Escaping the Heat at the Ice Valley | Travel Course | K-Travel Mate

Ice Valley, once called Sirye Binggok from ancient times, is located in the open-air valley halfway up the north side of Jaeyaksan Mountain. Ice begins to form in early March when the earth's heat warms and usually remains until mid-July. After the hottest period of midsummer (Sambok), the cold air in the rock crevices gradually decreases by Chuseo (late August). In winter, the valley water does not freeze well; instead, warm vapor rises from the rock crevices, allowing ferns and mosses to stay vividly green, making it a mysterious area. From April, on clear days and hotter weather, more ice forms in the rock crevices, lasting longer. Recently, due to abnormal weather with more rainy days, the ice period has shortened, but cool breezes still blow chillingly at the valley entrance. The temperature of the frozen rock crevices averages about 0.2°C in summer, and the valley water averages 4–8°C, making it hard to keep feet submerged for more than two minutes. The terrain around Ice Valley features rock fields where ice forms, and towering cliffs spread like folding screens, creating a majestic scene that attracts many tourists.

Located about 32 km from the center of Miryang city in Nammyung-ri Sirye Village of Sannae-myeon, there is the Ice Valley extending from Jaeyaksan (Cheonhwangsan), and about 3 km from here appears Hobakso Valley, a stream of Gajisan. Over hundreds of thousands of years, the valley water has washed white jade-like granite, creating white foam as it falls, and the surrounding natural scenery is so beautiful that it was selected as one of Korea's top 100 exquisite waters. According to Dongguk Yeoji Seungnam, Hobakso is a pond hollowed by a waterfall about 10 meters high and is called Hobakso because it looks like a type of mortar used in mills called hobak. Its circumference is about 30 meters, and it is also called Sirye Hobakso, Guyeon Waterfall, or Baekryeon Waterfall. Additionally, Hobakso was used as a rain prayer pond during long droughts. In the past, locals tried to measure the water depth by unspooling a thread of silk tied to a stone, but it was said they never reached the bottom, indicating great depth. This waterfall gorge with a white rock floor is an unpolluted area, with nearby Baekryeonsa Temple, Hyeongjeso, and five-thousand-pyeong flat rock, making the scenery very beautiful.

Gajisan Provincial Park is located at the boundary of Sannae-myeon, Miryang-si, Gyeongsangnam-do; Sangbuk-myeon, Ulju-gun, Ulsan Metropolitan City; and Unmun-myeon, Cheongdo-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do. The park, designated as a provincial park in November 1979, includes Gajisan and Yeongchuksan mountains commonly called the Yeongnam Alps, as well as the Cheonseongsan area. It is one of the largest among national provincial parks and is divided into the Seoknamsa and adjacent Yangsan-gun districts. Mountains such as Goheon, Gaji, Unmun, Cheonhwang, Ganwol, Sinbul, and Chwiseosan form a mountain range known as the Yeongnam Alps. Gajisan and Unmunsan lie on the Gyeongsangnam-do and Gyeongsangbuk-do border, with Gajisan being the highest among these ranges. Throughout Gajisan, rocky peaks and silver grass fields blend, allowing ridgeline traverses extending to Unmunsan. In autumn, the silver grass fields from Seoknam Pass to the summit create a spectacular view, and the unique rock formations including Ssailbawi (Rice Rock) attract hikers. The summit area has many rocky ridges and few trees, providing wide-open views. Nearby are Baegunsan Mountain, seemingly very close, and Hobakso pond, named for its pumpkin-like shape.