Zephyrous Travels: Winter in South Korea - Ski Resorts in South Korea

Winter in South Korea

Winter in South Korea started from the month of December through to February with January being the coldest month in winter. I visited South Korea (mainly staying in Seoul and made day trips out of Seoul) in January 2016. While it hadn't snowed, the temperature is around the region of 5℃ on average. Coupled with the chilling wind, it made winter in South Korea felt colder. When it comes to winter, one of the things that comes to one's mind is hitting the ski resorts in South Korea. South Korea might not be the top choice for ski holidays, especially when Hokkaido in the neighbouring Japan has long been "the"choice for skiing". South Korea with its geography make up, especially in Gangwon-do where Winter Olympics in 2018 will be held in the city of Pyeongchang, is blessed with powder snow comparable with those found in Hokkaido. The world-class skiing facilities here is a fraction of the prices compared to neighbouring countries, allowing holidaymakers and professional skiers enjoy skiing and fun at the ski resorts without breaking their bank. There are a total of 16 ski resorts in South Korea. 14 of which found in the north part of the country spreading across the provinces of Gangwon-do and Gyeonggi-do. Half of the ski resorts in South Korea are located in Gangwon-do. With the Baekdudaegan Mountain ranges running through, the province of Gangwon-do receives the most snow annually. Of the Ski Resorts in South Korea, here are 3 that one can check out while planning a winter trip to South Korea.

Location of the 16 Ski Resorts in South Korea

Location of the Ski Resorts in Gangwan-do

High1 Ski Resort

High1 Ski Resort is one of South Korea's leading Ski Resort and is the only resort in South Korea that is located in the mountains. The ski resort features over 21 km of slopes within a 4,986,775㎡area. High1 Ski Resort has 18 ski slopes catering to all levels of expertise in skiing. All of the slopes are at least 1.5 km in length and the longest slope stretches for 4.2 km. The resort offers 5 slopes for beginners, 11 intermediate slopes and 2 expert slopes. The resort has three 8-person gondolas, one that takes visitors from the entrance of the resort to the midpoint of the resort, and another that takes visitors from the midpoint to the peak of Mt Jijansan, and yet another one that takes visitors from the peak of Mt Jijansan along the mountain range to High1 Hotel. There are activities available for visitors who do not ski in High1 Ski Resort, ranging from sledding to gondola rides. There is even a casino in High1 Ski Resort, the largest casino in South Korea.

High1 Ski Resort slope map

Gondola station on the peak of Mt Jijansan

Non-skiers can take a gondola up to Mt Jijansan and enjoy the spectacular views

One of the slopes in High1 Ski Resort. I took this picture while riding the gondola up to the midpoint of the resort

Some of the accommodation available in High1 Ski Resort

High1 Ski Resort Mountain Ski House

Mountain Ski House where one can take the gondola up to mountaintop

Me with Mountain Ski House in the background

One of the slopes in High1 Ski Resort

I visited High1 Ski Resort in Jan 2017 during my trip to South Korea. Back then, I was looking for a ski resort that has sledging as both my friend and I had never skied in our lives before and would like to try if we can find an instructor to teach us. We wanted a ski resort that has sledding and something to else to do. A search on the trusty Google leads us to High1 Ski Resort. Located some three hours by KTX from Seoul, High1 Ski Resort seems like a good choice for us. Other than the ski slopes, there is a small sledding slope and a gondola system that would take us up to the peak of Mt Jijansan. While we did not manage to learn skiing or take the gondola to the peak of Mt Jijansan when we were there, nonetheless we still had fun with sledding in High1 Ski Resort.

My friend on a sled getting ready to slide down the slope

Me and my friend sitting on the sled getting ready to slide down the slope

My friend with the sled after a session down the slope

Us getting ready to slide down the slope on a sled for the Nth number of times

My friend and I at the foreground of the Mountain Ski House in High1 Ski Resort

Phoenix Park

Phoenix Park PyeongChang is perched 700m up upon Mt. Taegi (1,261 m above sea level), this ski resort is large and harmonizes well with the surrounding landscape. The resort is equipped with world-class facilities, making it an excellent choice to be designated as one of the venues for the upcoming PyeongChang Winter Olympics in 2018. Phoenix Park has a unique vast base of 500m that which the courses converge to. The ski resort has 21 ski courses within a 3,978,575㎡ area. Of the 21 ski courses, 7 cater for beginners, 10 for intermediate skiers and 4 for expert skiers. There is also a dedicated 90m sled slope for non-skiers to enjoy the natural beauty that Mt Taegi offers. This sled slope is fenced up so sledders can have fun sledding down the slope without worries. For those who wanted to learn skiing, Phoenix Park has a ski school that provides a one-stop service that includes rental of skiing equipment Phoenix Park PyeongChang has a renowned snowboarding park complete with a halfpipe, tabletop, round quarter, and rails. The park also has 8-person gondolas and a system of 8 lifts. Phoenix Park PyeongChang is located less than 2 hours from Seoul, making it a perfect destination for a day skiing trip. Come February 2018, Phoenix Park will turn into the event venue for freestyle skiing and snowboarding events of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. Visitors can pay a visit to Phoenix Park and get themselves immense in the adrenaline of live actions during the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

Phoenix Park Ski Slope Map

On top of Mont Blanc in Phoenix Park Resort

At the base of Phoenix Park Resort

The 90m sledding slope in Phoenix Park Resort

YongPyong Resort

YongPyong Resort is the most popular ski resort in South Korea is also the largest in the country. It is located in the centre of the Baekdudaegan Mountain Range, just a little over 2 hours from Seoul. The ski resort boasts a total of 28 ski slopes within a massive 16,200,000㎡ area. Of the 28 ski slopes, 10 caters to beginners, 7 to intermediate skiers and 11 for expert ski slopes. With such a large selection, one will be able to find a slope that one is comfortable in skiing on. Due to the geographic location, YongPyong sees an average of 250 cm of snow every year, making this resort the best place for skiing in South Korea. There are a total of 15 ski lifts that connects visitors to the various parts of the ski slope in the resort. YongPyong also caters facilities for non-skiers. For visitors who want to do sledding, YongPyong has a 200 m long three-lane sledging slope that is guaranteed to provide hours of fun for non-skiers. On top of these, visitors to YongPyong should cater some time for the gondola tour, which stretches over Asia's longest course of 7.4 km offering visitors a breathtaking view of Balwangsan Mountain. As a pioneering venue of skiing in South Korea, YongPyong naturally will also be an event venue for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. The resort will host Alpine Skiing events during the games in February 2018.