Xiaohaituo Mountain in Yanqing County, a remote mountainous area at the border of Beijing and Hebei, has always been relatively unknown, but suddenly came into the public eye yesterday. On February 8, the Beijing 2022 Bid Committee announced in Sochi that if the bid is successful, alpine skiing and bobsleigh/luge events for the 2022 Winter Olympics will be held at Xiaohaituo Mountain. Yesterday, a reporter from Beijing Morning Post interviewed relevant officials from Zhangshanying Town in Yanqing County and outdoor enthusiasts. It turns out that although this high mountain still lacks ski facilities, it has long been a favorite spot for Beijing’s outdoor hiking community.
High altitude and rich wildlife
Haituo Mountain consists of three main peaks: Dahaituo, Xiaohaituo, and Sanhaituo. Among them, Dahaituo is located southwest of Chicheng County in Hebei Province, Xiaohaituo is in Zhangshanying Town, Yanqing, Beijing, and is also referred to locally as simply "Haituo Mountain." Dahaituo is the main peak, situated in the center, Xiaohaituo lies to the south at an elevation of 2,198 meters, making it the second highest peak in Beijing; Sanhaituo is to the north. Once the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Winter Olympics bid is successful, alpine skiing and bobsleigh/luge events will be held at Xiaohaituo Mountain.
The mountain is home to a variety of wildlife and vegetation, such as planted Korean pine forests, secondary Korean pine forests, oak and poplar-birch forests, and mountain meadows. Wild animals are also frequently spotted. Zhu Xuesong, a publicity officer from Zhangshanying Town in Yanqing County, told Beijing Morning Post: “Animals on the mountain include wild boars and roe deer, which can still be seen today.”
No one has skied on the mountain yet
When it comes to Haituo Mountain, most residents of Yanqing County will tell you something like this: “Haituo Mountain? ‘Haituo Wearing Snow’ refers to this very mountain.” “Haituo Wearing Snow” is one of Yanqing’s top ten scenic sights and a mountain that captivates many photography enthusiasts.
Zhu Xuesong explained that Xiaohaituo Mountain generally starts getting snow in October each year and remains covered until around April of the following spring. “During this period, whenever it rains in the county town, it snows on the mountain.”
Speaking of alpine skiing, Zhu Xuesong said that although the “Haituo Wearing Snow” phenomenon lasts for quite a long period each year, as of now, no one has ever skied on Haituo Mountain. “The choice of Xiaohaituo Mountain for alpine skiing may be due to its altitude and climatic characteristics. With the Winter Olympics bid in play, who knows—this thrilling activity might become a new trend here in the future.”
Villagers patrol the mountain to protect wildlife
Although Xiaohaituo Mountain has not yet been developed into a scenic area, it has long been favored by outdoor enthusiasts. Xidazhuangke Village in Zhangshanying Town is the closest village within Beijing to Xiaohaituo Mountain and serves as one of the starting points for hikers climbing the peak.
Mr. Li, an outdoor enthusiast and hiker, has a special fondness for Xiaohaituo Mountain. He told Beijing Morning Post that there is a high mountain meadow between the Big and Small Haituo Mountains, where most hikers set up camp during spring and summer, with hundreds of tents sometimes dotting the meadow. He explained that accessing Haituo Mountain from within Beijing is relatively far, whereas starting from Dahaituo in Hebei is closer. “Haituo Mountain is said to be the easiest place within Beijing to see sea of clouds. With its high altitude and dramatic elevation changes, you can directly see Zhangqing County from the mountaintop.” There are three or four hiking routes from within Beijing, starting from Xidazhuangke Village, Yianping Village, Beer Creek, or the entrance to Songshan Scenic Area.
In terms of distance, Xidazhuangke Village is the closest village in Beijing to Xiaohaituo Mountain. A small path leads directly to the mountain, and it takes about two to three hours to walk there.
Zhu Xuesong told Beijing Morning Post that to protect Xiaohaituo Mountain, six villagers from Xidazhuangke Village have organized year-round patrols. Their main tasks are to protect vegetation and wildlife, as well as to discourage hikers from engaging in uncivilized behavior on the mountain.
“The villagers would be even happier than us”
The news that alpine skiing, an Olympic event, might be hosted in Xiaoshan Village, Yanqing, has made local residents quite happy. Resident Mr. Kong said: “It’s cold here, and we have plenty of ski resorts, but I’ve never heard of anyone doing alpine skiing. Especially if it could actually be held on our Xiaohaituo Mountain—that would be like having the competition right at our doorstep. I bet the villagers of Xidazhuangke would be even happier than us!”
Mr. Kong heard the news early in the morning that Xiaohaituo Mountain might become an Olympic venue. “Lots of people called me asking if Xiaohaituo Mountain is the same as Haituo Mountain, whether you can ski there now, and what other attractions are nearby... Right now, we’re all hoping Beijing and Zhangjiakou get the Olympics, and bring alpine skiing to our Yanqing.”