Erosion

Left: Loss of soil on the trail has caused the trail itself to sink and has exposed the base roots of all the trees that lie along the path.

Below: Erosion has depleted the integrity of the soil, making it susceptible to removal by rain water; roots are exposed as a result.

The soil beneath an already exposed root continues to deteriorate.

Above: The entire base of a tree has become exposed. Notice the serverity of the erosion to the soil and ground just below and to the right of the exposed base.

Left: A sunken portion of trail.

Left: A common sight; a stone placed on the trail to act as a step eventually becomes a catalyst for erosion. The soil has eroded from underneath the stone, as indicated by the hole. Much of the soil around the stone has simply slid away. This erosion has caused the stone step to become loose and therefore a hazard to hikers, ironically the opposite of its intent.

Below: Two photos taken in Jirisan on the Piagol Valley trail, from the lower valley to the main ridge of the Baekdu Daegan. The photo on the left shows serious erosion and sinking of the trail. The trail here is a narrow ridge that leads to the Daegan. On either side of this trail is a slope.

The photo on the right shows a lower portion of the same trail. As the integrity of the soil on this trail has become weakened, rain water continues to remove soil and potentially deposit it into the streams and main river that cut through Piagol. Such sedimentation can cause serious damage to these watercourses.

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