After two years of trial operation, starting from mid-January 2013, China’s lowest-latitude and Guizhou Province’s only alpine ski resort officially opened in Yusu National Forest Park in Liupanshui City.
At a press conference held in the provincial capital Guiyang today, Guizhou Province announced that this ski resort will serve as an important addition to the province’s winter tourism offerings.
Yusu National Forest Park is located approximately 30 kilometers from the city center of Liupanshui, situated south of 26°N latitude. It covers a total area of 50,314 mu, with the highest elevation at 2,503 meters and the lowest at 1,700 meters, resulting in a relative elevation difference of 803 meters. It is currently the highest-altitude forest park in Guizhou. The Yusu Forest Park Ski Resort has become China’s lowest-latitude ski field, as it lies nearly 1° closer to the equator than Yulong Snow Mountain in Yunnan—the lowest-latitude and highest-altitude ski site in the Northern Hemisphere. The ski resort spans a total area of 30,000 square meters, features a 500-meter-long ski slope, and can accommodate up to 600 visitors simultaneously. Equipment such as artificial snow machines, snowmobiles, and snow tubes have been imported from Canada, and professional ski instructors from northeastern China have been hired to guide visitors. The resort operates one session each in the morning and afternoon, opening annually after the first snowfall and running until around March 9th.
It is understood that Yusu National Forest has been in trial operation for two years and is the only ski resort in Guizhou Province, attracting visitors from Guizhou and surrounding provinces. Yang Changhua, director of Yusu National Forest Park Management Office, told reporters that the forest park offers a place to escape the summer heat and enjoy snow and skiing in the winter.
Southern cities face limitations due to climate, making the construction of ski facilities challenging and rare. Ma Lei, vice mayor of Liupanshui City, stated that this ski resort fills a gap in Guizhou’s winter tourism. In the future, Liupanshui plans to develop winter carnival events centered around the ski resort, creating a winter leisure tourism experience that integrates food, entertainment, and shopping.