TL;DRWhere 20 Insubong routes start, how long each pitch is, which pitch is the crux and how to get down, including Insu A, Insu B, Lonely Road, Chouinard A/B, Biwon, Yangji, Crony and Dongyang, compiled from Korean climbing-community write-ups dated 2006 to 2024. This is not a topo: there are no wall photos or route numbers, so carry the Mont Blanc Lines East Face topo on the day; the page also lists where to find the Korean community's topo drawings.
Series: Korea Climbing Crags (14 / 15)
🌏 繁體中文版
The Insubong crag guide helps you pick a route for your team. At the foot of the wall in Bukhansan, Seoul, you need more: where does this route start, how long is each pitch, which pitch is the crux, and how do you get down afterwards? This page fills that gap, for the multipitch routes of Insubong. It is an appendix to the guide: use the guide to decide which route to climb, then come back here for the start and the pitches; every route in the guide's tables that has notes links to its section here.
This is not a topo. It is compiled from Korean climbing-community write-ups dated 2006 to 2024, with no wall photos and no route numbers. On the day, route-finding for the east-face routes should rely on the Mont Blanc Lines East Face digital topo (an east-face photo overlaid with routes and a list of 43 routes beneath it; the product page offers a medium-resolution download for personal use and also sells printed posters; each route's section gives its number there). The south-face routes Dongyang-gil, Haneul-gil, Georyong-gil and Villa are not among those 43, so for those four this page and the concept maps cited below are all there is. For the hand-drawn and photo topos that circulate among Korean climbers, see Where to find the Korean topo drawings. Use this page as preparation before the trip and as a cross-check at the base.
How to use this page
- Read the four landmarks in the next section first. Most starts are described as "walk left or right from the Great Slab for a few dozen metres."
- Look at the length and grade overview and pick the routes you want.
- Go to that route's section for the start, the pitch table, the crux and the descent.
- Where the length or grade differs between sources, the notes give both versions. Use the lengths to recognise a route, never to calculate rappel rope length.
- In this page "station" means belay station, and "band" means a horizontal ledge running across the face.
Four landmarks on the wall
The sources keep coming back to these four landmarks when they describe a start:
- Great Slab (대슬랩): the wide slab at the bottom of the east face. Most east- and south-face routes start by walking left or right from it.
- Oasis (오아시스): the platform above the Great Slab. Insu A, Medical School and Sanchonji start here. A 2024 Sanchonji report reaches it in two pitches from the Great Slab, with the first double-bolt station about 50 m up. Despite the name there is no spring.
- Ear Rock (귀바위): the ear-shaped block at the top right, where Chouinard A/B and Medical School end.
- Spring (샘터): the water source on the left side of the Great Slab, used as the reference point for Crony's start.
Where to find the Korean topo drawings
Korean climbers call a topo a "개념도" (concept map): a hand drawing, or lines drawn over a photo. These are the ones most widely shared online. The images belong to their authors and are not reproduced here; follow the links to see them on the original pages. The figures on each drawing were checked against the pitch tables on this page; where they agree, nothing more is said, and where they differ, the difference is noted in that route's section.
| Route | Drawing | Date and origin | What the drawing gives |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole-face numbered map | Doraetgubi: Insubong front-face concept map | 2012 blog post | A numbered overview of about 38 routes on the east and southwest faces, with pitch-by-pitch text for Chouinard A/B. |
| Chouinard A | Daum café Eoksen Dream Team: Chouinard A concept map | 2010 post | A hand drawing of "Kwibawi D (Chouinard A)" plus a photo topo (marked "provided by Nepa", an outdoor brand). 6 pitches, 181 m, max 5.10a; gear listed as Friends 2–5 and nuts 2–5. The same Nepa photo-topo series also has versions for Chouinard B, Medical School and other routes, reposted on Korean blogs in 2011–2012. |
| Chouinard B, Biwon, Yangji, Moseol | jangdayena: Bukhansan Insubong; 2020 repost | 2017 blog post; the reposter notes it is the version "after the routes were reorganised" | One drawing of four routes, each with lengths, top grade and gear. |
| Insu B | Doraetgubi: Insubong Insu B-gil | 2015 blog post; the drawing credits the May 2008 rock-climbing guide in Saramgwa San (사람과 산), redrawn in 2012 by Yang Gyu-uk of Sanbit Alpine Club | "Bukhansan Insubong East Face 2": 3 pitches of 37 / 30 / 30 m, max 5.8. |
| Pigeon | leisurely-climber: Pigeon-gil concept map | 2023 blog post; the same redrawn series as the Insu B drawing (same legend and source note) | "Bukhansan Insubong West Face": 4 pitches of 35 / 17 / 17 / 20 m, 5.7 A0. |
These drawings come from different years, and bolts and stations may have changed since. The Biwon drawing is the post-reorganisation version, and a 2020 report says pitch 1 follows a different line since rebolting. Use the figures to cross-check, not as a guarantee of current conditions.
Length and grade overview
Data are the pitch lengths and grades from community tables, not a current topo; the figure at the right of each bar is the route's total length and hardest grade. Georyong is the old six-pitch version and Dongyang the eight-pitch text version. Conversion - x = 168 + cumulative metres × 1.6.
The chart uses the pitch lengths and grades from community tables, not a current topo. Georyong is the old six-pitch version and Dongyang is the eight-pitch text version. Each block is one pitch and its colour is that pitch's grade.
Starting from Oasis
All three routes start from Oasis. Taking Insu A as the centre, Power's 2013 summary puts Gunghyeong-gil (궁형길) to the right with Medical School above it, and, going left, Yeong-gil, Yeomyeong-gil, Ujeong B, Sanchonji, PASI and Wand in that order.
Insu A (인수 A)
- Mont Blanc East Face topo number: #26.
- Start: Oasis. Reach Oasis via the Great Slab, then start from there.
- Pitches and length: 4 pitches, 115 m, cracks and chimneys throughout.
- Gear: one set of cams, 8 quickdraws.
- Feel: the 2013 summary says it shares its top grade (5.8) with Lonely Road but is harder in practice, a tiring "labour route."
| Pitch | Length | Grade | Rock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 40 m | 5.6 | Crack | |
| 2 | 20 m | 5.7 | Crack | |
| 3 | 25 m | 5.8 | Crack | Crux. A traverse with almost no hands and few feet; a slip without protection means a vertical drop. |
| 4 | 30 m | 5.7 | Crack | Ends just before Yeongja Slab (영자슬랩), where Lonely Road (고독길) pitch 6 also ends. |
When it is crowded, people use the variation line or an empty line next to it.
- Back down after finishing: rappel Insu A from Yeongja Crack (영자크랙) to Oasis, about 90 m; the 2013 report did 30 m then 60 m.
- West-side descent: see Descent at the end.
Sources: Girly's 2018 concept-map page, Power's 2013 summary and Meruraeng's 2013 report.
Medical School (의대길)
- Mont Blanc East Face topo number: #27.
- Start: the middle of Oasis (Meruraeng: "Uidae-gil starts from the central Oasis").
- Pitches and length: 5 to 6 pitches, about 100 to 136 m; sources split it differently.
| Pitch | Length | Grade | Rock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27 m | 5.8 | Slab | Another summary says 25 m. |
| 2 | 22 m | 5.9 | Crack | Another summary says about 20 m and 5.10a, and calls it the hardest free pitch on the route, needing jamming technique. |
| 3 | 12 m | 5.10a A0 | Slab | Aid: five bolts in a row. The gap between the 4th and 5th is long, so stand on the 4th before clipping the 5th. |
| 4 | 28 m | 5.8 | Slab | Another summary records this as a 20 m, 5.6 crack. |
| 5 | 20 m | 5.6 | Slab | A traverse. It ends below Ear Rock where it meets Gunghyeong-gil, the busiest spot. |
| 6 | 27 m | 5.10b | Slab | Ear Rock. The hard part is the first moves past the first bolt. |
Most parties stop at pitch 5 and go down to Oasis, which is easier than climbing to Ear Rock and using the west descent. If you go to Ear Rock, rappel Medical School; Girly's text gives two 50 m ropes. Look at who is below before you rappel: in Meruraeng's report a partner dropped a carabiner while retrieving gear after rappelling Insu A to Oasis, and it hit someone below preparing for Medical School, luckily causing only a bruise. Sources: Girly, Power, Meruraeng and a recollection of a 2009 ascent.
Sanchonji (산천지길)
- Mont Blanc East Face topo number: #21.
- Start: Oasis.
- Pitches and length: 5 pitches, 119 m. The 2024 report matches Girly's table.
| Pitch | Length | Grade | Rock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 m | 5.8 | Slab / crack | |
| 2 | 20 m | 5.10d | Slab | Crux. From the "mute crack" (벙어리 크랙) into a slab with three bolts. |
| 3 | 40 m | 5.8 | Slab / crack | |
| 4 | 13 m | 5.11a | Slab | Goes over an overhang; the second crux. |
| 5 | 26 m | 5.9 | Slab |
The 2024 party of six reported:
- Route: 2 Great Slab pitches, then 5 Sanchonji pitches, then the summit.
- Time: 08:30 to 16:00, about 7.5 hours.
- Ropes: one 70 m rope, three 60 m ropes and one 45 m rope.
- Great Slab pitch 1: the existing station was too small, so they built a temporary one with cams.
Right of the Great Slab
Chouinard B (취나드 B)
- Mont Blanc East Face topo number: #29 (listed there as Chouinard B – Kwibawi C).
- Start: walk right across the slope from the Great Slab to a small rise with a stone monument. With your back to the monument, look up: the crack with a stepped ledge is the start. Girly's page gives about 50 m in one passage and about 70 m in another for the walk from the Great Slab to the monument, so go by seeing the monument.
- Pitches and length: 5 pitches, 177 m, about 2 hours for a pair, one 50 m rope and one set of cams.
- Cruxes: the thin undercrack on pitch 2 and the double crack on pitch 4.
| Pitch | Length | Grade | Rock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 35 m | 5.7 | Crack | The text version says 20 m: start beside a small tree on the gentle wooded slope, climb the fine crack, then about 7 m of easy slab to a double-bolt station. |
| 2 | 37 m | 5.8 | Crack | A thin undercrack traversing right, with a few bolts; at the old pine, build the station on the double bolts to the left, not on the tree. |
| 3 | 25 m | 5.6 / 5.7 | Crack | Step across right from the pine and go straight up the crack to a double-bolt station. The two sources differ on the grade. |
| 4 | 40 m | 5.8 | Crack | From the station, climb a short face into the big crack on the left to reach a cave; when clipping the bolt beside the cave, use a long sling so the rope runs well. Past the cave is the famous double crack: steep, but in good condition. |
| 5 | 40 m | 5.6 / 5.7 | Crack | Straight up a big crack, body-sized at first and narrowing and improving higher; finish at the double bolts at Ear Rock. |
Reaching Ear Rock counts as the end. To top out, climb the roughly 20 m Ear Rock slab (5.10b) to the piton on top, make a short rappel of about 10 m into the gap on the summit side to the west, then climb Yeongja Crack. Descent: rappel Medical School from Ear Rock with two 50 m ropes.
Chouinard A (취나드 A)
- Mont Blanc East Face topo number: #36 (listed there as Chouinard A – Kwibawi D).
- Start: from the Chouinard B monument, walk about 50 m further right to a vertical crack splitting the wall below Ear Rock. On the pitch-1 terrace, the crack on the right is Simu-gil (심우길), the one straight up the middle is Chouinard A, and the slab on the left is Beot-gil (벗길).
- Pitches and length: 6 pitches, 181 m; 2 to 3 hours for a pair, one set of cams, 7 quickdraws, one 50 m rope.
- Crux: the overhanging crack on pitch 4.
| Pitch | Length | Grade | Rock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 m | 5.7 | Low-angle | No protection; there are trees for an anchor and the crack on the right takes cams. It ends at a roomy terrace with double bolts. |
| 2 | 33 m | 5.7 / 5.8 | Crack | A wide crack close to a half-chimney, needing cams and with no bolts; a cam stuck deep in the middle takes a quickdraw, and past the pool-like wide spot you reach the double bolts. The left pair belongs to Beot-gil, the pair beside the big crack to Chouinard A. |
| 3 | 22 m | 5.8 | Crack | A good right-trending crack at about 70 degrees with one bolt in the middle; Camalot 3 and 4 work well. It ends at double bolts and a roomy ledge. |
| 4 | 40 m | 5.10a (text version 5.10b) | Crack | A good crack to an overhang with one old piton, then a bolt above the lip. After about 4 m there is another bolt on the right, then no protection: place the full set of cams, and take care at the layback-to-jam transition. |
| 5 | 40 m | 5.6 | Crack | The text version treats the climb as finished after pitch 4. To top out, follow the Simu-gil crack to below Ear Rock, traverse, and climb Yeongja Crack. |
| 6 | 25 m | 5.5 | Slab |
Descent: after pitch 4, go right to the gnarled tree under the last Simu-gil pitch, where there are double bolts, and rappel from there; a sling threaded under the rock also works. Do not rappel Chouinard A itself: ropes often jam in the crack. The text version's setup is to rappel Simu-gil to Chouinard A pitch 3 first, then use two 50 m ropes in one rappel to the pitch-1 terrace.
Yangji (양지길)
- Mont Blanc East Face topo number: #30, 5.11a.
- Start: the Chouinard B pitch-1 station. A 2023 report places it between Medical School and Chouinard B; some drawings show Yangji pitch 1 as a separate line to the right of, and parallel with, Chouinard B pitch 1, but the writer treats the Chouinard B pitch-1 station as the start.
- Pitches and length: 3 pitches, 102 m. The 2017 drawing gives a top grade of 5.11a and 10 quickdraws.
- Time: 2 hours 30 minutes in the 2023 report.
| Pitch | Length | Grade | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 35 m | 5.9 | |
| 2 | 37 m | 5.11a | The pitch with the highest listed grade, though only the small overhang near the top is hard: a short traverse from right to left on shallow underclings, where balance matters. The drawing shows a line straight up the right side of the overhang, but there are no bolts there, which makes it a serious lead. |
| 3 | 30 m | 5.10a A0 | The writer found this the real crux, about 5.10c to 5.11a in feel. Step up on a dark spot, find good hands in the crack, then layback left to clip the first bolt; a fall before that clip lands on the people at the pitch-2 station. The overhang has bolts; the writer aided the last two, passed the Medical School pitch-4 station and finished at the Yangji station 3 m up and to the right. |
Descent: in the 2023 report, one rappel on a single 60 m rope from the Medical School pitch-4 station reached Oasis; the descent took 1 hour 30 minutes.
Biwon (비원길)
- Mont Blanc East Face topo number: #31, 5.11c A0.
- Start: right side of the Great Slab (2017 drawing). A 2020 report says water runs over the start, which makes it very slippery.
- Pitches and length: the 2017 drawing gives 5 pitches and 152 m (35 / 35 / 35 / 12 / 35), max 5.11b/c A0, 10 quickdraws. The 2020 report counts 6 pitches; the two split the route differently.
From the 2020 report by a party of five:
- Pitch 1: since rebolting, the line differs from the old one.
- Pitch 2: climbs over an overhanging ledge.
- Pitches 3 and 4: pitch 3 crosses Chouinard B, and pitch 4 joins Medical School and follows its aid section. The party climbed pitches 3 and 4 as one.
- Pitch 5: 5.11b, the face left of Medical School; the writer found it quite hard.
- Finish: pitches 5 and 6 climbed as one, ending on the terrace below Ear Rock.
Descent: the 2020 report gives no rappel setup; it finishes near Ear Rock like Chouinard A/B, so see Descent.
Left of the Great Slab
Routes on this side are packed onto the same wall, so positions are given relative to each other. Dongyang-gil, Haneul-gil, Georyong-gil and Villa are not on the Mont Blanc East Face topo, so there is no ready-made numbered diagram to check against. Putting several passages of Girly's page together, the order from bottom to top is: Cheongmaek-gil (청맥길), then Dongyang-gil (about 120 m from the Great Slab), Haneul-gil, Georyong-gil (about 180 m) and Villa (about 200 m); below Georyong there is also the single-pitch Miryeon (미련). All distances are "left and up from the Great Slab," estimated rather than measured.
Insu B (인수 B)
- Mont Blanc East Face topo number: no entry of that name; it is split across several routes under other names:
- #3 Crony: a 2022 report says "Crony's start is the same as Insu B's start"; Insu B takes the right-most of that row of cracks, while the original Crony takes the second (or third) from the right.
- #4 Sanggongsa: a 2003 Wolgan San report says it starts between Kŏnyang and Maninbo and that its pitch 4 reaches "the forested terrace where it meets Insu B."
- #6 Yongam Slab (5.9): reports from 2015, 2024 and 2025 climb "용암슬랩 → Insu B" as one line (the 2025 one).
- This mapping is inferred from the text; the topo photo has no numbers on the individual lines, so it cannot confirm which part is drawn under which number.
- Start: left of the Great Slab. Mountain Project says it is on the left (south) side of the big slab near the crack system where Crony is, reached by walking up the river bed along the base, about 5 minutes from the sign with the map.
- Current way: start up the 용암슬랩 (Yongam Slab) left of the Great Slab and reach Insu B's Oasis in 2 pitches (reports from 2024 and 2015).
- Old way: a straight crack about 30 m up on the left, or the Great Slab itself, about 100 m cut into roughly three pitches (route description on a Daum cafe).
- Pitch count: 5 to 8 depending on the source. MP gives 5 pitches and 136 m; the Daum description gives 6; the 2024 report climbed 8 (including 2 on Yongam Slab, each 40 to 60 m). The 3 pitches and 97 m in the 2012 guide and Girly's table are only the lower part, not the whole route. The redrawn Saramgwa San 2008 guide drawing (2015 repost) shows the same 3-pitch version: 37 / 30 / 30 m, max 5.8, with 10 quickdraws and medium-to-large cams, starting at "the upper left of the Great Slab".
- Crux: the pitch-3 crack. The Daum description grades it 5.8 and says the crack narrows as you go up, so foot jams hurt.
- History: Hankyoreh 2012 calls it the "eldest brother" of Insubong's routes, first climbed by Koreans in 1935; the Daum description says the first ascensionists did not use the Great Slab for the first pitch but the straight crack on the left.
The table below is MP's five-pitch version; the grades are MP users' estimates.
| Pitch | Grade | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5.6? | Up between two obvious grooves, one move out of the crack, then right to a slabby finish; the last move onto the slab is the harder one. |
| 2 | 5.8 | A few metres of slab, then follow the line between the large block on the right and the tree on the left into a crack, to the station below the off-width. |
| 3 | 5.8 | The obvious off-width with bolts on the right; a physical jam. Finishes near a tree. |
| 4 | 5.7 | The obvious crack straight up above the tree, exiting left past an interesting rock formation. |
| 5 | 5.6 | A low-angle crack, then a careful scramble to the top. |
MP's warning: after the pitch-4 station, followers should walk up and left to a ledge, then scramble back right to near a fallen tree (10 to 15 m) to reach the start of pitch 5; starting pitch 5 from the pitch-4 station runs you short of rope.
More detail from Korean reports:
- Pitch 2: Hankyoreh calls it the "jar crack" (항아리 크랙), worn smooth, so place cams. A 2021 report says the last move is up a jar-shaped block and is not easy.
- Pitch 4: Hankyoreh describes a crack about 15 m long that takes half your body, then a band to the left called the "dragon footprint"; a fall there is risky, so clip a quickdraw before crossing.
- Variations: a 2026 report climbed pitch 3 on the "splitter crack" between the Amidong crack and Insu B's jar crack; at the lying-pine station the standard line follows the band left, but they took the straight crack, whose upper part overlaps Sanggongsa. The 2021 party said the crack on the right is the original Insu B crack, climbed the thin crack in the middle of three, and merged into Ujŏng A near the end.
- Near the top: finish up the fixed rope on Chamgireum Rock (참기름바위, "sesame-oil rock," polished smooth); there is now a last station on top.
Descent: MP says to rappel the south side from the right-most stations, one rappel with two 60 m ropes tied together; the 2024 report used the west-side rappel point in two rappels of 30 m.
Crony (크로니길)
- Mont Blanc East Face topo number: #3.
- Start: there is a spring on the left of the Great Slab. About 20 m straight up from the spring and onto a flat slab is Geonyang-gil (건양길); the route that starts in the crack on the right is Crony.
- Pitches and length: 9 pitches, 237 m. Power's summary says it was the longest line on Insubong before Rescuer was opened. About 3 hours for a pair, one set of cams and one 50 m rope.
| Pitch | Length | Grade | Rock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 m | 5.7 | Crack / slab | A good crack for 10-odd metres, then left onto a band on the slab to double bolts. |
| 2 | 26 m | 5.7 | Crack / slab | Along the crack, then right along the band and straight up to the double bolts in the middle of the slab. |
| 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a | The older version split pitches 2 and 3; today most parties link them into one pitch to the station in the middle of the slab. |
| 4 | 25 m | 5.8 | Slab / band | Straight up to the band, then traverse left about 10 m to double bolts. |
| 5 | 20 m | 5.10a | Slab, pendulum | Climb left towards the southeast big chimney; after the last bolt, pendulum left across the chimney, lowering more than 10 m to double bolts on the slab to the left. |
| 6 | 21 m | 5.10a (other sources 5.9) | Crack | The route's signature crack. It used to have pitons and now has a bolt in the middle; a little jamming. |
| 7 | 26 m | 5.8 | Slab / crack | A piton station 5 m to the left is shared with Georyong and Dongyang; Crony goes straight up the slab past a few bolts, then a good crack, and 3 m left at the end is a ledge with double bolts. |
| 8 | 24 m | 5.7 | Crack | A V-shaped crack straight up with no protection, so place cams. |
| 9 | 50 m | 5.8 | Crack | A fine crack at a gentle angle; you can build a station on the ledge, or step left over the lip to double bolts. About 20 m of slab to the top, or stop at the ledge before the trees and walk up. |
Descent: the west-side rappel point, to the ground in 4 rappels with one rope or 2 with two ropes. The text comes from the Kim Yong-gi Mountaineering School (김용기 등산학교) description reposted in Sanjini's 2010 report, and the same text appears on Girly's page.
Dongyang-gil (동양길)
- Mont Blanc East Face topo number: none; this route is not among its 43.
- Start: left of Crony, about 120 m left of the Great Slab. The text version puts Haneul-gil above it and Cheongmaek-gil below it; higher up, several lines cross.
- Pitches and length: 8 pitches, 209 m (the text version's pitches add up to 204 m); about 2 to 3 hours for a pair, one set of cams and 15 quickdraws.
- Version difference: the text version grades pitch 1 at 5.10a, while the Wolgan San report and the main guide use 5.7.
| Pitch | Length | Grade | Rock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 m | 5.10a / 5.7 | Slab | Traverse to the double bolts at the start of the band; belaying here makes the rope run well. |
| 2 | 20 m | 5.10b | Slab | The step onto the band is steep; reaching toward the band you find small but good holds. Move a little right and climb the slab along thick stake-like bolts to double bolts on the flat part. |
| 3 | 15 m | 5.10d | Face | The steepest pitch on the route, with about four thick bolts. |
| 4 | 35 m | 5.8 | Crack | A good crack with about 3 m of face at the top; a piton station where Georyong joins from the left. |
| 5 | 30 m | 5.8 | Slab / crack | From the piton, up the slab about 10 m, right 3 m into a good crack, and after it left 2 m to double bolts shared with Crony. |
| 6 | 32 m | A0 | Face | A bolt ladder on the steep face to the left, needing about 15 quickdraws; a piton station above the band. |
| 7 | 26 m | 5.10b | Slab | Follow the bolts to the left; several routes tangle here and finding the way is hard. Near the Villa line, to double bolts. Daewoo Sarang-gil (대우사랑길) has recent bolts nearby. |
| 8 | 31 m | 5.9 | Slab | Few bolts on the last pitch, and near the summit three old bolts. |
The west-side descent point is close after topping out. From Girly's page.
Haneul-gil (하늘길)
- Mont Blanc East Face topo number: none; this route is not among its 43.
- Start: no pitch-by-pitch text states the start. The position can only be inferred from the order above: above Dongyang and below Georyong.
- Pitches and length: 7 pitches, 187 m.
- Pitch 1 (from a 2022 report): easy up to the narrow ledge with a crack, but the first bolt is only at the crack and a fall means a long drop. At the narrow ledge, hold the ledge with your hands and move right to where the crack is before standing up, which is easier than standing straight away. The crack can be foot-jammed or laybacked, and the long crack going right afterwards is in good condition.
| Pitch | Length | Grade | Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23 m | 5.10a | Crack |
| 2 | 17 m | 5.9a | Crack |
| 3 | 26 m | 5.10a | Crack / face |
| 4 | 30 m | 5.8 | Slab |
| 5 | 31 m | 5.10c | Crack |
| 6 | 40 m | 5.8 | Slab |
| 7 | 20 m | 5.10c | Slab |
Georyong-gil (거룡길)
- Mont Blanc East Face topo number: none; this route is not among its 43.
- Version warning: the table below is the old 6-pitch version on Girly's page. Its text heading says the hardest grade is 5.11b, while the pitch table tops out at 5.11a. Current sources mostly give 7 pitches and 5.12b, and the two must not be mixed; see the main guide's classics table.
- Start: the south face about 180 m left and up from the Great Slab. Looking up from below, there is a large band rising to the right about 30 m up; Villa is above, the single-pitch Miryeon below, and Haneul-gil below that.
- Gear: one set of cams, 10 quickdraws, one 50 m rope; 2 to 3 hours for a pair.
| Pitch | Length | Grade | Rock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 35 m | 5.10a | Crack / face | About 80 degrees with decent holds; after 10 m there is a good crack you can lightly foot-jam, then traverse left 3 m and go straight up. Before the band there are two bolts to aid into the band, then move right to a double-bolt station. |
| 2 | 20 m | 5.6 | Band | Traverse right along the band to the piton, which is shared with Dongyang-gil. |
| 3 | 28 m | 5.10b | Slab | Straight up about 7 m, traverse left, then up again; at the last bolt you pendulum left and cannot see the station on the left, so go down about 7 to 8 m and move left to the double bolts. |
| 4 | 38 m | 5.11a | Slab / crack | A steep slab ending in the P-crack (P크랙), which has holes, is in decent condition but feels exposed; there is no protection at the top of the crack, so place cams. Above is a band, with double bolts about 5 m to the right. |
| 5 | 15 m | 5.10a | Slab | A wide slab where, as on Dongyang-gil, the way is hard to find; every route here has clear bolts, so choose the direction you want. |
| 6 | 40 m | 5.10a | Slab | Climb to the top. |
Villa (빌라길)
- Mont Blanc East Face topo number: none; this route is not among its 43.
- Start: about 200 m up from the Great Slab. Georyong starts directly below it; from underneath, the whole of pitch 1's crack is visible.
- Pitches and length: 6 pitches, 165 m; one set of cams, 12 quickdraws, one 50 m rope; about 2 hours for a pair.
- Version differences: Girly's text describes only 5 pitches while its table lists 6, the last being A2. Two bolts at the crux have been removed over the years, so the grade may have been revised. Power's summary says a second needs to be at least 5.10 standard to finish comfortably.
| Pitch | Length | Grade | Rock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 40 m | 5.8 | Crack | A good crack at about 70 degrees all the way to the station; there are two sets of double bolts, so use the upper one. |
| 2 | 28 m | 5.12a | Face | About 80 degrees with continuous small holds. The crux is at the second-to-last bolt; you can skip the last bolt and go straight to the station on the right. The first 5.12 on Insubong. |
| 3 | 17 m | 5.10b | Face | Along the band with 5 bolts, to the double bolts at the large horizontal band and ledge. |
| 4 | 20 m | 5.11c | Slab | Up the bolts about 10 m to a band, traverse right 5 m, find the black bump and stand on it; two bolts above lead to double bolts on a flat spot. The end of this pitch connects with Dongyang-gil. |
| 5 | 40 m | 5.9 | Crack / slab | Thin cracks left and right, usually taking the left; two bolts before the crack, and a small cam is needed in the middle. |
| 6 | 20 m | A2 (table) | Slab / crack | The text version says to go left along a thin undercrack, over a ledge, and climb about 10 m to the summit. |
After topping out, move slightly left to the west-side rappel point.
Other locations
Lonely Road (고독의 길)
- Mont Blanc East Face topo number: #38 (5.6).
- Start: on the far right of the East Face.
- Power's summary: from Harujae go past the Insu campground and the Pigeon Spring (비둘기샘), walk under the Great Slab all the way to its right end.
- theCrag: the far right, on a ledge with some trees, just past Chouinard A.
- Mountain Project: trace the base to the right until you are below the obvious crack of Chouinard A, scramble a few metres further right and go up some class 3/4 terrain to the start; it is hard to find.
- 2017 report: the official pitch-1 start is a big pine; climb the chimney gap on the left, or go slightly right and climb a short section first. Their party of seven moved right and started from "pitch 0".
- Pitches: MP gives 8 pitches and about 152 m, saying every pitch is around 5.6 with some walking in between; theCrag gives 6 pitches and 350 m. Hankyoreh 2012 gives 8 pitches, hardest 5.8, widely considered the easiest route on Insubong and the one most beginners climb. It is very crowded at weekends, so go on a weekday, and do not skimp on protection just because it is easy.
| Pitch | Length | Grade | Rock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | about 15 m | 5.6 | Crack | Three ways; take the left crack, with good holds. |
| 2 | about 30 m | 5.6 | Crack | Place one cam; you reach a cave afterwards. |
| 3 | about 30 m | 5.8 | Layback crack | There is also a 5.6 gully crack on the left. |
| 4 | about 10 m | 5.6 | Crack | The view opens and Seolgyobyeok appears. |
| 5 | about 40 m | 5.6 | Gully crack | Climb right and pass through the "dog hole" (개구멍) to the right of Ear Rock. |
| 6 | about 5 m | n/a | Short steps | Step up like stairs, then cross the left foot to the rock on the left; this is where it joins Insu A, at the end of Insu A pitch 4. |
After that come Yeongja Crack (pitch 7) and Chamgireum Rock (pitch 8). MP says the hardest part of the route is the 10 to 15 ft slab just below the summit: no anchors, no bolts, nowhere for gear, so you solo it; the rock is polished and greasy from the traffic, and a fall means scraping down to uneven rocks below, so have a partner spot you. There is now a fixed rope there. Above pitch 2 there is a cave with awkward boulders that are hard to pass with a pack, and it also serves as an informal toilet, so it smells strongly (see the 2017 report). After Rescuer pitch 6 you can traverse over to pitch 3 of this route to bail.
Descent: MP says to follow the fixed rope down the back of the summit to a single rappel station, use the right-most station, and one rappel with two 60 m ropes reaches the ground; from the left station two 60 m ropes may be too short. theCrag's version is to walk southeast to find a rope, then west to a horizontal chain of roughly 10 m of bolts, and use the western-most anchors for a 60 m rappel to the ground.
Pigeon (비둘기길)
- Mont Blanc East Face topo number: none; this route is not among its 43.
- Start: Hankyoreh says the start is the saddle where Baegundae meets Insubong, "the descent route climbed in reverse"; from just before Rescuer, take the path to the right towards the campground and walk about 100 m towards Insubong to reach Pigeon Spring.
- Pitches and grade: 4 pitches, about 89 m, 5.6 to 5.7, with only pitch 3 being aid. The table below rates that aid pitch A1; the redrawn Saramgwa San guide drawing gives A0, with 10 quickdraws and small-to-medium cams.
- Warning: do not climb it when many people are rappelling the south side. Rappellers' ropes tangle, and a leader's fall can be hit by falling rope (Power's summary).
| Pitch | Length | Grade | Rock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 35 m | 5.7 | Crack | Two cams needed. |
| 2 | 17 m | 5.6 | Crack | Past the "scorched-rice rock" (누룽지바위) and a dihedral, climbed with layback. |
| 3 | 17 m | A1 | Slab | Aid, passed by stepping up in slings (꺾기); not hard, but very exposed. |
| 4 | 20 m | 5.7 | Slab / crack | Follow the crack with layback. The pitch-4 station is the rappel point, and about 50 m more leads to the summit. |
Wand (봔트길)
- Mont Blanc East Face topo number: #17 (5.10b).
- Start: no text states it. Power's summary only says it is on the same side as Sanchonji and PASI, in the order, going left from Insu A: Sanchonji, PASI, Wand.
- Pitches and length: 4 pitches, 162 m (Girly's table).
| Pitch | Length | Grade | Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 40 m | 5.9 | Slab |
| 2 | 40 m | 5.10c | Slab, overhang |
| 3 | 40 m | 5.10a | Slab |
| 4 | 42 m | 5.10a | Slab |
Insu Ridge (인수리지, the back side)
- Mont Blanc East Face topo number: #43.
- Start: on the back of the mountain. Go past the spring in the valley behind Insu Hut (인수산장), take a side path across the slope, cross a few short spurs and join the left ridge; soon you reach a 5 m slab, the start of the ridge. Cheong-a's 2006 report also mentions another way: up from Bamgol (밤골), along Sumeunbyeok (the Hidden Wall), then down the Baramgol valley to the start of the Seolgyobyeok ridge.
- Pitch count: this is an 8-pitch version. Power's summary gives 10; Cheong-a says the pitch counts differ between sources because they break the climb in different places. The main guide uses 7.
| Pitch | Length | Grade | Rock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 m | 5.2 | Crack | Climb a 6 m slab, walk about 50 m on a forest path to the gently sloping "Courtyard Rock" (마당바위) and gear up. The diagonal crack on the left is easier than going straight up; one bolt at its base. |
| 2 | 4 m | 5.8 | Dihedral | Foot-jam the left crack; one small cam. You can bypass on the right through a hole. Above is a ledge for several people. |
| 3 | 11 m | n/a | "Nipple Rock" (젖꼭지바위) | Climb onto the block on the right, then step across to the block on the left, a balance move; shorter seconds often cannot reach the knob and need an extra step. |
| 4 | 15 m | A0 | Rappel 5 m, then traverse | Rappel 5 m from the double bolts, stop on the band, then traverse to the double bolts across the gap; the sling on the far side is old, so check it. |
| 5 | 8 m | n/a | Rappel | Slightly overhanging with uneven ground below; go down slowly. Below is a flat area where more than 20 people can rest. |
| 6 | 8 m | 5.9 | Diagonal thin crack | The hardest pitch. A thin crack rising from right to left, climbed with layback and foot jams. The author thinks 5.9 to 5.10a is more accurate because the rock is polished; the middle bolt has been cut and there is one bolt at the top. Build an anchor on the tree before starting: below the start is a cliff. |
| 7 | 35 m (upper crack another 15 m) | 5.8 | Crack ("Crocodile Route," 악어길) | At about 25 m on the lower part there are double bolts and a sling on a band; step on the sling at the middle bolt to reach the upper crack. |
| 8 | 10 m | n/a | Slab, dihedral | Many walk the rest, but the right side is a cliff, so a fixed rope is recommended. |
After topping out, the fastest descent is the Pigeon rappel point on the south side.
Rescuer (구조대길)
- Mont Blanc East Face topo number: #39.
- Start: no text states it. The 2013 full-length report only says "pitch 1 start."
- Pitches and length: 12 pitches, about 300 to 360 m, 25 to 30 m each. It is said to take about 5 hours for a pair; that party had a group of five ahead who waited at least 20 minutes per pitch, and took about 10 hours.
- Gear: two 60 m ropes, and pitch 6 needs 12 quickdraws; they carried cams but did not use them, as the bolts are well placed.
- Escape: after Rescuer pitch 6 you can traverse to Lonely Road (고독길) pitch 3 to bail; conversely, on Lonely Road, after pitch 2 you can switch to Rescuer pitch 7. Crux: pitch 6 (5.11b), an overhanging undercrack that you work along like playing piano. If a second pulls on or steps on a bolt or sling it counts as aid.
- Descent: rappel Medical School four times to the Chouinard B start.
PASI (패시길)
- Mont Blanc East Face topo number: #20.
- Start: no text states it.
- Pitches and length: 5 pitches, 139 m.
- The 2010 report carried three 60 m ropes and Camalot 0.5, 0.75, 1 and 2.
| Pitch | Length | Grade | Rock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 m | 5.7 | Crack / slab | |
| 2 | 22 m | 5.9 | Slab / band | |
| 3 | 35 m | 5.10c | Crack / slab | Place Camalot 1 and 2 in the crack at the bottom first, then climb past the overhang with a bolt above; seconds should clip an extra quickdraw with a sling. The double bolts are far away and a fall would hurt, so that party also added a Camalot 1 in a vague crack. |
| 4 | 32 m | 5.10c | Crack | One move before clipping the second bolt: left fingertips on a small hold, find a right foothold and settle the left foot, reach up with the right hand to the thin crack and layback left; being tall helps. |
| 5 | 30 m | 5.6 | Slab |
Amidong (아미동길)
- Mont Blanc East Face topo number: #1.
- Start: from a 2018 report: take a taxi to Doseonsa, walk to Harujae (하루재), then about 30 minutes uphill behind Insu Hermitage (인수암).
- Pitch count: Girly's table records 3 pitches and 90 m (40 m 5.6 slab, 40 m 5.10a crack / slab, 10 m); the main guide uses the 7 pitches of the original opening. Both versions exist side by side.
- That report climbed up to pitch 5: pitch 3 is nearly vertical with poor holds and is the crux; the pitch-4 crack is easier than expected; on pitch 5 the climber fell about 5 m right at the start when the left foothold blew.
Descent
The descent setups on this page are each source's own wording. Rappel points and rope lengths should follow the topo and the situation on the day; see the main guide's descent section for details. A few shared facts:
- West-side rappel point: Girly's page says four rappels with a single 50 m rope or two with double ropes to reach the ground.
- Around Ear Rock (Chouinard A/B, Biwon, Medical School): rappel Medical School with two 50 m ropes; parties who stop after pitch 4 rappel from the double bolts on the last Simu-gil pitch.
- Yangji: the 2023 report made one rappel on a single 60 m rope from the Medical School pitch-4 station to Oasis.
- Do not rappel straight down Chouinard A: the ropes jam in the crack.
- Look below when you rappel: parties are often getting ready to start around Oasis, so check that nobody is below before retrieving gear from above.
How far to trust these notes
- Dates: the sources run from 2006 to 2024, mostly the 2010s; for the dates of the drawings, see Where to find the Korean topo drawings. Fixed gear, stations and bolts may have changed; Crony pitch 6 used to have pitons and now has a bolt, and two bolts on Villa have been removed.
- Shared origin: the pitch-by-pitch text on Girly's page matches the Kim Yong-gi Mountaineering School description reposted on Sanjini's page (checked for the Crony section), and several blogs repost the same compilation, so they are not independent confirmation.
- Versions: pitch counts, lengths and grades often have two versions, and the notes list both. When you meet two numbers, go with the topo on the day.
- Positions: starts are described as "a few dozen metres left or right" and are estimates, not measurements.
- Gaps: no clear start description was found for Haneul-gil, Rescuer or PASI, and each says so above.
This page is no substitute for a good topo. For east-face routes, download (or buy the poster of) the Mont Blanc Lines East Face topo before you go, then use this page to cross-check each pitch's length and crux; for the four south-face routes there is no matching topo, but Doraetgubi's numbered whole-face map numbers Dongyang, Haneul, Georyong and Villa, so use it to locate them, and find a partner who knows that side.
Update history
- 2026-10-25: added "Where to find the Korean topo drawings", listing the original sources of the Korean community topos for Chouinard A, Chouinard B, Insu B, Pigeon and others, with their figures checked against the pitch tables; added Yangji and Biwon; added the redrawn Saramgwa San guide figures to Insu B and Pigeon.
References
- Mont Blanc Lines: Insubong – East Face, 2025
- Girly (구름에 달가듯이): Insubong concept map and route table, 2018 (in Korean)
- Power (오늘도 내..): Insubong climbing routes, 2013 (in Korean)
- Sanjini: Insubong climb (Crony-gil), 2010 (in Korean)
- Cheong-a (Kim Jong-man): Insu Ridge / Seolgyobyeok / Mosa-gil, 2006 (in Korean)
- Meruraeng: Insubong Medical School climb, 2013 (in Korean)
- Sosohan Gieokdeul: Memories of wall climbing, Insubong Medical School, 2019 (in Korean)
- Killer & San: Bukhansan Insubong Rescuer-gil, 2013 (in Korean)
- Killer & San: Bukhansan Insubong PASI-gil, 2010 (in Korean)
- Taesan Junryeong: Insubong Amidong-gil, 2018 (in Korean)
- Dalbit Nageune: Bukhansan Insubong Sanchonji-gil climb, 2024 (in Korean)
- Wooltraveler (Chaeul): Insubong single-pitch session, 2022 (in Korean)
- Hankyoreh: Beginners start with Lonely Road (Insubong's representative routes), 2012 (in Korean)
- Mountain Project: Insu B, 2013 onwards
- Buldeuchi's daily life: Insubong Insu B, 2024 (in Korean)
- Buldeuchi's daily life: Insubong Insu B crack course, 2026 (in Korean)
- Dorae Gubi: Insubong Insu B-gil, 2015 (in Korean)
- Daum cafe: Insubong B course description (in Korean)
- Wooltraveler (Chaeul): Insubong Insu B route, 2021 (in Korean)
- Mountain Project: Go-Deok Wei Gil (Lonely Road)
- theCrag: 고독의 길 (Lonely Road)
- 28 Cheongchun: Insubong Lonely Road concept map and report, 2017 (in Korean)
- Wooltraveler (Chaeul): Insubong Crony-gil and Pigeon-gil, 2022 (in Korean)
- Wolgan San: Sanggongsa-gil opened on Bukhansan Insubong, 2003 (in Korean)
- Buldeuchi's daily life: Insubong Insu B, 2025 (in Korean)
- Doraetgubi: Bukhansan Insubong front-face concept map, 2012 (in Korean)
- Daum café Eoksen Dream Team: Chouinard A concept map, 2010 (in Korean)
- jangdayena: Bukhansan Insubong (Moseol, Yangji, Chouinard B, Biwon concept map), 2017 (in Korean)
- genie102517: Bukhansan Insubong Moseol, Yangji, Chouinard B, Biwon route concept map, 2020 (in Korean)
- leisurely-climber: Pigeon-gil climb and concept map, 2023 (in Korean)
- ijhwanny: Insubong Yangji-gil, 2023 (in Korean)
- Buldeuchi's daily life: Insubong Biwon-gil, 2020 (in Korean)