Skiing is more than just a sport

With several rounds of snowfall hitting the capital as expected, this year’s ski season kicked off early. Photos and videos of impressive ski tricks and fun family outings flooded social media feeds. It’s not just weekends—on weekdays, ski resorts have also become paradises for enthusiasts who brave the cold to enjoy the slopes. What is it about skiing that holds such unique appeal? Let’s hear their stories.

A hobby that has gradually evolved into his career

Feature: Snowboarding God — Huang Long, nicknamed "One?"

I met One? in a skiing WeChat group. He’s a snowboarding enthusiast and is currently working on launching an O2O platform related to ski instruction. Nowadays, this hobby has gradually turned into his career.

Lending a helping hand with free lessons

One winter day in 2006, One? went to Yuyang Ski Resort with a friend. Back then, he knew nothing about skiing. "I didn’t hire an instructor, nor did any expert show me the ropes. It didn’t feel great and was quite tiring. At that point, I didn’t think skiing was much fun. But after picking up a few small techniques, the feeling of actually skiing well was amazing—and I’ve been hooked ever since."

Back then, One? didn’t know there were different types of skis, nor did anyone teach him how to put on boots or how to ski. He learned entirely through trial and error. "Once, on flat ground, my legs somehow split apart, and with my not-so-great flexibility, I was drenched in sweat. That experience stuck with me forever. Later I found out that snowboards keep your feet fixed, so you don’t have to worry about tearing ligaments, so I switched to snowboarding without hesitation. Haha." One? recalled the early days of learning to ski.

He’d heard about some of the big names in the snowboarding world beforehand—many of them acted all high and mighty, only looking up at the sky. One? is different. "If you want to learn, I’ll teach you for free. I’ve taught nearly twenty disciples, all for free. Sometimes at the resort, I carry small tools with me. If I see someone’s bindings aren’t set up right, I’ll go adjust them for them. Once, a young guy almost cried he was so touched… I just don’t want others to waste two or three years the way I did." One? spoke earnestly, full of both heartache and helplessness.

Never get distracted while skiing

During the interview, One? was at the Genting Ski Resort in Chongli. He told me that over the past three years, he’s spent about two months each ski season at the resort—either on the slopes or on the chairlifts, sometimes even skipping lunch. Genting’s Genting Peak and Wanlong, along with Beijing’s Nanshan, are his main spots. "Genting Peak offers great value, and the lifts have heated seats. Wanlong has excellent runs and amazing food. Nanshan has the most logically designed runs around Beijing, making it fun for skiers of all levels." The resort is also a great place to meet new friends—you quickly strike up conversations when you share a common passion. But there have been painful experiences too. "Once, while skiing, I habitually looked back, and somehow caught an edge and was suddenly launched into the air, doing a triple backflip. Thankfully, I wasn’t injured at all. Thinking back, it still gives me chills—I feel like I cheated death. Here’s my advice: always stay focused when skiing."

"Whether you’re on a snowboard or skis, mastering the basics is essential. Otherwise, you could hurt yourself or others," One? said earnestly.

Skiing is part of their family culture

Feature: Gao Fei

Both Gao Fei and her husband are seasoned skiing enthusiasts with nearly ten years of experience on the slopes. They’re also professionals in the ski industry. It might sound exaggerated, but this family of four goes skiing all year round—skiing culture has truly become a part of their family identity.

Start them young to build a love for snow "The first time I took my elder son to the snow, he was just three months old and still breastfeeding. My husband and I brought him to Duolemeidi Ski Resort in Chongli. We put him in a little boat on the snow to let him get close to nature and experience the snowy world. The joy that snow brings is something nothing else can replace." Gao Fei openly admits that her favorite ski resort in China is Duolemeidi. "It’s small but beautiful, with wide and long runs that are very comfortable. The lifts are top-tier high-speed enclosed chairlifts that take you to the top in just four minutes." Their most recent trip with the kids was the opening weekend at Duolemeidi in mid-November. "My elder son is seven, and my younger one is five. When skiing in Chongli, they still find it quite cold and don’t have much stamina. After coming down the Youlong run at Wanlong, they need to rest, drink some water, play a bit, then ski again. Their foot and wrist strength isn’t strong enough yet, so we don’t recommend long skiing sessions for them. Now they can ski the intermediate runs at Genting on their own, having fully mastered braking and turning. Skiing is a skill that improves with practice—the actual time spent skiing matters a lot. Most resorts around Beijing have long lift lines, and sometimes skiing half a day in Chongli is more effective than a full day in Beijing."

In Gao Fei’s skiing memories, the most memorable moment also happened in Chongli. "That time, my elder son came down the Youlong run entirely on his own, achieving a breakthrough. My husband took all seven kids by himself—the oldest was only six. They skied straight down from the top without looking back. I was so moved and happy—it felt wonderful to be able to cross mountains just by using your feet."

Don’t expect too much from your kids

When it comes to ski safety, Gao Fei believes parents must personally accompany young children on the lifts, not placing them at the edges but rather in the middle. Parents shouldn’t rush their kids to improve technique—let them slowly build up their sense of snow, which is a crucial process. "My elder son started skiing at two years old at Beidahu Ski Resort. He even participated in the toddler division competition on his first try and won first place. We’ve hired ski instructors for our kids, but most of the time we teach them ourselves. He officially started skiing at four. We’ve been studying children’s ski instruction methods, hoping to bring foreign teaching philosophies to China. In China, many parents educate their kids in a forceful way and have overly high expectations, which can easily kill their interest."

In Gao Fei’s view, the best family ski resort in China is Changbai Mountain. For a three-day, two-night trip, aside from skiing, kids can have endless fun at the snow park. Hotels often have childcare centers, giving parents a break. "Abroad, people mostly go on ski vacations. Skiing, drinking coffee, sunbathing, chatting—it’s really relaxing. The Nanshan Ski Resort in Beijing has a great vacation vibe, and people should enjoy that kind of ski holiday lifestyle more."

Dress up in cute ski gear and hit the snow

Feature: Beijing Girl — "Brick's Mom"

"Brick's Mom" is a true Beijing girl—bold, warm, and friendly. I love her sleek, jet-black waist-length hair—so gorgeous. Oh, and her “son” is “Brick,” a soon-to-be 10-year-old handsome golden retriever.

Safety and fun come first "Brick's Mom" and "Brick's Dad" both love skiing, especially snowboarding. Their first time skiing was in 2009 at Nanshan Ski Resort in Beijing—but back then, they used alpine skis. "My husband was zooming down the slopes, and I went down just once before finding a spot to read. I ended up reading almost half a book and felt really happy."

She later switched to snowboarding for a simple reason. "It looks super cool, and the clothes are great. The biggest reason is that snowboard boots are way more comfortable to walk in than ski boots." These days, "Brick's Mom" has become a pro on advanced runs. Sharing a hobby with her spouse feels great. "When we first started snowboarding, we’d hit the slopes every chance we got. One day we’d ski all day at Nanshan, the next we’d do an evening session at Jundu Mountain—we were totally hooked." "Brick's Mom" excitedly recalled. As for resorts, she’s skied at Wanlong, Genting, and Duolemeidi in Chongli; and Nanshan, Jundu, Yuyang, Badaling, and Shijinglong in Beijing.

"Nanshan is great, and Jundu is good too—they have night skiing and food. Every time we enter the resort, the staff offer to carry our boards—it’s almost too hospitable. Wanlong and Genting in Chongli are both great. Duolemeidi is nice too, though the runs are sloped, but the woods are fun." In "Brick's Mom’s" opinion, snowboarding is something you learn mostly by falling on your butt or knees—so always wear a helmet and protective gear, no matter how stylish you want to look. Though you’re bound to take some tumbles, taking proper precautions lets you enjoy the sport safely for years to come.

Please don’t call me handsome

Every trip to Chongli, the "Brick" family stays at least two days. The first day is for settling in and "Brick’s" fun day—lots of snow play. The second day is for "Brick’s parents" to ski. "Ever since we got Brick, we basically take him everywhere. Ski resorts in Chongli don’t allow pets, so we stay in the town. The first time we brought him, we checked out several hotels before finding one that would take dogs—‘Snow Mountain.’ The owner was really nice and let us bring him. We try not to cause any trouble. Aside from the travel crate, we also bring our own sheets to avoid dirtying theirs. We also clean the dog before entering the hotel."

There were many joyful moments on the slopes, as well as plenty of interesting stories. One incident still leaves “Banerzhuan’s Mom” laughing and crying when she recalls it. “When I ski, I’m fully geared up in a ski suit, goggles, and a helmet, and I’m often mistaken for a man. Several times people called me ‘handsome guy’ or ‘buddy.’ With two big braids, you’d think it would be obvious I’m a woman, right? I thought maybe my ski suit was too masculine, so I switched to a brighter one. But when I got to the ski resort, I ended up wearing the exact same outfit as a guy…”

They say skiing is “white heroin,” but in “Banerzhuan’s Mom’s” view, “Actually, skiing is just playing in the snow while wearing cool ski gear—it’s like going back to childhood, really simple. I love who I am when I ski, turning the impossible into the possible.”

Reporter Yang Liu, Jinghua Times