EISPIRATEN

Yesterday of the twenty or so people I met on the Icehouse Canyon trail below Icehouse Saddle, well over half were Koreans. They weren't all there as part of one or two large groups, either; two men and a separate group of three started the trail around the same time I did. As I came down, I encountered more couples and small groups.

I asked about this at the Visitors Center on my way out and the volunteers said there are always a lot of Koreans on the trails. WTF? I don't remember this from when I was a Volunteer Ranger on San Gorgonio in the early nineties (when I was dating a Korean myself - one who was singularly uninterested in mountain hiking).

Is this a new phenomenon? Any Koreans here? Are Koreans keen hikers back home in Korea or is this something they are picking up after emigrating to the States?

I have heard from a number of Korean colleagues in recent years that hiking is very popular in Korea. I definitely meet more Koreans on Mt. Baldy and in the surrounding area ahan anywhere else I go. that certainly doesn't make me question the claim about the popularity of hiking!

Ever tried to climb Denali? Lots of Japanese and Koreans try it every year. Its not that far from either country to Alaska.

I recently asked a USFS person about how certain parts of the forest tend to attract certain cultural groups. He noted that Icehouse Canyon is definitely Asian while the San Gabriel Canyon is predominately Hispanic.

simonov wrote:Icehouse Canyon trail below Icehouse Saddle, well over half were Koreans.

Ricehouse Canyon?

TacoDelRio wrote:FWIW, most of the Korean Hiking population really sticks to Icehouse Canyon.

With apologies to all...Sticky Ricehouse Canyon?

FWIW, I have run into these guys all over Southern California.

Thanks for the link, Alan.