• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.187-195
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• 2012

Daisetsuzan National Park in Hokkaido, Japan, has an extensive alpine region due to the topographic feature of lava plateau, and exhibits the surface geology largely composed of pyroclastic materials. In addition, the peak season of mountain climbing in the park coincides with a snow-melting period, resulting in severe soil erosion along hiking trails generated by human trampling, snow-melting water and pipkrake. Trail section has been particularly enlarged because the snow-melting water scours a trail surface and the pipkrake erodes sidewalls of a trapezoid-shaped trail. The scoured tread also forces hikers to walk out of a trail, and then frequently brings about path divergence as well as path widening. The soil particles, which are produced by erosional processes in a slope reach, flow downward, and cause the secondary trail degradation by covering a tread in a flat reach and nearby grassland.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.437-448
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• 2006

Bare-topped thufur is called as frost scars, implying the rupturing stage of vegetated mounds, Field observations and measurements provide empirical information on the process and factors of thufur disintegration in Mt. Halla, Initial bare patches on mound apexes are scaled up by continuous removal of soil and vegetation, resulting in the formation of crater-like thufur, Frost action plays a primary role in thufur disintegration, In particular, pipkrake loosens soil particles within the bare patches and subsequently accelerates the degradation of vegetated mounds during periods with frequent diurnal freeze-thaw cycle and high soil moisture, Deflation also has an impact on thufur breakup in that the bare patches usually lack upper dark brown soil and are covered with granules, Withered shrubs such as Juniperus chinensis var. sargentii are frequently observed in frost scars and disrupted mounds, indicating that thufur disintegration has been probably influenced by global warming.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.296-311
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• 2008

In order to examine the rates and factors of path widening in Mount Halla, the retreat of path sidewalls was monitored at 32 sites of Seongpanak Hiking Trail located between 875 m and 1,400 m in elevation. The mean rate of sidewall retreat for the period 2002-2008 is 50.6 mm, equivalent to 10.0 mm/yr. The retreat rate of frozen period is 19.3 mm/yr, while the rate of unfrozen period is 4.3 mm/yr. The latter is divided into the rainy and dry periods that exhibit the retreat rates of 5.9 mm/yr and 2.9 mm/yr, respectively. The retreat rate of sidewalls is also varied with seasons; winter shows the maximum rate of 42.2 mm/yr, while summer exhibits the minimum rate of 1.3 mm/yr. Spring and fall show the intermediate rates of 13.9 mm/yr and 6.4 mm/yr, respectively. Soil hardness and elevation are not closely related to the retreat rate of sidewalls, even though the retreat rate is larger at the north-faced sidewalls than the south-faced sidewalls during the frozen period. Pipkrake is likely to be the most important factor contributing to the path widening in that the retreat of winter months accounts for 76.7% of the total retreat. The hiking trail is placed under the climatic conditions which develop pipkrake in 85 days annually. In addition, it is usual to observe the path sidewall covered with pipkrake in the freezing month of December and the thawing months of March and April. On the other hand, deflation and rainsplash erosion are not important due to the weak wind speed and the forested trail. Rainwash is also insignificant in that the path has been almost paved to mitigate trampling effects. Although biological activity is not dominant, hikers cause a large retreat of sidewalls in the thawing months since they would walk on the sidewalls to avoid snow-melting pools on the path.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.234-245
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• 2013

In order to examine the amount and rate of soil erosion on Ridge Traversing Trail in Jirisan National Park, a cross-sectional area of hiking trail were monitored at 16 sites in Nogodan - Samdobong section from November 2011 to April 2012. Although all sites demonstrates an enlarged cross-section of trail, the amount of soil erosion varies from site to site: 54.9 to $908.8cm^2$. It suggests that the erosional rate ranges from $0.1cm^2/day$ to $1.72cm^2/day$. The erosional amount is also varied with a trail type: $109.3cm^2$ for a shallow gully-like trail to $573.2cm^2$ for a unilateral trail. However, the cross-sectional change is larger on a sidewall than a tread irrespective of a trail type. The erosional amounts of November to April are smaller than that of May to October. In particular, the erosional amount of November 2011 to April 2012 is smaller than the depositional amount, implying a reduced cross-section of trail. Pipkrake action puts loose soil particles on a sidewall on March and April, and then rainwash due to a heavy rainfall takes them away after May. It seems to be the most predominant erosional process in Ridge Traversing Trail. A sidewall facing north shows a larger amount of erosion than a sidewall facing south. It also implies a difference in the development of a pipkrake according to an aspect. The small amount of erosion and cross-sectional decrease, which is usually observed on April, results from the combined effect of frost heaving, pipkrake action, a small rainfall and a temporary suspension of trampling. It is necessary to establish the monitoring system of trail erosion in terms of the management of hiking trail in a mountain national park.