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Longing for two

5.8, Trad, 11 pitches,  Avg: 3.8 from 9 votes
FA: Jul 2004, Sanbaragi Club
International > Asia > S Korea > Gangwon-do (Nor… > Seoraksan NP (S… > Yoosun-Dae

Description

This is one of the most scenic route with fun moderate climbing. It is 11 pitches long, but many of the pitches can be linked. After topping out, head far west on 3rd class scrambles to find a rappel station. One 30m rappel will get you to the hiker's trail.

Check the photo below for the start of the route to avoid confusion. There is a short rappel to the notch after pitch 2.

Protection

10 quickdraws, single rack 0.3 to 3, slings

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Looking up from "Longing for Two" variation pitch 1. You can continue up the low angle blank slab (no bolts!) to an anchor beneath a huge block, then traverse right to join the pitch 4 anchor of "Longing for Two" proper.
[Hide Photo] Looking up from "Longing for Two" variation pitch 1. You can continue up the low angle blank slab (no bolts!) to an anchor beneath a huge block, then traverse right to join the pitch 4 anchor of "L…
Topo for Yoosun-Dae
[Hide Photo] Topo for Yoosun-Dae
Topo of "Longing for two"
[Hide Photo] Topo of "Longing for two"
The start of the route Longing for Two has a placard bolted to the rock, and has a few bolts visible from the start to guide the way.
[Hide Photo] The start of the route Longing for Two has a placard bolted to the rock, and has a few bolts visible from the start to guide the way.
Somewhere high on the ridge. Pitch numbers were skewed but the rock sure was nice. Junggunbong, the National Park entrance and Sokcho in back.
[Hide Photo] Somewhere high on the ridge. Pitch numbers were skewed but the rock sure was nice. Junggunbong, the National Park entrance and Sokcho in back.
The summit of Yoosun-dae
[Hide Photo] The summit of Yoosun-dae
Start of "Longing for Two". Climb the right side of the flake, then head far left to the chimney.
[Hide Photo] Start of "Longing for Two". Climb the right side of the flake, then head far left to the chimney.
This is the start of Moss Rose Fragrence. Blue sign translates to "starting point of longing for two". Broken blue sign with identical text lies 10m behind this in the gully. Dont start here!
[Hide Photo] This is the start of Moss Rose Fragrence. Blue sign translates to "starting point of longing for two". Broken blue sign with identical text lies 10m behind this in the gully. Dont start here!

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Tao Techakanon
Bangkok, Thighland
  5.8
[Hide Comment] Finding the start of this thing is the crux.

We mistakenly started on the 'variation' and climbed ourselves into a dead end at P2 which basically turns into a blank slab with no bolts.

We rapped down and found the actual start up the hill to the right. There's a broken blue korean sign on the tree which literally translated to "Longing for two starting point" (thank you google translate).

We instead climbed Yoosun AB and joined up with the ridge above.

Beautiful climbing. Oct 25, 2019
Trevor McDonald
Milan, IT -> Minneapolis, S…
  5.10a PG13
[Hide Comment] Check my beta for the approach on Moss Ross Fragrance. I am still not sure where the beginning of this climb starts. I started climbing the rock immediately left of the broken sign that Tao mentions, but it was very loose, unprotected with hollow blocks/flakes and dirty cracks. Some real ugly 5.9. Dont't do that. There is another blue sign that translates the exact same, about 10m up the gully, which is currently not broken. That is what I wrote the "moss rose fragrance" about. Not sure how to properly climb this one?

The upper ridge is easily followed with bolted cracks and belays every 10-15m, you can link nearly every pitch. 70m rope is plenty. Position is super rad! Looking down on Junggunbong and looking south over the park is fun. Nov 4, 2019
Tao Techakanon
Bangkok, Thighland
  5.8
[Hide Comment] Finally got to climb this route 7/18/2022

Found the right start this time and cruised up it. I'd say this is a pretty good introduction route for climbing in Seoraksan or new Trad Leader. An enjoyable stroll all the way up. Jul 18, 2022
Eddy K
Oakland, CA
  5.8
[Hide Comment] Overall, this climb had among the most beautiful scenery in any area I've climbed in. Highly recommend this fun and relatively easy climb.

The approach takes well-maintained hiker's trails until the final ~100 feet. See the .gpx track from the Mountain Project map. In general, most of the climbing felt like 5.7 and below, with two sections that felt a bit harder. First, the crux of the climb is the immediate start of Pitch 5 which begins with getting past a roof right from the belay station, and felt hard for a 5.8. Pitch 6 also felt deserving of the 5.8 grade, and starts out with a short section of slab that isn't easily protectable.

Many pitches are almost comically short, and pitches can be linked as long as rope drag doesn't become an issue. Route-finding was pretty straight forward, especially since several pitches had a couple bolts to guide the way. With the combination of short pitches and bolts, one set of cams could probably be enough for experienced leaders.

Belay stations have bolts, and chains (perhaps this can make escaping easy if needed). At least one of the belay stations are a hanging belay. At the end of pitch 2, the leader down-climbed a short section to anchor into the bolts at the start of P3, rather than having us rappel (protect the follower if doing this). Sep 26, 2022