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Ski enthusiasts check out winter sport options
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As the mercury keeps dropping, winter sports enthusiasts are warming up for the best time of year for skiing.
The sport has gained popularity in east China in recent years and ski resorts are grouped with hot springs and beaches as the top three favorite winter destinations, travel agencies said.
China’s successful bid for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games further fueled enthusiasm for skiing, said online travel operator Ctrip. New winter sports-related itineraries were developed for visits to co-host city Zhangjiakou in Hebei Province.
People in east China have visited Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces in northeast China for skiing holidays in recent years but now are also eying other places like Beijing and Zhangjiakou.
Online travel site Tongcheng.com said about 90 percent of ski resort visitors are families and young couples, and the peak season is between New Year’s Day and Spring Festival.
Tourists with children also prefer alternative ski field activities like dog sledding, sightseeing and other snow games, it said.
China had about 20 million skiers last year, four times the figure in 2005, according to the China Ski Association.
Check out the following ski resorts at home and abroad to prepare planning your winter activity.
Changbai Mountains
The Changbai Mountains in Jilin Province are known as one of the best ski regions in Asia. Covered by thick snow in winter, there is a string of active ski resorts with different levels of ski runs for both beginners and professionals.
The area is a white wonderland in winter with its peaks, forests and grass all wrapped in snow. It features long snow periods and big falls of good quality snow.
The Changbai Mountains International Ski Resort’s skiing period lasts from mid-November to mid-April. Its snowfall is about 1.5 to 2 meters deep. It is surrounded by mountains.
Online travel operator Tongcheng said Changbai Mountains and Yabuli are among the most popular ski destinations in China. The hot springs in Changbai Mountains are also an attraction for “lovebird” couples and families with kids, it said.
In addition, there are also a number of ice and snow-related activities in Changbai Mountains such as sledding, ice hockey and ice-cycling.
Yabuli
Yabuli in northeastern China’s Heilongjiang Province is a landmark for skiers in China. It is situated 177 kilometers southeast of Harbin, the province’s capital city and home of the annual snow and ice festival.
Nestled in the heart of a national park, Yabuli enjoys a high reputation as a ski destination for its natural environment, landscape and facilities.
The Yabuli Ski Resort is the largest in China. Its 17 runs for beginners, mid-level enthusiasts and professionals total 40 kilometers in length and offer a vertical drop of 540 meters. It has the country’s largest ski jumping facilities.
Surrounded by mountains and rich vegetation, the resort is a 4A national tourist attraction which is the next-to-top rating. The resort hosted the 1996 Winter Asian Games, the 2008 National Winter Games and the 2009 Winter Universiade.
The period from November to late March is recommended as best for skiing in Yabuli.
Gangwon-do
Skiers looking for nearby resorts outside China could consider Gangwon-do Province northeast of Seoul in South Korea.
Gangwon-do has gained popularity over recent years among tourists seeking to do a day of skiing and spend the rest of their time shopping in Seoul, said online travel operator Ctrip.
Around 82 percent of the province is mountainous and receives plenty of snow fall in winter, making it a paradise for cold weather sports enthusiasts.
The YongPyong Ski Resort in Gangwon-do is in an area that has an an average snow fall of 2.5 meters and is the premier ski resort in South Korea. It is famous as the location where popular television drama series “Winter Sonata” was filmed. Gangwon-do also has a lot of hot springs and a number of tourism attractions, including the Seorak-san National Park and Ode-san National Park.
Seorak-san is the third highest mountain in South Korea and its Daechongbong Peak is 1,708 meters. Its autumn colors are beautiful.
The 2018 Winter Olympics are scheduled to be held in Pyeongchang in Gangwon-do.
British Columbia, Banff
Canada’s ski resorts are among the best in the world for their pristine and beautiful scenery, wildness and outstanding snow conditions.
Some of the resorts do not need snowmaking facilities because they have an ample natural supply.
Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia is the largest and most visited ski resort in North America.
The two mountains, Whistler and Blackcomb, feature more than 200 marked runs, 37 lifts, 16 alpine valleys and three glaciers.
The snow here is very soft and people feel as though they are walking on cotton when stepping on it. There is a children’s ski school facility and the area is also ideal for snowshoeing and snowmobiling.
Three mountain resorts in Banff area, Mt Norquay, Lake Louise Ski Resort, and Sunshine Village, are also good choices.
St Moritz
The resort town of St Moritz in the heart of the Swiss Alps was the birthplace of Alpine winter holidays and has twice hosted the Winter Olympics.
It is a haven for skiers and winter sports enthusiasts, with the steepest start slope in Switzerland, 350 kilometers of pistes, and adjacent state-of-the-art facilities.
The town and ski fields are surrounded by beautiful forests, lakes and mountains. There are also several other big ski areas near St Moritz, such as Piz Nair and Piz Corvatsch.
The skiing season in St Moritz is between November and April.
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