One of the greatest things about Seoul and it's outlying areas is the ease in which one can hop on a subway and, in less than an hour, be at the base of a a mountain- an escape from the city life. Dobongsan is one of my favorite mountains in Seoul. I've hiked it many times, but it always feels different. Once I climbed to the top and found cats perched on tiny trees near the ledge. There weren't any cats on this trip, but of course, the massive slabs of rock were there to make me feel ever so grounded.