The east-coast resort city of Sokcho will host the 10th Sorak Snow Festival around Mt. Sorak, or "big mountain of snow," from Jan. 20-23, 2005.

Hosted by the Sorak Snow Festival Organizing Committee, and sponsored by Sokcho City, the event has grown to be one of the most popular winter festivals in Korea.

Climbing the frozen waterfalls of this breathtaking expanse has become somewhat of a right of passage for climbing enthusiasts. The frozen Towangsung Waterfalls are the tallest in Asia, with a combined height of 360 meters (1,190 feet), and present the ideal conditions for ice climbing. Nearby Shilso Falls and Maebawi also are destinations for ice-climbers, attracting adventure seekers from the world over. For extreme-sports enthusiasts, it ranks up there with snowboarding at Mount Muju. Be advised that the physically demanding challenges of ice climbing are not recommended for novices.

For those who want to stay closer to the ground, the annual snow-carving competition is another big event at the Sokcho festival. For this event, college students from across the nation will come to Sorak eight days prior to the opening of the festival. Visitors there can watch students working late into the night carving ice and shaping snow into fantastic sculptures.

There is also great ice fishing on Lake Youngrang, with its idyllic scenery and available lodgings for visitors.