High1 Resort

High1 Resort

High1 is located in the heart of the Taebaek Mountains, Korea’s main range, and offers the most serious piece of ski terrain in the country. This isn’t a ski / golf / water park all-in-one leisure resort; this is a proper ski hill with proper runs (although the High1 Hotel does actually have an attached golf course… and there’s a casino! And lots of good hiking… so it is popular year-round)

High1, view from the gondola

High1 has one of the best natural snowfall records in Korea, so isn’t quite as reliant as most Korean hills on snowmaking – this isn’t saying all that much, but at least you’ll be getting some of the real stuff under your board.

Mountain scenery at High1

The Taebaek Mountains

Also, take note: High1 offers a 40% discount to foreigners! Just remember to take your passport with you, and use it to get a resort card from the Customer Service Centre. You can then present the resort card at the ticket counter to get the discount when you buy your lift ticket.

High1: the hill

Mountain stats
Highest lifted point: 1,367m
Lowest skiable point: 720m
Vertical drop: 647m
Lifts: 10
Runs: 18
Longest run: 4.2km (‘Z1’ > ‘Z3’)
Terrain park: yes

Homepage and piste map (click to enlarge):

High1 piste map

There are three base areas, although one of them is just the High1 Hotel, located on the side of the mountain some distance from the town of Gohan with its own gondola – High1 Gondola – direct to the top, but no ski in/ski out piste access. The main base areas are Mountain House, high above the town of Sabuk, and Valley House lower down in Gohan; the Valley Gondola connects these two bases, and you can ski down from Mountain House to Valley House via the Athena 3 run. From Mountain House, the Mountain Gondola (which is the main gondola) runs up to the top.

High1 Resort

In addition to the three gondolas, High1 has a total of 7 chairlifts running up the two facing sides of a valley, with all the runs funnelling down from the two top stations (Valley Top & Mountain Top) to Valley House at the bottom.

The vertical drop at High1 is similar to that at Yongpyong, and a bit less than at Muju Deogyusan, but a crucial difference is that while Yongpyong has only one full run all the way down and Muju Deogyusan a couple, at High1 you have a much greater variety of top-to-bottom options.

They also do a good job with their freestyle efforts; the park isn’t quite as impressive as the more specialist setups at Phoenix Park and Welli Hilli, but High1 is otherwise the best freestyle hill you’ll find in Korea.

High1 Resort

 

High1 is good for:

Freestyle – best in Korea after Welli Hilli Park and Phoenix Park.

Terrain – the best variety of top-to-bottom runs at any single resort in Korea.

All levels of riding.

40% discount for all foreigners! (remember to take your passport)

High1 is not so good for:

Day trips from Seoul! It’s doable, but it’s probably just a bit too far to be worth it for most; better to stay for a couple of days if possible.

High1 lift tickets

High1 is open from 8:30 to 22:00. Their lift tickets follow the typical system in Korea, with the operating hours split into day & night by a 2-hour snow grooming break at 4pm; the daytime hours are subdivided into AM and PM. You can get a ticket for AM, PM, or Night, or a combination of the above, as per here. Prices range from 62,000 for a single slot to 92,000 for PM & Night combined.

They have a very handy ticket option of Night (18:00 – 22:00) and morning (8:30 – 12:00) the following day, for 90,000 won. This is very useful if you want to hit High1 from Seoul and only have 2 days, as you can travel on the first day and ski in the evening, then ski again in the morning before travelling back.

And remember, there’s a 40% discount for foreigners! Your passport is required to get the discount, so don’t forget it.

If you also want to rent ski equipment & wear, book lessons etc, it works out cheaper to book a package including transportation, see here; if you prefer to stay overnight, see here

Snow sculpture at High1 Resort

High1: accommodation

There are multiple accommodation options at the resort itself, with more in the towns of Sabuk and Gohan below.

The resort accommodation consists of three condos (Hill Condo, Mountain Condo, Valley Condo) and three hotels (High1 Palace Hotel, High1 Convention Hotel, Kangwonland Hotel); click on each property name to view details or make a reservation. You can also check here and compare the price. Valley Condo is at the base station of the Valley Gondola and Mountain Condo is at the upper station – Hill Condo is in the middle, and the gondola actually stops at a middle station just next to Hill Condo. If you need to rent ski equipment & wear it may be best to book a package, see here.

Alternatively, you can stay in Gohan or Sabuk. Both towns have free shuttle buses to the resort (and you can walk from Gohan to the bottom gondola station) and have a few hotels listed here, plus there are a number of love motels. Some motels can actually be reserved online, but the others are walk-in joints – which you probably can’t bank on having availability if it’s a holiday, but should be fine otherwise (staying at a love motel may sound off-putting to some, but they’re actually decent places and not as seedy as the name might suggest, and could make for an interesting Korean experience!)

If you’re going to base yourself in Seoul and hit High1 from there, it’s a long day but it can be done (see below for access details); search Hotels Combined for the best hotel rates in Seoul

Airbnb is also a good option in Korea, and they have a few listings near High1 in the Sabuk/Gohan area. If you haven’t used Airbnb before, you can get a 35-dollar discount off your first rental by signing up through Snow Guide Korea; simply click on this link and register!

How to get to High1

If you book a package (1-day or 2D1N) that includes your bus transfer from Seoul.

To get there independently, High1 can be reached by mugunghwa (slow) train from Seoul’s Cheongyangni Station, with trains costing around 14,000 won and taking around 3.5 hours to Sabuk or Gohan. These two stations are a few minutes apart in neighbouring towns, and are connected to High1 by free resort shuttle buses; check the train & shuttle schedules here, see which shuttle bus (i.e. from Gohan or Sabuk) best matches your preferred train time, and choose your destination station accordingly. It’s slow, but there’s some nice scenery along the way.

The highway bus is actually faster than the train, though it doesn’t link up with the shuttle buses so you have to take a taxi from Shin Gohan bus terminal to High1 (the location of the bus terminal in an odd little turnoff from the highway is not conducive to walking into Gohan itself; you can do so, but you need to find the walking path alongside the river). The bus goes from Dong Seoul (East Seoul) Terminal located next to Gangbyeon Station (Line 2), takes around 3 hours, costs around 18,000 won, and runs roughly every 30 to 60 minutes; there are also buses to/from Nambu Terminal (a smaller but more centrally located bus terminal, located on Line 3), but these are much less frequent.

The resort operates free shuttles for both of the local train stations, but not the bus station. If accessing High1 from Sabuk Station, the shuttle bus takes you to Mountain House. If accessing from Gohan, the shuttle bus goes to both bases but Valley House is first; if taking a taxi from Gohan bus terminal, Valley House is significantly closer. If you’re going to the High1 Hotel, you need to take the shuttle from Gohan. The shuttle bus system is clearly explained here.

Another option is a direct bus transfer from Seoul to the resort with these guys. It’s a bit more expensive, but way less hassle as it’s 3.5 hours from Seoul direct to High1 with no transfers; they can also arrange direct private airport transfers.

The new Gangneung KTX bullet train line opened in late 2017, running from Seoul Station to Gangneung in two hours; however, from Gangneung to High1 you still then have to take a slow mugunghwa train (2 hours) or highway bus to Sabuk/Gohan, so it doesn’t save any time vs the direct buses (and works out more expensive)

From the airport there’s a 7:00am bus direct to High1 (see here), and several more departures per day direct to Gohan (see here). If the schedule doesn’t suit your landing time you’ll have to ride the Metro to Dong Seoul Terminal and take the highway bus from there (this takes quite a lot longer, but would still be faster than waiting around for 4 hours at the airport for a direct bus)

Any questions about High1 Resort? Leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you.

For more Gangwon-do resorts, see here; for full reviews of every Korean ski resort, see here

Also check out the best Korean ski resorts according to various criteria, and this size comparison of Korea’s ski resorts using satellite imagery


122 comments on “High1 Resort
  1. Aaron says:

    Just checked their website and saw they have kids school.
    Do they provide English or Chinese Lessons?
    Originally we were planned for Yongpyong. But also checking if there are other viable options since Yongpyong will not fully open.

    • snorton says:

      Hi Aaron,

      Thanks for stopping by & commenting. I’m not sure about Chinese, but yes High1 definitely offers lessons in English. Yongpyong does too, but for the coming season High1 is the best choice.

      Hope this helps!

  2. Sandi says:

    Hi,

    Any idea when they’ll open for the 2017/2018 season. Will be in Korea in about 2 weeks time and was wondering if mid-Nov would be too early. Couldn’t find any official info on any of the websites.

    Thanks,
    Sandi

  3. Fenn says:

    which condo is best for ski in/out in High1? And how do I get there directly from Incheon airport?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi again Fenn, Valley Condo (book here) and Mountain Condo are ski in & out. Hill Condo (book here) is accessed via the Valley Gondola mid-station.

      To access from Incheon Airport, there are direct buses. See here (halfway down)

      Hope this helps and let me know if you have any more questions!

  4. Fenn says:

    Thanks Simon! I thought i read the gondolas are at Valley Condo and Mountain Condo. Now you’re saying it’s Hill Condo, i’m properly confused 🙁

    • Simon Norton says:

      Oh, sorry for the confusion… actually Hill Condo is just above Valley Condo. The gondola base station is directly next to Valley Condo

  5. Fenn says:

    But regardless, i checked Agoda and its all fully booked! I am so disappointed and trying to contact the hotels directly. Do you have any other recommendations to see if i can get a room in either of the condo?

    • Simon Norton says:

      It’s not surprising I’m afraid… due to the Olympics I guess it’s going to be very hard to get accommodation at most resorts this season.

      What I’d suggest is staying in Gohan town. It means you don’t have ski in accommodation, but some of the hotels are close (walkable) to the Valley House base station (be sure to check the exact location on the map when booking). You can search Gohan hotels here. It’s not ideal, but to be honest I think it may be your only option if you want to go to High1 this season.

      Let me know if you manage to book something! (or if you have any more questions)

  6. Fenn says:

    I managed to get in touch with a staff and he said Mountain Condo might still be available. I’m awaiting his confirmation, but is it also far from the gondolas?

    If that doesnt work out, which hotel do you recommend that is truly within walking distance to the base station? Thank you so much for all the advices

  7. Fenn says:

    Simon, i guess, the more appropriate question would be, do you have a map of the High1 resort where i could see the location of the other hotels?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Fenn, sorry for the slow response, have had a couple of busy days travelling back to Korea. In Seoul now and ready to rock the season!

      When you look at the hotel listings on Agoda, if you scroll down the bottom you can see exactly where each hotel is on the map and check the distance to High1.

      Sorry, I think my previous posts weren’t clear enough about the condos – all of the condos are convenient for the gondola! Valley Condo is right next to the gondola base, Hill Condo is at the mid station, the Mountain Condos are a short walk from the top of Valley Gondola and base of Mountain Gondola.

      Did you make that condo reservation in the end? Or a hotel?

      Let me know if you’re sorted, or if you have any more questions

    • Simon Norton says:

      Oh yeah, and if you look at the High1 slope map (the one pictured above) you can actually see the 3 condo buildings at the bottom. That should give you a better idea of the setup

  8. Steven says:

    Do you have any good rental shops around Gohan recommend and they can communicate in english?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Steven,

      You can rent boards from High1, or from the rental shops in Gohan. I’ve never done either personally, but my understanding is that the resort has better boards than the shops, but the shops are cheaper. I’m afraid I don’t have recommendations on any specific shops, but there are a number of them there. I wouldn’t worry too much about communication – their English will usually be sufficient for the purpose!

  9. Carina Eggleston says:

    Hi Simon! We are currently at High 1, Staying at the Mayhills Hotel (as everything close to the slopes was booked out 🙁
    I am just looking on line at the slope information and it says that you can only get a 40% discount if you have a “resort card”. Do you know if the foreigner discount you mention (presenting a passport) still applies for the 2017/2018 season?
    Cheers, Carina.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Carina,

      Hmmm, yeah it looks like they’ve changed it a bit. I haven’t been out there yet this winter, but from what I can make out, it sounds like the same system as they have at Yongpyong – you get a prepaid resort card first, and then if you buy the lift ticket with that card you get the discount.

      I may be wrong, but that’s what it looks like – in other words, I think you should (hopefully) be able to get a resort card and then use it for the discount. I recommend you do take your passport along too, in case the 50% still exists. And please let me know what happens, so I can update the info on this page! Cheers, Simon

      • Carina Eggleston says:

        Hi Steven! Thanks for your response! We will go and check it out now and let you know! So… going off what you have written, we need to ask to buy a resort card first?! I think that’s what you are saying! In any case, we will take our passports, ask, and try our hardest to get ANY discount! LOL! I’ll be in touch! Cheers, Carina.

        • Simon Norton says:

          Ok, have a great day on the slopes and let me know how you get on with the discounts!

          • Carina Eggleston says:

            Hi! Sorry! I forgot to get back to you! Happy New Year!
            We ended up getting lift tickets from the ski shop at Mayhills Resort for the same 40% discount. The only catch is that we had to physically hand the tickets back to a Mayhills staff member at the High 1 Ticket booth at 5pm! Which isn’t a big deal…. unless you want to stay up the mountain to have dinner before coming down on the Gondolas.

            But we did ask about foreigner discounts at the Customer Service Centre. They said that each person had to present an ARC or Passport and get a Resort Card first (free of charge). Then you present this resort card at the ticket box and get a 40% discount.

            At this stage, only about 4 runs are not open, so 14 runs are!!! And it was fairly quiet for the New Years Long weekend! We had a blast!

            Thanks for your awesome information!

            Carina

            • Simon Norton says:

              Hi Carina,

              Awesome, glad it worked out! And thanks for the update, helps me keep the info on the page accurate.

              Cheers!

            • Ram says:

              HI Carina

              This is the first time i visit High 1 , as your mention , is it possible i live in Mayhills and still get the foreigner discounts at the Customer Service Centre , is seems they will provide you a Resort Card … etc

              Also will there be any discount for rental gear as well ?

              Thanks

  10. ROCK SHEK says:

    Hi simon, nice to know that you can share the useful info. here and it can help many new comers to solve the problems. To be honest, i am a new comer as well and would like to seek for your opinions concerning ski gears rental arrangement at High 1 resort.
    My family ( totally 16 members ) have already reserved 4 nights ( Valley Cond.) at High 1 resort, but find difficulties to arrange the gears rental stuff. I expect to rent the gears at day 1 and return the stuff at day 5. However, High 1 staff has replied that their ski house only offer daily rental service so that my family members should borrow and return the gears daily.
    It is very inconvenience for my group and we would like to seek alternative way to tackle the said problem.
    Do you have any idea ?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi there, hmm yeah that’s a shame High1 won’t allow you to rent for mutiple days.

      There are also some independent rental shops in Gohan town (Valley Condo is in Gohan) which you could try, but I’m afraid I have no idea what their policy is for multiple day rentals. I’d suggest visiting them on your arrival day to ask if they can do that for you. I hope they say yes! (and please let me know what they say, so I can give better advice to future readers. Thanks!)

  11. Roy H says:

    Hi there! I will be staying in Gangneung with my girlfriend for the Olympics. We wanted to ski High1 but from this post it does not sound like it will be easy to get there. You have to take a bus then taxi?? Is there no other easier way? Maybe it would be best to ski at another resort like Yongpyong even though some terrain will be closed for the Olympics.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Roy, yeah if you want to go to High1 in February you’ll need to take a bus to Gohan, then a taxi to the hill. There’s also a “mugunghwa” (local) train to Gohan, and from Gohan train station there’s a free shuttle to High1; however this train leaves from Jeongdongjin Station (to the south of Gangneung) which may not be convenient for you (after the Olympics, that mugunghwa will actually start running from Gangneung Station… but that doesn’t help you). The first option will take a couple of hours, the second by train will probably be a bit slower unless you’re staying near Jeongdongjin.

      It’s doable, and High1’s the best resort available – but would defo be easier to head to Yongpyong or Welli Hilli Park instead. Personally this winter I’d go to Welli Hilli Park rather than Yongpyong, on the proviso you can get KTX train tickets. The station is Dunnae, 30 minutes from Gangneung, and there’s a free shuttle bus from Dunnae Station to Welli Hilli. See my Welli Hilli page here for more info

      • Tom says:

        Is it possible to rent a car and drive from Gangneung to High 1? How long would it take?

        • Simon Norton says:

          Hi Tom, it would be about a 90-minute drive, depending where exactly you’re starting from. You could get to Yongpyong a bit faster, but High1’s the better option in terms of the skiing available

  12. Will says:

    Just wanted to drop some love to ya Simon! I’m currently planning a trip over from the end of jan to beginning of feb and your page has been IMMENSELY helpful! Props, kudos, and kowtows to ya mate!

  13. Iris says:

    Hi Simon,

    I have just found your wetside is very useful. You are so appreciated.
    5 years before. I had gone to High 1 and let my kids to join their private lesson. It was said as a English lesson. But we found much difficult to communicate with the Korean coach who is speaking poor English.

    Then I went to Yongpyong for last two years, the Native English speaking (foreign) coach is easy for communcation and professional.

    Since Olympic, I can only go to High 1, may I know do High 1 improve ? Do they have Native English or Mandarin NON-Korean coach. Thks

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Iris,

      I’m not sure – but actually, you can still go to Yongpyong this year. Some of the slopes are closed because of the Olympics, but the resort is open… so, if you’ve been happy with the instructors there before, maybe it’s best just to go to Yongpyong again

  14. Will says:

    Hey Simon, its me again! Just wondering if the 40% lift ticket discount for foreigners is still going on for the 2018 season?

    Thanks Again!

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi again Will, yes it is – I haven’t been out there yet this season, but I know people who have and got the discount (actually, the 40% discount is new this season… it used to be 50%)

      • Will says:

        Hi Simon!

        Weve arrived! Just curious if you could provide any information as to where visitors apply for this discount card. From my research they say there is a customer service center located within the casino. Is this where we are to go to apply for this visitors card? Or would there be another more central location. I should mention that im staying at the base village in the high valley hotel. Thanks again!

        • Simon Norton says:

          Hi Will,

          Think you can just get it at any customer service centre or ticket office (they’re scattered around the various base stations). Actually I guess you’ve probably got it sorted by now anyway – did you find it ok?

          • Will says:

            Hello Simon!

            Had a blast.

            Some notes.

            Our flight landed at in incheon at 3:30 and we took the 4:45 bus to dong seoul. By the time we arrived it was 6:45 due to traffic. After a quick bite at the terminal we took the 7:45 bus to the resort. Arrived at the resort around 11:30 due to traffic. Total price for the 2 bus trips was around 33000won. Made it to our hotel on the main strip (high valley hotel) after a 5min cab ride from the bus drop off point. The hotel was great in terms of location as it was only a 5min walk to the base of the mountain. At the mountain base one will find rentals, lift tickets, cafeteria, and the customer service counter. The first stop for any foreign passport holder should be the customer service counter where one will get their foreign discount card if they show a foreign passport. With this card there is a 40% discount off lift tickets and rentals. The valley condos are also situated at the base of the mountain where the customer service centre is located. They cost more than the hotels on the main strip but are basically ski-in, ski-out due to their proximity to the mountain. I personally chose to save some money and endured tge 5min daily upward walk to the mountain base from the main strip.

            The main strip consists of basically restaurants and rental shops. Although i did not rent i heard the prices are a kittle cheaper on the main strip compared to the high1 rentals. Distance between the two is a 5 minute walk.

            Do visit the main strip and do try the bbq. It is simpky amazing. For the 2 of us we paid around 70000won per dinner. Lunch bento boxes can be had for around 15000won on the strip and they are far tastier than the cafetia and food court found at the mountain base.

            In terms if board servicing there is the in-house shop at the mountain base and 1 shop on the strip that offer these service. Both are quite pricy by global standards with a board wax costing around 70000won and 30000won for edge work.

            When we left we decided to take the 730am direct bus to incheon airport for 33000won. Its takes about 4.5hrs and is the best way to travel from the resort to incheon. The buses are extremely sparce throughout the day. For people arriving into incheon there is only 1 daily direct bus that departs at 7am from the airport. Foe those wishing to take the direct bus from the bus terminal that is 5mins cab from the resort they have around 3-4 direct buses a day. We took the 7:45am bus and arrived back at the airport around 1pm even though our flight was at 7:00pm. This was because the next bus was at 1:00pm and it would have been cutting it close.

            So if i had to visit again i would definitely find a flight that landed in the a.m. to save myself a lot of travelling time and catch the 7am direct bus into the resort. And i would also book a flight that would match the 7am,1pm,or 4pm buses that leave the resort to be more efficient.

            In terms of skiing again i would also opt to ski the 8:30-4:00 time slot since all the slopes are open at that time. The time slot i chose for this trip was 12 noon to 10pm. But from 4pm to 10pm many of the slopes are closed. Basically all except the bunny hill is closed from 4-6 for maintenance. And after the resort starts up again at 6pm many of the runs are closed.

            If you like terrain parks (there are 3,beg,inter,adv) please note that they all close by 4pm. Id say they are amongst the best in korea. They even have a decent sized half pipe in the advanced section. My onky complain is that the terrain park lacks its own lift and time between runs is horrible (so bad that some people were walking back up the hill after their jumps.)

            Weekends should be avoided at all costs. The difference between weekday and weekend is incredible. The traffic starts on Friday night and goes through to Sunday.

            To sum things up. High 1 is a pretty small resort with a pretty decent terrain park especially for beginner or intermediate riders. If you are looking for something bigger then it would be worth your while to check out yongpyong. As with all korean resorts the runs are mostly groomers. If one is looking for powder then japan would be much better. Even resorts close to tokyo have much, much, much more natural snow. High1 is probably best suited for those who plan on staying overnight. At around 5hrs from the city I wouldn’t call it close to seoul.

            Thanks again to Simon for his kick ass advice and please ignore all grammar and spelling mistakes as I have just landed back home and it’s 2am in the morning.

            Hope this helps someone.

            • Simon Norton says:

              Hey Will,

              Awesome, glad to hear you had a good trip, and thanks for this great report! Especially the info about direct buses to High1 from Incheon Airport, very useful.

              Totally agree with all you’ve said – High1’s definitely a bit far for day-trips from Seoul, much better to stay there. Park rats will be happier at Phoenix Park or Welli Hilli Park, and yes powder hounds should defo just head to Japan, but for riding in Korea High1’s a good all-round option.

              Cheers!

  15. Tom says:

    Hello – how long would it take me to drive from Gangneung to High 1? I’ll be in South Korea for the Olympics and thought I would rent a car and go skiing for the day. Thoughts?

  16. Walter says:

    Hi. We will be coming from Seoul to stay in Sangjang-dong, where we plan on traveling to high1 to ski everyday. Do you know anywhere around Sangjong-dong where we can rent a car for 2-3 days?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Walter, is that Sangjang-dong in Taebaek city? If so, it’s pretty close to High1, just 20km or so. I’m afraid I don’t know any specifics on where to rent a car around there, but as a backup plan you’d be able to take a 15-minute train ride from Taebaek Station to Gohan Station and a High1 shuttle bus from there. The trains only run every couple of hours on that line, but there are also buses (the Gohan bus station doesn’t have shuttle buses to High1 though, but there are usually plenty of taxis there)

      Actually, I just searched on Naver Map for ‘rentacar’ in Taebaek and it’s showing 6 places so looks like you should be able to rent one in Taebaek. I highly recommend downloading Naver Map, especially for driving directions as Google Maps isn’t fully functional here.

  17. Brian Sanderson says:

    Simon,

    My family, very good skiers are going to the Olympics and staying in Yongpong. We want to do a day trip to High 1. We don’t have a car. What is the best way to get there? Are there any free or for hire shuttles from the YP area to High !? Do they have Uber in Korea. Is it cost effective?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Brian,

      The distance isn’t huge but I’m afraid the public transport’s a bit disconnected. It’s under 2 hours by car, but without a car you’d have to go to Gangneung Bus Terminal first (already quite time-consuming from Yongpyong), then a bus to Gohan, then a taxi to High1.

      Even if you took a taxi direct from Yongpyong to Gangneung Bus Terminal (avoiding messing around with shuttle buses and/or KTX), I reckon the total journey time would clock in at 3 hours plus. That taxi would be about 30 dollars, plus another 10 for the taxi at the Gohan end… I think you could get a direct taxi from Yongpyong to High1 (1h45 ish) for something in the region of 100 to 150 dollars, so you might even want to consider that.

      (You may have spotted there’s also a coastal train line from Gangneung to Gohan, but unfortunately this doesn’t help you as there’s no connection at Gangneung Station – the coastal train starts from Jeongdongjin Station, so once you deal with getting across Gangneung to Jeongdongjin it’s taking even longer)

      To be honest, you may be best off just skiing at Yongpyong! But if you really want to hit High1, I’d think about a direct taxi all the way.

      Hope all that makes sense – let me know if you have further questions

  18. Jon says:

    Hi Simon,

    Great site, much appreciated (I used the info to hit Welli Hilli last weekend and had a great day). I was thinking about trying High 1, but wanted to know if they have any designated mogul runs like they do at Welli Hilli.

    Thanks,
    Jon

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Jon,

      Awesome – I was up there myself on Sunday! They do have moguls at High1, though perhaps not as reliably as at Welli Hilli (e.g. last time I went they didn’t have them open). So I can’t guarantee it… but terrain-wise it is the best hill you can hit in Korea this winter, so probably worth checking out either way.

      If you do go, let me know what you find!

  19. Saad says:

    Hi Simon,

    My friends and I are planning a 3-day skiing trip out from Seoul and we were trying to decide between Muju Deogyusan and High 1 because both seem really attractive price-wise and in terms of location. We are beginner skiiers so for us lesson pricing is an important factor – these two seem to have decent rates for group lessons, from what we can gather online.

    Was just wondering whether you knew if we could get the resort card at High 1 if we stayed in a hotel in Gohan instead of at the resort itself? The 40% discount for foreigners would really be great haha, but I’m not sure if we’d be eligible for it if we stayed out of the resort itself.

    Thanks for the immensely helpful site 🙂

    • Simon Norton says:

      Cheers Saad!

      Yes you can still get the resort card & discount, you don’t need to be a resort guest. Just go to one of the customer service centres with your passport, they’ll give you resort cards, and then you take those to the ticket window to actually buy your lift passes.

      Enjoy!

  20. Andrea says:

    Hi Simon,
    You’ve mentioned a few times a bus connection between Gangneung and Gohan. I’ve been searching online but cannot find anything useful – schedule / route / prices.. Would you have a tip where to check please? We are based in Gangneung and are thinking to do a 1 day trip to High1. Thanks!

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Andrea,

      Sorry but there isn’t much good online info for buses between smaller towns, best thing to do is go to the bus station and ask directly. There are likely only a small number of departures for Gohan, but you can go Gangneung > Taebaek and change there for Gohan. Quite time-consuming though

      Might be better to take a taxi to Jeongdongjin Station (in southern Gangneung) and a train from there, as it’ll be a bit faster and also much easier to check the times. Just checked tomorrow’s trains for example, and departures are at 5am, 7:05, 8:13, 10:37, and a couple in the afternoon, takes just under 2 hours, price is 6700 won (check here)

      Let me know how you get on! (and any more questions, fire away)

  21. Serg says:

    How long does the 2017-2018 ski season last? Will the lifts and gondola operate 09.03.2018?

  22. Lok says:

    Is there any coach bus that i can take direct from icheon airport to gohan or any station nearby the high1 resort? If yes what is the schedule. Pls adv urgently as i will come on feb 28. Pls advise me back email. Many thanks

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Lok,

      There’s a direct bus from the airport at 7am daily. If that doesn’t fit your landing time, you’ll need to take a bus (or ride the subway) from the airport to Dong Seoul Terminal, from where you can take a highway bus to Gohan.

  23. Andrew Chen says:

    My daughter and I want to ski,near Seoul for 3 days, this weekend. March 2-4.
    1. Is High 1 the best resort for this time of year. The locals told us there won’t be much snow !
    2. there is a ski package for 2 persons, at Kangwonland Hotel. Is this is good.
    3. Does the shuttle bus from Seoul take you directly to the hotel, or do I need to change to bus, taxi etc?
    4. Can u ski to the slopes, lifts etc from the hotel?
    5. How far is the hotel from the lifts, ski rental, etc?
    6. Where would you recommend to eat at nights ?

    Thanks in advance.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Andrew,

      1. yes, High1 is the best to visit right now. There isn’t much snow left anywhere to be honest, but High1 should be ok.
      2. I guess so! But I’ve never stayed there, so not sure.
      3. I’m not sure which shuttle bus you’re looking at. Is it part of the package? You should ask the agency selling the package about this one.
      4. No, Kangwonland Hotel is a short shuttle bus ride away from the slopes.
      5. see 4
      6. You can eat at the hotel’s restaurants, of course, or go down into Sabuk town or Gohan town to visit the local restaurants there.

      Hope you have a great weekend!

  24. Anna says:

    Hi,I REALLY appreciate your effort to give a help to all of the snow lovers in Korea. This is such a usefull website!!!!
    I’m in Korea for a couple of months and as a snow&freeride lover I’m looking forward to try a local hills! I’m thinking about to go to High1 next weekend, hopefully there will be still some snow left.

    Anna from Czech Rep.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Cheers Anna! Yeah, at this stage of the season you should focus on High1 & Yongpyong. Most other resorts are already closed, or closing in the next week or so. Hope you have a great trip to High1!

  25. Maro says:

    High 1 really is the top notch in Korea overall. As a kid when I never went skiing outside of Korea it just felt humongous for me ?. Anyways small thing to add for this post, there was (not sure if I can say there still is. I was a primary school kid back then) a huge snow or ventilating or whatever-it-is machine throwing bunch of cold air and some snow flakes towards the lift chairs to the right before the hill top station of the Zeus Lift so if someone’s going to High 1 and is going to take Zeus Lift, prepare yourselves for the freezing wind up there!

  26. Maro says:

    Ah i’ve forgot to point out one more thing. They now also feature a water park just like Vivaldi Park and is apparently a bit smaller than the one in Vivaldi (still 4th latrgest in Korea).

    Golf course along with water parks seems to be quite inevitable as there are almost no mountain bikers in Korea to keep the tickets selling during the summer. Really is a shame, considering how ski resorts like Whistler Blackomb provide both some gnarly winter experience along with sick trails for the summer. There was one apparently in Yongpyong but they’ve shut it down due its low profitability.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hey Maro,

      Yeah the mountain biking at Whistler is so sick! I wish that was available in Korea – shame it’s never taken off here, the terrain’s perfect for it. I actually saw some mountain bikers at Yongpyong once coming down the ski slopes on the snow (still during ski season), looked like a lot of fun.

  27. Laurine says:

    Hello!
    I’d to go there during weekdays with my boyfriend and I am super interested about the 40 per cent off! Lets say I take Kangwonland Pack (Kangwonland Hotel
    Standard(37㎥)
    2 Nights
    +
    Ski 3 Days(2 People)
    (Lift/Gondola/Rental)
    +
    Breakfast
    (2 Morning, 2 People)

    For 760000W, do I get 40 per cent off 760000W? How to do so if I book in advance?
    Lift Gondola and rental does that include skiwear? Thank you!!

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Laurine,

      Sorry, I think the discount only applies to lift tickets and rental. Skiwear isn’t included in the rental price – only the ski/board & boots. You need to budget roughly another 25 dollars for skiwear.

      • Laurine says:

        So the discount only applies if you take a night at the resort?

        Thank you!

        • Simon Norton says:

          There’s no need to take a night to get the discount – you just go to the customer service desk to get a discount card, which you can then use to buy your lift pass. It’s not connected to where you stay, and you can get the discount even if you just do a day trip from Seoul.

  28. Andy Powell says:

    Hi Simon

    Just want to say this is a fantastic site – very useful & one of the best I have come across. We have never been boarding to Korea before, but planning our first trip now based on all the info you have provided (High 1 in January). Thanks for your help – All the best – Andy (from UK living in Hong Kong).

    • Simon Norton says:

      Cheers Andy, always great to hear. You must be pretty snow-starved living in Hong Kong! High1’s a good choice, especially if you can already ride. Give me a shout if you have any questions about the specifics.

      • Andy Powell says:

        Hi Simon. Thanks for the reply. I just checked further on the shuttle bus schedule & seems there is only 1 early morning departure from the airport & I cannot see any return times – is that correct? Or flight does not land until after lunch time & we only have 5 days total – 1 of each travel to & from so leaves only 3 days for boarding – do not really want to stay overnight in that case by the airport & lose another day. I am thinking about car hire & driving to resort. I have done that in Japan – is it easy enough in Korea? Thanks – Andy

        • Simon Norton says:

          Yeah that’s certainly one solution to rent & drive.

          Another would be to go by public transportation e.g. by train you’d take the Airport metro to Seoul Station, transfer to the KTX bullet train to Gangneung, then from there take the ‘mugunghwa’ local train to Gohan. Total time on trains for that is around 5 hours, so maybe 6 or 7 hours all in depending how the transfers work out.

          Or you can take the highway bus to Gohan from Dong Seoul bus terminal, which would actually be slightly faster (as more direct) and also a bit cheaper, but involves navigating the metro across Seoul to get to the bus terminal (pain in the ass if you’re lugging ski gear).

          Gohan is the town below High1, if you’re staying in town it should be a short walk or taxi from the train station, if you’re staying in the resort there are regular shuttle buses from the station. From the bus terminal you’d want to jump in a taxi.

          • Andy Powell says:

            Hi Simon – Appreciate all the help & advice. We have now booked flights & was intending to stay in the resort – just 4 night from 26 – 30 January. However I tried the link & it says there are not rooms left for those nights in any of the places on the resort – would that be right & they get booked up so early? If we stay in Gohan how easy is it to get to & from the ski area each day? What are the options – we may have a car so could drive perhaps if parking available? Thanks again for all your help. Andy

            • Simon Norton says:

              Hi Andy, yes that’s certainly possible I’m afraid, December/January is when demand’s highest. If you have a car then no problem at all, you can stay anywhere in Gohan and drive to the Valley House base in 5 minutes. You could also stay in Sabuk and drive up to the Mountain House base from there, bit further but again no worries with a car. There are also regular free shuttle buses from both Sabuk & Gohan, so it’s fine without a car too. Gohan’s walkable to the ski resort, but then you’d want to stay as close to Valley House as possible; you’d be looking at a 10-minute(ish) walk from the closest places, to 20-25 minutes from the train station area.

              • Andy Powell says:

                Hi Simon.
                Thanks as ever for the reply & great advice. I have actually managed to book in the resort now (my fault for not being able to understand the booking form on the web site). We also took the option they have for a private transfer which costs a little more but makes it very convenient for us. So we are all set – thanks again for all your expert advice. Cheers

                • Simon Norton says:

                  Awesome, good stuff. If any more questions come up give me a shout; until then, Merry Christmas etc and hope you have a great trip in January. Cheers!

  29. Elise Lim says:

    Hi Simon,

    Thanks for the insightful info on how to get to high1!

    But, I can’t seem to find any info on Snowboard Lessons in High1. Do I need to go there to book them or is there an online reservation for these Lessons?

    Best,
    Elise

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Elise,

      When you get there you just visit the ski school counter to book a lesson. Or you could book a package like this to take care of everything.

      • Elise Lim says:

        I have seen this, but I cant seem to get the price just for the lessons. not day tours.

        I am actually driving from the Incheon airport to a hotel near there (Jeongseon Mayhills) cause High1 accomodations are fully booked.

        • Simon Norton says:

          Ah, I see, ok so I messaged High1 directly for this season’s pricing, it’s 90000 won (90 dollars) for a 2-hour group lesson. If you want 1:1 then it’s 220000 won for 2 hours.

          (For this sort of query you’ll get a faster answer by messaging High1 directly – they’re usually pretty responsive if you send a DM via their Facebook page)

          First snow in Seoul this morning, must be more over at High1!

  30. Seung says:

    Hi Simon, I plan to go to High1 in around 27 February 2019 to ski for a few days. How do I know if the skiing season will still be available? I have read that it is possible to ski in yongpyong in early March. Is that the same for High 1.

    Will I be able to to take a bus directly from Incheon to High 1 during that period too? Hope you can provide me with some guidance. Thanks

  31. mason says:

    Hi

    I am going to high 1 in a week.

    1) I am told ski lessons at high 1 are for age 7 or above. I wonder if there are any other ski school/ instructor who can teach for age 5, 6.

    2) where is the best site to check the snow condition and which lifts are open now?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Mason,

      1. Sorry, I don’t have any contacts for private instructors at High1 and there’s only the one official ski school there.

      2. Lift/slope status here (in Korean, but scroll down to the table and it’s easy enough to understand as the lift names are in English) and local weather here

  32. Keegan says:

    I’m exploring if it’s possible to have decent (not great) skiing in Korea in late March, the last week of March. Is it open then? I can’t find anything on the website! Thanks! Debating Korea or Japan, but Korea looks cheaper form where I am.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Keegan,

      Not really I’m afraid, the resorts are usually all finished by the last week of March. If it’s a really good season then the last few might just still be open but the conditions would be poor, and the season hasn’t started very well anyway.

      For skiing in late March you should defo hit Japan. It’s a bit too late for the perfect powder in Hokkaido, so I’d suggest hitting the Yuzawa area in Niigata Prefecture (reviewed on my travel blog here) or Hakuba or Shiga Kogen in Nagano Prefecture.

  33. Katie says:

    Hi Simon,

    Thank you so much for sharing these information, super helpful!

    I am thinking about visiting High1 1.30-2.5 (around Chinese Spring festival). I was wondering if would be a good idea (if it’s gonna be very crowded). I also read somewhere that there is a bus directly to high1 from seoul airport?

    Thanks again for answering!

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Katie,

      Yes it’ll be very busy on those dates, and it might be hard to find accommodation – I’d expect the in-resort condos & hotels to be full, so you’ll probably have to check the options in Gohan/Sabuk towns. From the airport you can take a direct bus to High1 at 7:00am, see here; otherwise, you need to take the bus to Gohan as described above. There are a few buses per day direct from the airport to Gohan (the station is called Sin-Gohan, see here), but if there’s a long wait after you land before the next bus leaves it might be better to travel into Seoul on the Metro to catch a bus from Dong Seoul (East Seoul) Terminal.

  34. Sarah says:

    Hi Simon,

    Thank you so much for your information and sharing. Do you know how to get from High 1 back to Incheon Airport? I managed to find a direct bus going from Gohan bus terminal to Incheon Airport but failed to identify the way from High 1 to Gohan bus terminal.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Sarah, just take a taxi. From the Valley House base it’s only around 5 dollars; Mountain House is further, but still only 10 to 15 dollars.

      • Sarah says:

        Thanks for your quick response, Simon.

        I am struggling between High One and Yongpyong. High One seems to be less convenient in terms of transportation and takes a longer time to get there, but their Condo rooms look much decent than those in Yongpyong (we are in a group of 5 adults).

        And we would like to go visit some restaurants outside the ski resort. Do you have any idea about the downtown nearby High One and Yongpyong?

        Thanks again!

        • Simon Norton says:

          Well, ‘downtown’ isn’t exactly the right word! They’re pretty small places, but yes they do have restaurants & cafes etc you can visit. The town near Yongpyong is called Daegwallyeong (aka Hoenggye), and there are two towns near High1 called Gohan and Sabuk. The main difference is probably that the lower base of High1 is pretty much in Gohan so you can walk into the town in 5 to 10 minutes, and you can get to Sabuk by regular free shuttle bus. From Yongpyong it’s quite far to walk to Daegwallyeong, there are buses but they’re not frequent so you’d probably end up taking a taxi each time.

  35. Jack says:

    Hi, dear Simon, could you please tell me how to contact the High 1 Casino Department by means of E-mail?

    Your information means a lot to me.

    Thank you for your time and efforts!

  36. Estrella says:

    Hello everyone,

    Firstly, I’d like to thank Simon for all the information! I just started snowboarding few weeks ago and it has been so much easier referring to this guide! I’ve been referring to this for my decision in going to Phoenix Park last week and choosing between High1 or Yongpyong for tomorrow. The transportation details here are so specific and helped tonnes!

    Just a tip to share for other fellow snowboarders and other skiers, I called High1 and for all the effort in going there, they are going to have a 50% discount (whether you are foreigner or not) for lift and equipment rental. I asked about ski clothes but the guy wasn’t sure. I think it’s still better if you call them to double check as I’m only going tomorrow. You can choose English when you call them so it’s all good. Enjoy the last of the season everyone 🙂

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Estrella,

      Glad to hear you’ve found the site useful, cheers!

      Yeah it’s normal to get significant discounts during the final weeks of the season – less crowded too, so apart from the snow condition it’s actually quite a good time to go riding.

      Anyway hope you’re now an avid snowboarder, and hope you have an awesome day at High1!

      • Estrella says:

        Hello everyone,

        I confirm that 50% off for ski lift and equipment rental. My clothes rental was 20,000 and helmet rental is free! I think I will go next weekend again!

        Hahaha I wanted to try to do new stuff by myself but I think I better not until I’m really, really sure. Will take lessons again next season!

        It was snowing today! I experienced 2 types of snow at different slopes. The first one was just halfway up the mountain and i think it was the compacted super slippery type and it was a lot of effort and no fun and I wondered why I took 4 hours to get there from Seoul.

        But when I was at the top of the mountain (taking the ski lift for Hera), I think I experienced riding on powder snow? It was so magical and so amazing! Though I’m so sore and finally on the train back to Seoul, it was worth it to spend 8 hours back and forth for 4 hours of skiing. Haha.

        • Simon Norton says:

          Sounds like you had a good day – in fact you got very lucky, powder days are rare in Korea and it’s hardly snowed at all this season. I’m in Taipei right now so I wasn’t even there to enjoy it 🙁

          I’m glad you did though!

          Did you go there & back by mugunghwa train from Cheongyangni?

  37. Shane T says:

    Hihi,

    Can i ask what’s the fastest way to get to High1 from Seoul? or should i go direct from Incheon Airport when we arrive in Korea?

  38. Jijou says:

    Hi! Thanks for a very informative and comprehensive review of ski resorts.

    I hope you can help me with my questions below. I will be visiting early or mid January 2020. I am not really into skiing because I don’t really know how. Haha! I have only tried it once in Niseko in Japan. Haha

    My main purpose is to go WINTER HIKING. although I am more inclined for just an hour or so hike. Not more than two hrs maybe. Im more into recreational hiking plus it’s winter so i want to be more on the safe side.

    1. among all the ski resorts you reviewed, any of those offer back country hiking? I would like to experience trekking under snow-covered trees. ideally somewhere close to seoul (if possible only) where I will be staying.

    2. I have read that seoroksan national park and taebaek national park offer the best hiking experience during winter. Any idea which of the two would suit me better?
    3. I plan for a hike for about one or two hours then take the lift (if available) all the way back/down.
    4. Among the ski resorts you reviewed, any of them offer group hiking? I will be coming on my own, so some companions would be great
    Thank you in advance!

    Jijou

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hello Jijou,

      I love Niseko! haha

      1. So firstly, it very rarely snows in Seoul. If you’re lucky you can do a day hike near Seoul in the snow, but if you want to be sure of snow then you should plan to travel further. I have a list of the main hikes in Seoul here

      2 & 3. Seoraksan is a bit easier to visit if you don’t have a car. But if you go to Seoraksan or Taebaek, you can’t really do a hike and then take a lift back down.

      There is actually a good option for you though – check out Muju Deogyusan ski resort. It’s a few hours to the south of Seoul, they have a gondola which you can use to go up & back down (15 dollars for the ticket). Once you’re at the top of the gondola, there’s a hiking trail you can follow to Hyangjeokbung Peak. The trail starts next to the Melody chairlift and takes about 20 minutes one way; from there you can also hike another 35 minutes further to Jungbong Peak. These peaks are both around 1600m high, while the top of the gondola is 1500m, and it’s a well-prepared trail with wooden steps and handrails so it isn’t a difficult trail.

      If you download the KakaoMap app the hiking trails are clearly marked in green. On Google Maps they aren’t marked, but you can actually follow the hiking trail from the gondola to Hyangjeokbung on street view – they actually sent someone to hike it with a Google camera backpack! So if you can zoom in and find the gondola top station and switch to street view, you can then check out the trail.

      4. I don’t know of any resort with this. But the trail at Muju is easy to follow and fine for solo hiking.

      Hope this helps, let me know if you have any questions about Muju!

  39. Chie says:

    Hi. Interested in the Taebaeksan Snow Festival for jan2020. Planning to go with a 5year old and 7year old children. Read that High1 ski resort would be the closest accommodation to the snow festival venue.
    1. Does High1 resort have anything interesting for little children? Like those igloo tents on the snow or tubing we tried at Yongpyong resort?
    2. How far/how long is the drive from High1 ski resort to Taebaeksan Snow Festival (Hwang-ji pond?)?
    3. What are the transportation we can use for transfer between those places.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Chie,

      I’m afraid I don’t know anything about the snow festival. I tried to find the location on the map, but wasn’t able to; however I did read that you can take a bus to the festival from Taebaek Bus Terminal. From High1 Resort you can take a taxi to Taebaek Bus Terminal in about 30 minutes, which should cost around 30 dollars (will vary depending which part of High1 you stay in). You could also take a local bus from Gohan town, there are buses from Gohan Station to Taebaek Bus Terminal, they take about 40 minutes; if you want to do this I’d suggest you check the bus schedules locally after you arrive. High1 has free shuttles buses you can take down to Gohan Station. There are also plenty of hotels in Gohan town where you could stay.

      High1 does have sledding/tubing for kids, yes. I’ve never seen any igloos there though

      Sorry I can’t give a more detailed answer, but hope this helps.

  40. Esther says:

    Hi Simon! Your site is awesome!

    Can I ask if you can recommend some efficient methods to travel from Busan to Taebaek? I will be going Taebaeksan first before getting on a mugunghwa train to Sabuk/Gohan station to ski at High1. I have researched for very long but I can’t find a efficient route. Also, I know Seollal is on 24-26 Jan 2020, do you know if High1 will be packed during this period? Can I wear my winter boots(https://www.columbia.com/mens-bugaboot-plus-iv-omni-heat-boot-1791201.html) instead of the ski boots for rental? Are there any difference between my mentioned boots and ski boots? (I am a first timer in skiing so I am not very sure… And the Ski jacket, can I wear my North Face Summit series jacket? And for ski gloves, may i know if i can just wear my winter waterproof gloves?)

    I will be going to High1 around 2X Jan 2020. Will it be snowing at High1 during this period and is the snow on the ground all real or has artificial snow? If i stay in High1 Palace Hotel, will the shuttle bus stops/gondola/ski lifts be near the hotel? Is it convenient? Lastly, is the water park located inside the High1 Main Hotel? How can I get to the water park from High1 Palace?

    Sorry for so many questions… My brain is exploding after doing so many days/nights of research… Please kindly help to advise. Thank you so much in advance! 🙂 TQTQTQ!!!!!

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Esther, sorry I’m not too clued up on Busan but I think the most efficient way would be a direct highway bus from Busan’s main bus terminal (inconveniently located at the northern end of Line 1) to Taebaek, probably taking 4 to 5 hours.

      Yes, the ski resorts will all be busy during Seollal. It’s impossible to say if it’ll be snowing then, but probably not – it doesn’t snow much in Korea compared to e.g. Japan. Most of the snow is machine-made, though some of it is natural.

      You can’t ski in those boots I’m afraid, totally impossible! Ski boots are a very specific piece of technical equipment, they’re very stiff & purpose designed to clip in to the ski bindings. When you rent the skis you also get the boots. North Face jacket should do the job, but if it’s a thin one you’ll need plenty of warmth in your layers underneath. Same for gloves – they need to be waterproof, but also they need to be warm enough so if they’re thin you might want to buy or rent a thicker pair. (I actually often snowboard in quite thin gloves, but friends say I’m crazy)

      High1 Palace has its own gondola, it goes straight from the hotel to the top of the resort. At the end of the day you can either go back up to the top and take the gondola back, or ski down and take a shuttle bus back. There’s a shuttle bus route direct to the hotel.

      The water park’s in its own separate building, it’s over near the Kangwonland casino & convention center. You can use the shuttle buses to get there.

      Hope this helps!

  41. Kim says:

    Great resource mate.

    Booked into the High1 Condo for late September.

    Just wondering about rental of ski gear; boards, skis, helmets, boots, etc

    I noticed one comment about not being able to rent for multiple days.

    Is this right? And are we able to rent from the condo? Or close by?

    Appreciate your help.

    Cheers.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Kim, the rental counter is in the gondola base area, which is near the condos (depending which condo, you can either just walk over, or hop on the gondola). You do have to return your rental gear at the end of each session.

      There are also independent rental shops in Gohan town, which is a 10ish minute walk from the gondola base. Afraid I’m not sure if they offer multi-day rentals, I’ve never used them.

  42. Vera says:

    Hi there,
    We’re staying in Pyeongchang and would love to get to High1 but sadly are unlucky enough to not have car. What’s the best way there?

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Vera, it isn’t all that far but it takes a few hours by public transport as there’s no direct route, you have to go via Gangneung. You can either ride the KTX to Gangneung Station (see here), then take a mugunghwa (regular train) from there to Gohan, or take a bus to Gangneung bus terminal then another bus from there to Sin-Gohan bus terminal.

  43. Lewis says:

    Hi Simon!

    Love your guides these are soooooo helpful, this will be my first time going to snowboard at high 1 next week.
    I have managed to book the resorts and bus from airport to high 1, however I am struggling to see where i can secure the ticket from high 1 back to the airport. Can i book through a website or do i need to be getting my ticket physically when i am in high 1? Many thanks!

    • Simon Norton says:

      Cheers Lewis, actually I think you’ll have to book the bus back to Seoul then ride the subway out to the airport. Best to get off the bus at Myeongdong as it’s on Line 4 just a couple of stops from Seoul Station, where you transfer to the airport train. You’ll need to allow about 90 minutes for all that, and about 5 dollars (or there’s a more expensive airport express train which saves you about 30 mins)

  44. Kim Beamish says:

    This is a great resource for a ski trip to Korea.

    We just stayed at High 1 Mountain Condo. Two adults and two kids.

    A comfy place set up for a Korean family. We survived just fine. A convenience store downstairs with every weird Korean snack, food and beer you’ll need.

    Plenty of food in the resort. Some pricey, some not.

    Getting there was easy. We caught an express bus from Seoul to Gohan and then a taxi.

    Our biggest concern was ski and board hire. Which ended up going really well. You do have to hire each day although the system is smooth and works really well.

    Had a great time and the information on this site was a massive help.

    Cheers.

    • Simon Norton says:

      Hi Kim,

      Thanks for the feedback, glad you had a good trip and it’s always good to hear the site’s been useful. And thank you for the coffees, very much appreciated ?

      Cheers!

  45. Melissa says:

    Hi Simon,

    Thanks for this great site. I hope it is still active

    Am trying to book the mountain condo in Dec but many websites show it is fully booked. Same for hill and valley.

    I read booking does not open up til, Oct or so, and one has to called the resort to book. Is that true?

    Any possibility of booking online?

    Thanks

  46. Shingo Chan says:

    I would like to book for Dec 2022, but seems the option of selecting the date here is not available, How can i book my trip online?

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Hi I’m Simon, British snowboard addict & travel blogger presently based in NE Asia. I run this site to help international visitors plan their trips to Korean ski resorts; you might also be interested in my travel blog, especially the Korea sightseeing and Japan snowboarding content

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