Coordinates: 38°08′39″N 128°27′07″E

Gongnyong Ridge
Gongnyong Ridge (Korean: 설악산 신선대 공룡능선, lit. 'Dinosaur
Gongnyong Ridge
Ridge') is a mountain ridge in Seoraksan National Park, located in
Gangwon Province, South Korea. It is the central ridge of Seoraksan,
dividing it in half. The ridge earns its name due to the mountain peaks
in the ridge looking as "vigorous and dynamic as a dinosaur rising
from the ground". The Gongnyong Ridge was formed due to the
Jurassic-era granite of Seoraksan being shaped over the years due to
tectonic shifts and erosion.

It has earned much recognition due to its beauty, both from domestic
and international sources, such as being labelled the most scenic
location among the national parks of South Korea. It is also known for
frequent accidents to hikers and sightseers. The Gongnyong Ridge at Seoroksan, taken
from Sinseonam Rock

Contents
Information
Nature
Recognition
Accidents
References

Information
The Gongnyong Ridge extends from Madeungnyeong Pass to
Sinseonam Rock. It is the central ridge of Seoraksan, dividing the
Location Gangwon Province, South
park from east to west, forming the boundary between Sockho and
Korea
Inje-gun.[1] Due to this, water from the East Sea of Korea evaporates
and meets the cold air near the spikes of the ridge, creating large Coordinates 38°08′39″N 128°27′07″E
amounts of fog and clouds near the peaks. This makes visibility of the Area 1,313,080 m2
ridge difficult, or impossible in many cases.[2] Being the central ridge (14,133,900 sq ft)
of the park, it provides views of both inner and outer Seorak.[3]
Governing body Korea National Park
The ridge earns its name due to the mountain peaks in the ridge Service
looking as "vigorous and dynamic as a dinosaur rising from the
ground". Gongnyong is a Romanization of the word 공룡, which means 'dinosaur' in Korean. [4][5] A hiking trail through the
ridge is very strenuous, with steep peaks, and requires 16+ hours to complete, resulting in frequent accidents. The ridge is often
considered one of the most difficult mountain courses to climb in Korea.[6][7][8]

The tallest peak in the ridge is Nahanbong, at 1,298 meters (4,259 ft).[9]
Nature
Seorak Mountain is formed out of granite rock created during the Cretaceous era of the Mesozoic period. Around the same time,
there were tectonic shifts in the region that expanded the East Sea, raising the body of rock around Seoraksan. The shift stressed
the rock, creating cracks and fractures in the granite. The rock around the fractures were penetrated more easily by water, and
they were eroded over time, helping form the Gongnyong Ridge.[10] In the Gongnyong Ridge, most of the rock has been eroded
or cracked away, with only the solid core remaining to form the spiked rock formations. Those spiked rock formations make the
hiking trail through the ridge very steep, without flat areas.[2]

Recognition
The Gongnyong Ridge is one of Korea's scenic sites (Myeongsung/명승), being designated as the 103rd treasure in March 2013,
along with other areas at Seoraksan.[11] In 2019, it was listed as one of CNN's 50 most beautiful places in South Korea.[3] It is
also listed #1 in the 100 best scenic sites among South Korea's national parks.[12]

Accidents
Accidents due to exhaustion are very common, especially in winter. An incident in February 1969 led to 10 hikers being killed
due to an avalanche at the base of the ridge. This led to the establishment of a shelter at the base of the ridge, named Huieungak
after the person that proposed the shelter.[13] Another incident in December 1993 left two university students, out of a party of
four, dead from hypothermia due to them losing their way at night.[14] The students got lost at dark near the cliff of Sinseonam
Rock, leading to the party taking a circuitous route and arriving at a different shelter at another point in the park. The park
cautions against leaving for the ridge near dark, and recommends leaving for the ridge at 10AM in winter, and 12PM in
summer.[13]

In July 26, 2010, a 60-year-old man died after falling 5 m (16 ft) from a cliff in Sinseonam Rock. In August 1, 2010, a 52-year-
old man died after falling 100 m (330 ft) from a cliff in Sinseonam Rock. Also, in August 4, 2010, a 40-year-old man died after
straying off the route to rest and falling 50 m (160 ft) from a cliff near the midpoint of the ridge, at Peak 1275.[15]

References
1. "서울춘천고속도로" (http://www.schighway.co.kr/mobile/contents/sc_sub6/sites_01_view.asp?seq=422&page=1&
areaType=ta04&travelType=tt02). www.schighway.co.kr. Retrieved 2019-10-24.
2. "설악산 공룡능선(雪嶽山恐龍稜線) - 한국민족문화대백과사전" (http://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Contents/Index?conte
nts_id=E0074971). encykorea.aks.ac.kr. Retrieved 2019-10-17.
3. CNN, Cin Woo Lee (2017-07-12). "50 beautiful places to visit in South Korea" (https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/
south-korea-beautiful-places/index.html). CNN Travel. Retrieved 2019-10-24.
4. "명승 제103호 설악산 공룡능선 (Scenic Location no.103, the gongnyong ridge in Seoraksan)" (http://www.heritag
e.go.kr/heri/cul/culSelectDetail.do?VdkVgwKey=15,01030000,32). www.heritage.go.kr. Retrieved 2019-08-09.
5. "설악산 공룡능선 (the gongnyong ridge at Seoroksan)" (http://www.kormt.co.kr/gongryng.html). kormt.co.kr.
6. "설악산 공룡 능선을 넘다" (http://www.ohmynews.com/nws_web/view/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0000265011). 오
마이뉴스. 2005-06-29. Retrieved 2019-08-09.
7. cyn. "MT. SEORAKSAN – SEOUL Magazine" (http://magazine.seoulselection.com/2013/12/31/mt-seoraksan/) (in
Korean). Retrieved 2019-10-17.
8. "사방이 장관인 설악 중의 진짜 설악…설악산 공룡능선"
(https://www.mk.co.kr/news/culture/view/2008/02/85541/). mk.co.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-08-09.
9. "설악산국립공원 < 국립공원탐방 < 국립공원공단" (http://seorak.knps.or.kr/front/portal/visit/visitCourseSubMain.d
o?parkId=120400&parkNavGb=guide&menuNo=#). seorak.knps.or.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-10-31.
10. "다양한 화강암들의 경연장: 설악산(1,708m)" (https://mgeo.kigam.re.kr/geoinfo/mt_geomorph/report/ch_02_4.ht
ml). mgeo.kigam.re.kr. Retrieved 2019-10-30.
11. Notice of Cultural Heritage Administration 2013-26, Designation of Nationally Cultural Scenic Treasure
(Myeongseung) and Topographical Map (10 scenic spots including Seoraksan Biryong Waterfall Valley), Cultural
Heritage Administration, 2013-03-11
12. "공공데이터포털" (https://www.data.go.kr/dataset/15012727/fileData.do). www.data.go.kr. Retrieved 2019-10-24.
13. "[산의 무서움] 93년 설악산 공룡능선 조난사고 (+당시 기사 추가)" (https://www.fmkorea.com/best/988381267).
www.fmkorea.com. Retrieved 2019-08-09.
14. 김정수 (December 19, 1993). "설악산등반 대학생 1명 사망 1명 실종". The Hankyoreh.
15. "설악산서 추락사망사고 잇따라… "암벽 위험" " (https://www.seoul.co.kr/news/newsView.php?id=2010080480005
6). 서울신문 (in Korean). 2010-08-04. Retrieved 2019-10-24.

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