Hallasan

Hallasan is a big mountain.

It sits on Jeju Island in South Korea. It is the highest point in the land.

The mountain is a volcano. It was built by old lava. It has a large hole at the top.

Inside the hole is a lake.

People call it Baengnokdam. It is a very pretty place.

Many plants and animals live there. Some like the heat. Others like the cold. They all live on the mountain.

You can walk on many trails. Some paths go to the top. It is a grand place to see.

Hallasan is a huge volcano. It makes up most of Jeju Island in South Korea.

It is the highest point in the whole country. Many people think of it as a main mountain of Korea.

The mountain was built by lava. It is a shield volcano. This means it has a wide shape. There is a large crater at the top. Inside this crater is a lake called Baengnokdam. This name means "white deer lake."

A legend says heaven sends men to play with white deer there.

Many plants and animals live here. The mountain is very tall. This change in height creates different homes. Some plants like it warm. Other plants like it cold. You can find 160 kinds of birds on the mountain.

You might even see a raven on a hiking trail.

There are five trails for hikers. Only two paths lead to the very top. These are the Gwaneumsa Trail and the Seongpanak Trail. The other paths help protect the plants. People visit the mountain to see its beauty and its nature.

Hallasan is a huge shield volcano in South Korea. It forms most of Jeju Island.

The mountain is very important to the island. A local saying says that Jeju Island is Hallasan and Hallasan is Jeju. You can see the mountain from almost anywhere on the island. However, the very top is often hidden by clouds. It is the highest point in all of South Korea. Many people consider it one of the three main mountains in the country.

The mountain was built by many eruptions over a long time. It started on a continental shelf under the sea. Lava called basalt and trachyte flowed out to build the land. This process made the island rise above the water. Today, the volcano reaches a height of 1,947 meters. There is a large crater at the top that is 500 meters wide. About 360 smaller volcanic cones sit on the sides of the mountain. These smaller hills are called oreum in the Jeju language.

History and legends make the mountain feel magical. At the very top, there is a crater lake called Baengnokdam. This name means "white deer lake."

One legend says that men from heaven come down to play with white deer there. Some old records say the last eruption was in the year 1007. Other geological evidence suggests it happened at least 2,000 years ago. Because it erupted in the last 10,000 years, scientists call it an active volcano. This means it could erupt again in the future.

Life on the mountain is very special because the island was isolated. This means plants and animals grew differently than on the mainland. The mountain is so tall that it has many different climate zones. You can find tropical plants at the bottom and alpine plants at the top. There are 160 bird species that live there, including ravens.

Many insects and spiders also make their homes on the slopes. You might see a roe deer, which is the largest mammal on the mountain.

People love to visit Hallasan to see its beauty. There are five main hiking trails for visitors to use. The Gwaneumsa Trail and the Seongpanak Trail are the only two that go to the summit. The other trails, like the Yeongsil Trail, are shorter. Some paths are closed to help protect the plants and the land. The oldest Buddhist temple on the island, Gwaneumsa, is also located on the mountain. It is a very popular place for people to visit.

Hallasan is a massive shield volcano located on Jeju Island in South Korea.

It serves as the primary landform for the entire island. In fact, a local saying states that Jeju Island is Hallasan, and Hallasan is Jeju. The mountain is the highest point in South Korea. It is widely considered one of the three most important mountains in the country. The area is protected as Hallasan National Park. It was also designated as South Korean Natural Monument number 182 in 1966.

The volcano formed through a long geological process. It began during the Pliocene epoch on a continental shelf. This shelf sits about 100 meters below sea level. Successive eruptions of basalt and trachyte lava built the island upward. This lava eventually rose above the ocean surface. Today, the mountain reaches a height of 1,947 meters. At the summit, there is a large volcanic crater 500 meters wide. The flanks of the volcano feature about 360 parasitic cones. These smaller volcanic hills are called oreum in the Jeju language. Most are cinder or scoria cones, but some are lava domes. There are also 20 tuff rings near the coast formed by underwater phreatic eruptions.

A notable feature at the summit is the crater lake called Baengnokdam. This name translates to "white deer lake."

The lake formed when the top of the ridge collapsed due to underground magma movement. This makes it a pit crater rather than a lava eruption crater. The eastern wall of the lake is covered in thick basalt lava. The western wall is made of a trachyte lava dome. The lake's circumference can reach 1,700 meters depending on the season. Its depth can reach approximately 100 meters. Local legends say otherworldly men descend from heaven to play with white deer here.

Scientists classify Hallasan as an active volcano. An active volcano is one that has erupted within the last 10,000 years. Historical records from the Goryeosa suggest an eruption occurred in 1007 CE. However, geological evidence suggests the last eruption was at least 2,000 years ago. There is still debate among experts regarding this classification. More monitoring and study are required to fully understand its status. The mountain's topography also significantly impacts local weather. For example, sea breezes and wind vectors create temperature variations across the island. In the mid-mountainous areas, maximum temperatures can be 1 or 2 degrees Celsius higher than coastal areas when winds are weak.

The isolation of Jeju Island has created a unique ecosystem. Because the island was separated from the mainland, species evolved differently. Hallasan features a vertical distribution of life due to its elevation. Plants range from subtropical species at the coast to alpine plants at the summit. The mountain hosts 4,000 species of vascular plants in Korea, and many rare species live here. There are 50 special plant kinds found in the highlands of Hallasan. The fauna is also diverse, though mammal numbers are low due to historical isolation. Known mammals include weasels, badgers, and roe deer. Tigers and boars are now extinct on the island.

Birds and insects also thrive in this varied habitat. There are 160 bird species that use Hallasan as a habitat. Nineteen of these species are protected as natural monuments. Ravens are frequently seen along the hiking trails. The mountain is home to 3,315 insect species and 254 spider species. The spiders tend to concentrate on the north side of the mountain.

While the environment is rich, some species like ticks can cause problems for residents and domestic animals. Conservation efforts are necessary to protect these unique biological communities.

Human history and recreation are closely tied to the mountain. Gwaneumsa is the oldest Buddhist temple on the island. It was originally built during the Goryeo period. The temple was destroyed in 1702 but was rebuilt in 1908. Visitors can explore the mountain via five different hiking trails. The Gwaneumsa Trail and the Seongpanak Trail are the only paths that reach the summit. Other routes, such as the Yeongsil Trail, are shorter. Some sections of these trails have been closed since 1994. These closures help to restore and protect the delicate mountain vegetation.