Expecting Cooler Air, but Facing Extreme Heat: Visiting a 'Heatwave-Vulnerable Hiking Trail'

[Anchor]

Many people expect mountains with plenty of trees to be cooler during a heatwave, but that is not always the case. The Korea National Park Service has designated heatwave-vulnerable hiking trails for the first time this year.

Reporter Jang Seon-i went up to see what these trails are like.

[Reporter]

At midday, with temperatures well exceeding 35°C (95°F).

I climbed a hiking trail in Dobongsan National Park.

Even while walking under the shade of trees, the moment the shade disappears, the sunlight beats down directly.

When turning on a thermal imaging camera, the colors change completely along the same trail.

The ground covered by tree shade is 34.3°C (94°F), while a patch of direct sunlight just a few steps away shows surface temperatures soaring up to 74.3°C (166°F).

Sunlight beating down from above is combined with heat rising from beneath the feet.

After climbing for just 30 minutes, the sweat does not stop.

The reporter's body temperature, which was 36.9°C (98.4°F) before the hike, rose to 37.6°C (99.7°F) in just 30 minutes.

Hikers continue to visit despite the extreme heat.

[Moon Il-su / Nowon-gu, Seoul: When I feel dizzy, I sit down and rest in the shade for a bit before moving on.]

Flying a drone revealed sections around Yeoseongbong Peak completely exposed to the blazing sun.

In such areas without shade, such as rocks and ridge sections, the risk of heat-related illnesses as well as fall accidents due to dizziness increases significantly.

[Seo Se-hong / Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi Province: I can't go on the rocks because they are too hot. When I go to the ridge, there is a lot of sunlight, so I don't go there these days.]

The annual number of heatwave days increased from 14.2 days in 2023 to 29.7 days last year.

Over the same period, the number of people rescued from heat-related mountain accidents, such as exhaustion and dehydration during the summer, also increased from 162 to 248.

The Korea National Park Service has stepped up to come up with countermeasures.

For the first time this year, the Korea National Park Service designated 55 sections nationwide lacking shade or featuring steep slopes as 'heatwave-vulnerable hiking trails'.

[Kim In-su / Head of the Safety Policy Department, Disaster and Safety Division, Korea National Park Service: If abnormal symptoms occur, such as vomiting or fever, you should descend immediately, take sufficient rest, and if symptoms are severe, you must call 119 or visit a hospital.]

While drinking plenty of water and taking breaks during the hike helps, it is best to avoid climbing heatwave-vulnerable trails on extremely hot days.

(Camera: Cho Chang-hyun / Video Editing: Kim Jong-tae / Footage courtesy of Korea National Park Service)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.