Korea takes it’s fall colour seriously!

I grew up in Muskoka, an area in the middle of Canada where the evergreen forests of the Canadian shield dip into the more temperate regions of central Ontario, mixing with the deciduous woods of the south. The rocky outcroppings along the lake shores display a symphony of fall colours from the deep red of the sugar maple, through a rainbow of oranges, yellows and browns, accented by the deep green of the pine. It is quite beautiful, and we are proud of our fall colours, bringing in busloads of tourists with expensive cameras to snap photos of nature at its most splendid.

Apparently, we’re not quite serious enough. Korea actually has its fall colour season timed! This year, Autumn foliage began on September 29^th on Seoraksan (a mountain in the far north of the South), and will reach its peak by October 20^th. Not only do they know the peak days, they also know that the peak is coming 2-3 days later than usual (depending on where you are in the country). That’s dedication.

Check out the article http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/FU/FU_EN_15.jsp?cid=624392

If you decide to check out the Korean fall colours, beware that it is a very popular time of year for hiking, and that trails on the more famous mountains, like Seoraksan, or Jirisan, can be more crowded than Lotte department store on a Sunday afternoon. Stick to the smaller mountains and you may actually be able to enjoy some peace and quiet.