Hwaaksan by Bike: Korea's Rare Category 1 Climb, Plus Domachijae (A Big Rider's Story)

 In my last post, I rode 165 km on flat river paths from Seoul to Chungju. This time, let's talk about the opposite kind of ride: short on distance, big on climbing.

If you ride in Korea long enough, every cyclist you meet will eventually ask you one question: "Have you done Hwaaksan yet?" Hwaaksan (화악산, Hwaak Mountain) in Gapyeong is one of the very few Category 1 climbs in Korea — the kind of climb you'd normally have to fly to the Alps or Taiwan to find. Korean riders treat it as a rite of passage.

On a Saturday morning in June, I finally did it — and since I was already up in the mountains, I added a second pass, Domachijae (도마치재), to make a 66 km loop. At 187 cm (6'2"), I'm a Clydesdale, not a climber. My bike's name on Strava is 중력받침대 — roughly "the gravity stand." You'll see why that name felt very accurate on this day.

The Ride at a Glance

Start / Finish	Buk-myeon, Gapyeong (loop)
Distance	66.2 km (41.1 mi)
Moving time	4 h 07 min
Total time (with breaks)	5 h 11 min
Elevation gain	1,313 m
Highest point	About 896 m, near Hwaak Tunnel
Average speed	16.1 km/h
Max speed	49.3 km/h
Weather at start	Partly cloudy, 17°C, 90% humidity, almost no wind

(Numbers are from my Strava recording. Climb gradients below are calculated from my GPS track.)

Why Hwaaksan Is Special: A Real Category 1 Climb

Korea is a mountainous country, so there are hills everywhere. But most of them are short — a few kilometers at most. Long, sustained climbs that earn a Category 1 rating (the same scale used in the Tour de France and on Strava) are rare here. Hwaaksan is one of only a handful of them, which is why it's on every Korean cyclist's bucket list.

Here's what the climb looked like on my GPS:

• Whole climb: about 11 km, gaining about 700 m (average around 6%).
• The hard part: the last 7 km or so. From Hwaak-ri village, the road gets steeper and steeper, and from about the 13 km to 17 km mark of my ride, it stays at 10–12% for four kilometers straight.
• The top: around 896 m on my GPS, at Hwaak Tunnel.

Four kilometers of double-digit gradient is no joke for anyone — and for a big rider, it's a long conversation with gravity. But here's the good news: it's steady. There are no crazy 20% walls. You find your easiest gear, settle into a rhythm, and just keep turning the pedals.

The Best Part: Clean, Smooth Pavement All the Way Up

I want to make this point loud and clear, because it's what makes Hwaaksan such a great climb: the road is beautifully paved.

On a long climb, road surface matters a lot. When you're grinding up at 6–7 km/h, cracks, gravel and potholes steal your energy and your focus. On Hwaaksan, the asphalt is smooth and clean, the lane markings are fresh, and there's a wide shoulder on much of the climb. On a Saturday morning, traffic was very light. You can just put your head down and climb.

And the descent is just as good: on smooth pavement, you can relax and enjoy it instead of fighting your bike. (Still — brake before the corners, not in them. Mountain roads in Korea can have sand in the shady turns.)

Getting There: Car or Train

By car (what I did)

I drove from Seoul to Gapyeong and started the loop from the Buk-myeon area. Driving is the easiest option if you have a car: you can start right at the foot of the mountains, and you don't have to worry about train times or bike rules. Depending on traffic, it's about 1 to 1.5 hours from Seoul.

By train (no car needed)

Don't have a car? No problem. Gapyeong is very easy to reach by train, which is one reason it's so popular with Seoul riders:

• Gyeongchun Line (subway): runs from Seoul to Gapyeong Station. It works just like the regular Seoul subway: you can bring your bike on board, but only in the first or last car of the train, where there's space to keep bikes.
• ITX-Cheongchun (express train): a faster, more comfortable train from Seoul (Yongsan / Cheongnyangni) to Gapyeong. The catch: you need to book a separate bike seat (a bike rack spot) in addition to your own ticket. Bike spots are limited, so book early — especially on weekends.

From Gapyeong Station, it's about 10 km of easy riding up the valley to Buk-myeon, where the loop starts. It's a nice warm-up.

The Route

1. Warm-up: Buk-myeon to Hwaak-ri (0–11 km)

I rolled out at 8 a.m. The first 10 km follow a mountain valley and climb very gently — just enough to warm up your legs. The air was cool and damp, the kind of morning where the mountains still have clouds sitting on them.

Around 10.6 km, I reached Hwaak Church in Hwaak-ri. This little village is where the real climbing begins. I stopped for a quick photo — a "see you on the other side" moment.

2. The Hwaaksan Climb (11–18 km)

Right after the village, the road tilts up. By 12 km it's around 8%, and from 13 km it goes into double digits and stays there. This is the part where you stop looking at your speed and start counting kilometers.

My advice for big riders: start this section slower than you think you need to. If you go into the red in the first kilometer at 11%, you'll pay for it for the next three. I spun my easiest gear, sat up, and breathed. It took me about an hour of climbing (with a few stops) to get from the village to the top.

Then, finally, the best road sign in Gapyeong: "Hwaak Tunnel 300 m." The road eases off, and you know you've made it.

3. The Viewpoint at the Top

Right near the tunnel, there's a small observation deck with a bright yellow floor and a railing — a perfect spot to lean your bike and catch your breath. The view is worth every pedal stroke: green mountains in every direction, and on this morning, a sea of clouds sitting in the valleys far below.

Yes, the little duck came along again. It doesn't pedal, but it never complains either.

4. Descent to Sanae-myeon and a Jajangmyeon Break (18–30 km)

From the tunnel, the road drops down the other side of the mountain into Sanae-myeon in Hwacheon County, Gangwon-do — you've actually crossed into a different province. It's a long, fast descent on, again, very smooth pavement.

By the time I reached the bottom, I was running on empty. I'd poured every bit of energy I had into Hwaaksan, and I was starving. And then, on the road from the Hwaaksan descent toward Domachijae, in the small town of Sachang-ri, I saw it: a Chinese restaurant. Honestly, it felt like finding an oasis in the desert. I parked the bike, walked in, and ordered a big bowl of jajangmyeon (자장면) — thick, chewy noodles in a rich black bean sauce. Thirty minutes later, I was full, happy, and ready for the second climb.

A Side Note: Try Korean-Style Chinese Food

If you're visiting Korea, don't skip this. "Chinese food" in Korea is its own cuisine — created by Chinese immigrants and shaped by Korean tastes over a hundred years. You won't find these dishes quite the same in China or in Chinatowns elsewhere. The classics:

• Jajangmyeon (자장면): noodles with a sweet, savory black bean sauce. Korea's ultimate comfort food — and my mid-ride savior.
• Jjamppong (짬뽕): a spicy red seafood noodle soup. Great if you want something hot and fiery.
• Tangsuyuk (탕수육): crispy fried pork with sweet-and-sour sauce. Perfect for sharing with your riding buddies.

Almost every Korean town, even a small one in the mountains, has a Chinese restaurant. It's cheap, it's fast, and it's filling — exactly what a hungry cyclist needs. On your ride, keep an eye out for a red sign with the word 중국집 or 반점 (Chinese restaurant). It might just be your oasis too.

5. Climb #2: Domachijae (30–38 km)

Domachijae is the second pass of the day. After Hwaaksan, it feels friendlier: the first few kilometers rise gently, and then the last 3–4 km are around 7–10% before you reach the top. In total it's about 8 km and 420 m of climbing — a solid climb on its own, but much shorter and gentler than Hwaaksan.

At the top, a green sign tells you exactly where you are: "여기는 도마치재 정상입니다 — 해발 690m" ("This is the summit of Domachijae — 690 m above sea level").

6. The Reward: 25 km Downhill Back to Gapyeong (38–66 km)

This is the best part of the loop. From Domachijae, the road goes downhill — gently but almost non-stop — for around 25 km, following a mountain stream back toward Buk-myeon. From 700 m at the top to about 110 m at the finish. After two big climbs, it feels like the mountain is giving you something back. I rolled back to the start just after 1 p.m.

Tips If You Want to Ride Hwaaksan

• Gear down. This is not a climb for a standard 53/39 race setup unless you're very strong. A compact crankset (50/34) and a big rear cog (30 teeth or more) will make your life much better — especially if you're a big rider like me.
• Pace the steep part. The 4 km at 10–12% is where the climb is won or lost. Start slow.
• Start early. In summer, the climb is much more pleasant in the cool morning, and traffic is lighter. I started at 8 a.m.
• Bring a layer for the descent. It was 17°C at the bottom; at almost 900 m and 50 km/h downhill, you'll feel the cold, especially when you're sweaty.
• Carry enough food and water. There are long stretches with no shops on the climbs. Refill in the villages and in Sanae-myeon.
• Check your brakes. Long descents mean lots of braking. Make sure your pads are in good shape before you go.
• Use Naver Map or Kakao Map. As always in Korea, Google Maps won't help you much.
• Want it shorter? You can just ride up Hwaaksan and come back down the same way. You'll still get the Category 1 climb — and the bragging rights.

Would I Do It Again?

Yes — and I'd tell any cyclist visiting Korea to try it. Hwaaksan gives you something that's hard to find in this country: a real, long, Category 1 mountain climb, on a road so clean and smooth it feels like it was built for bikes. Add Domachijae and that endless downhill back to Gapyeong, and you have one of the best half-day rides near Seoul. And you don't even need a car — just hop on a train.

If a 187 cm Clydesdale on a bike called "the gravity stand" can get to the top, so can you.

Have questions about Hwaaksan or climbing in Korea? Leave a comment below — I'm happy to help.