The ski season in Xinjiang has begun.
Baiyun Ski Resort to Open for Trial on the 21st; Major Ski Resorts in Urumqi to Gradually Welcome Guests
Asia Heart News (reporters Zhang Xiaomi and Dong Xiaohan) — On November 21, the Nanshan Baiyun Ski Resort began trial operations. This weekend, other ski resorts around Urumqi will also open their doors one after another, marking the start of this winter’s skiing season in Xinjiang.
“On the 21st alone, over 500 skiing enthusiasts came to ski,” He Bingjie, general manager of Baiyun Ski Resort, told Asia Heart News yesterday.
He Bingjie said, “During the first two days of trial operations last year, there were only dozens of skiers each day. This year, during the trial weekend, nearly a thousand people came to ski. We had originally planned to open only the beginner slopes on Saturday, but due to strong requests from skiers of two ski clubs, we ended up opening both the beginner and advanced slopes, as well as the chairlifts.”
Nearly a thousand people experienced the joy of skiing at Baiyun Ski Resort over the weekend. Photo provided by He Bingjie.
It is reported that on the first day of trial operations on the 21st, Baiyun Ski Resort welcomed guests for free, while on the 22nd and 23rd, tickets were offered at half price. In terms of pricing, weekday prices at Baiyun Ski Resort remain the same as last year, but weekend prices have increased by 10 yuan compared to last year.
In terms of facilities, Baiyun Ski Resort has added a new 360-meter-long high-altitude zip line this year, along with a new magic carpet, snowboards, snow tubes, and other skiing equipment. The ski equipment service hall has also been expanded. This year, the resort’s visitor capacity has doubled compared to last year, with the ability to accommodate up to 5,000 skiers alone.
Yesterday, Asia Heart News learned through interviews that the nearest ski resorts to the city — the Xuelianshan Golf Lighted Ski Resort and the West Lighted Ski Resort — have not yet opened. Currently, all skiing facilities are in place, and they are expected to open this weekend. Meanwhile, ticket prices this year have not changed much compared to last year.
Yesterday, Li Hong, head of the Xuelianshan Golf Lighted Ski Resort, said, “Now all the equipment at the resort is in place. We’re just waiting for the temperature to drop. We expect to open around the 29th.”
Niu Jun, general manager of the West Lighted Ski Resort, said, “The resort is close to the city, so the daytime temperatures need to be lower to ensure good snow quality and prevent melting. We expect to start operations on the 29th.”
Huang He, deputy general manager of the Silk Road International Resort, said that the ski runs and chairlifts are now ready. As a competition venue for the 13th National Winter Games, the Silk Road International Ski Resort is currently undergoing accelerated construction, upgrading its ski reception hall into an athletes’ reception center.
The ski season in Xinjiang usually runs from mid-to-late November to the end of March the following year. As one of the main winter activities in Xinjiang, skiing will offer a new option for winter and spring travel. Additionally, many local tour operators plan to include skiing in their winter and spring itineraries, allowing domestic tourists to experience the joy of skiing while enjoying the stunning beauty of Xinjiang.
Asia Heart News learned from the Autonomous Region Tourism Bureau that there are currently about 50 ski resorts across Xinjiang, distributed throughout the region, with ski resorts in counties and cities such as Altay, Hami, Ili, and Emin.
Statistics from the Autonomous Region Tourism Bureau show that there are 13 S-class and above ski resorts around Urumqi, and 28 S-class and above ski resorts across Xinjiang, including 3 5S ski resorts. The number of S-class and above ski resorts this year remains the same as last year, with no new additions.