Alshan Ski Resort

• Note: Famous for alpine and cross country trails.
• Season: Nov. - Apr.
• Location: On the border of Inner Mongolia (Province) in China and Mongolia itself, 3-4 hours by bus/train from Ulanhot.
• Skiing Market: Suitable for skiers of every level.

Alshan Ski Resort is located in the small town of Alshan, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (Inner Mongolia, for short), near the mountainous border with (Outer) Mongolia, about a 3-4 hour trip by bus from Ulanhot, and about 700 kilometers (a 15-hour drive, a Hummer is recommended!), due west, from Yabuli Ski Resort in Heilongjiang Province.

It is therefore no wonder that Alshan Ski Resort is considered China's second-best ski resort, surpassed only by Yabuli Ski Resort; an inescapable factor in both ski resorts' success is surely their northerly latitude, which means that both these areas receive large quantities of snow each winter, and due to the constant low temperature, the snow remains on the ground rather than melts. Alshan Ski Resort serves as the secondary training venue for China's national ski teams, second only to the ski facilities at Yabuli.

Alshan Ski Resort, surrounded by evergreen forests, consists of two main sections: a competition section called the Western Hill area for professional skiers, such as the Chinese national teams (while Yabuli is the primary Alpine skiing venue for China's national teams, Alshan is the corresponding venue for Nordic, or cross-country, skiing); and an Alpine section for non-professionals, the Eastern Hill area.

Since only the latter is available to tourists, it will be profiled below (professionals have their own insider information sources concerning the particulars of the Western Hill section).

The Eastern Hill section of Alshan Ski Resort covers an area of roughly 5 square kilometers. The intermediate-level piste is 800 meters in length, with varying gradients, and where the average gradient is 12 degrees, while the sharpest drop is at 22 degrees (by comparison, professional-level gradients begin at 25 degrees).

Since there are invariably more beginners than advanced-level skiers, Alshan Ski Resort accordingly has three beginner-level pistes which, between them, measure more than 1000 meters and which have an average, gentle gradient of 6 degrees.

Being a well-equipped facility, Alshan Ski Resort has ski workout machines to help the neophyte to more quickly advance, as the workout machines target the muscles which are the first to be subject to fatigue on the slopes.

Alshan Ski Resort is about more than just skiing, it is a venue for people to get together and have fun. There is a bar and a restaurant here, ample lodging facilities, and, of course, one can rent ski equipment at Alshan Ski Resort.

The area gets so much snow that snow-making machinery is superfluous, nor does the ski resort make use of ski grooming equipment. The latter is only necessary where the snowfall is infrequent and comes in heavy doses; at Alshan Ski Resort, in contrast, the snowfall is almost daily, meaning that there is an almost constant supply of fresh powder, which beats anything that a machine can produce.

In December, Alshan Ski Resort holds its annual Ice & Snow Festival, which is celebrated at this time of year throughout the northern part of Inner Mongolia.

Skiing in China with China Highlights

Alshan Ski Resort is located in China's far Northeast, near the mountainous border with Mongolia. The region is very hard to access. So if you are planning to add some skiing activities to your China trip, we suggest you to choose Yabuli Ski Resort (China's best ski resort) or Nanshan Ski Resort close to Beijing, instead of Alshan Ski Resort. See China Highlights' most popular ski tours:

• 6-day Harbin Sights and Yabuli Ski Tour: Harbin Ice Festival plus Skiing in Yabuli
• Essence of Beijing and Nanshan Ski Resort
• 4-Day Club Med Yabuli Skiing Tour