes would have been the right call.
🛤️ Byeoksoryeong Shelter – Flat, Viewless, Forgettable
Hypothermia resolved, but overall condition was still poor. Slow and steady. The trail to Byeoksoryeong is mellow with no views — nothing memorable about it.
Byeoksoryeong Shelter at 12:28. Stamped Blackyak Hwadae and Jirisan Traverse, then immediately continued toward Seseok.
The driver called to confirm the car had been relocated.
💡 Should have asked to move it to Jungsan-ri right then. If I had read the situation and adjusted the exit plan, the chaos at the end could have been avoided.
💧 Seonbisaem Spring – Water Refill, Success
Seonbisaem Spring at 13:30. The Hwadae route has several water sources — no serious hydration worries. Filled up completely.
I'd seen YouTuber Waterant shouting "Seseok-ah~ Seseok-ah~" on the trail here. Watching from the couch, I thought it was dramatic. Standing here myself — completely understood. The trail plays tricks on you. Walk for what feels like ages. Check the map. 200m covered. Painful. But the views between checkpoints made it bearable.
🏔️ Yeongshinbong – 4PM Cutoff? Started Running
Yeongshinbong at 15:06. Got the Blackyak Nangnam Ridge cert.
Two older hikers mentioned that the trail from Jangteo Shelter to Cheonwangbong closes at 4 PM. First I'd heard of it. Could we make Jangteo in an hour? It's summer, so maybe they meant 5 PM? Started jogging toward Seseok.
⛺ Seseok Shelter – Skipped Water, Bonk Begins
Seseok Shelter at 15:19. Heard that the water source requires going a fair distance downhill to reach. With time pressure on Jangteo, we skipped it. Quickly stamped Blackyak Baekdudaegan and Jirisan Traverse, then pressed on.
Skipped nutrition too. Full bonk. Whatever motivation remained from the morning had completely evaporated.
Another hiker we passed said the gate closes at 4 PM and they planned to spend the night at Jangteo. At that point, we accepted the pace and slowed back down.
🏕️ Jangteo Shelter – Called It, Bailing to Jungsan-ri
Jangteo Shelter at 17:03. Drank water desperately. Stamped the Jirisan Traverse book. No more photos from here.
The path to Cheonwangbong was still open. Should we go? Would a ranger stop us? After a long internal debate — next day's plans, body close to empty — we decided to bail out via Jungsan-ri.
💡 If I'd known this would happen, I would have asked the driver to relocate the car to Jungsan-ri back at Byeoksoryeong. By then, the car was already near Daewonsa.
🏁 Jungsan-ri Descent – The Descent Is No Joke Either
The descent was rough — a steep, rocky trail down. Called a taxi on the way down. Arrived at Jungsan-ri Visitor Center at 19:43. Stamped the final Jirisan Traverse book.
[Jungsan-ri Visitor Center]
📍 Jungsan-ri Visitor Center
🐻 Moon Bear Bells
We spotted moon bear bells throughout the route. They reminded me of the prayer wheels in the Himalayas — I rang every one I passed. Not that I've actually been to the Himalayas.
📖 Record & Certifications
💡 What the Failure Taught Me
| # | Mistake | Lesson |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3:38 AM departure | Start by 3 AM at the latest. Late departure makes finishing before dark nearly impossible |
| 2 | No timetable | Set target times for each segment beforehand and stick to the pace |
| 3 | Soaking arm sleeves with water | Caused hypothermia. Always account for mountain temperature drops |
| 4 | Forced Banyabong detour | When condition is compromised, completing the traverse takes priority over extra certs |
| 5 | 1-hour rest at Yeonhacheon | Long breaks stiffen the legs and eat into time. 20–30 minutes is the limit |
| 6 | Chasing off-route certs | Banyabong alone wasn't worth it... but hey, 100 Peaks stamp acquired |
| 7 | Cheonwangbong time limit | Didn't check the cutoff time. More thorough preparation needed |
"When traversing, just traverse. If only we'd skipped Banyabong... but we got the 100 Peaks cert, so half credit."
🔄 Target Timetable for the Next Attempt
A relaxed schedule, aiming to reach Cheonwangbong by 1–2 PM.
| Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 03:00 | Hwaeomsa departure | Headlamp required |
| 05:30 | Nogodan Pass | |
| 06:30 | Imgeollyeong | Water refill, CP1 |
| 09:00 | Yeonhacheon Shelter | Water refill, CP2 |
| 10:20 | Byeoksoryeong Shelter | Water refill |
| 12:20 | Seseok Shelter | Water refill, CP3 |
| 14:00 | Jangteo Shelter | Water refill |
| 15:00 | Cheonwangbong | CP4 |
| 16:30 | Chibatmok Shelter | Water refill |
| 18:30 | Daewonsa | Finish |
✨ Final Thoughts
This attempt was a failure. But the sunrise from Nogodan, the Blackyak 100 Peaks stamp at Banyabong, the cold spring water at Seonbisaem, the ridge views — there are moments I won't forget.
Next time, I'll finish it. Using this failure as the blueprint, I'll be back at Hwaeomsa ready to go.
I have to come back again... And if I add the Hwajung traverse for the full set, that's two more times...
❓ FAQ – Hwadae Overnight Traverse
Q. Where do I register for the official Jirisan traverse certification?
A. Through the Gurye County Office website. Fee: 20,000 KRW (bank transfer). The stamp booklet is mailed to you. Register at least 1 week in advance. After completing the Hwadae or Hwajung traverse, mail the booklet back to Gurye County to receive your completion medal.
Q. Where are the official stamp locations?
A. Hwadae traverse: Hwaeomsa, Nogodan Shelter, Yeonhacheon Shelter, Byeoksoryeong Shelter, Seseok Shelter, Jangteo Shelter, Chibatmok Shelter, Daewonsa
Hwajung traverse: Hwaeomsa, Nogodan Shelter, Yeonhacheon Shelter, Byeoksoryeong Shelter, Seseok Shelter, Jangteo Shelter, Jungsan-ri
Q. How much is the car relocation service?
A. 110,000 KRW for the Hwaeomsa-to-Daewonsa route. Reserve 3–4 days ahead by phone.
Q. What's the recommended departure time?
A. Before 3 AM.
Q. Where can I refill water?
A. Nogodan Shelter, Imgeollyeong, Yeonhacheon Shelter, Byeoksoryeong Shelter, Seonbisaem Spring, Seseok Shelter (requires a downhill detour), and Jangteo Shelter.
Q. What are the Blackyak Hwadae traverse certification points?
A. Six points: Hwaeomsa, Imgeollyeong, Byeoksoryeong Shelter, Cheonwangbong, Chibatmok Shelter, and Daewonsa. Additional certs: Baekdudaegan (Nogodan Pass, Samdoobong, Yeonhacheon, Seseok), 100 Peaks (Banyabong — not recommended during the traverse), and Nangnam Ridge (Yeongshinbong).