Preface: I’ve been skiing for quite a while and have developed a strong interest in it, so I’ve done some research. Recently, with more free time on my hands, I compiled this article. All the data comes from official sources, though some parts are based on my own experience, so there may be inaccuracies—please feel free to point them out. My assessment of the ski resorts is entirely personal and represents only my own views.
A Comprehensive Comparison of China’s Four Top Ski Resorts [Chongli Wanlong, Chongli Genting, Jilin Beidahu, Wanda Changbai Mountain]
After more than a decade of development, China’s ski resorts have undergone fundamental changes since 2011. An increasing number of tourism real estate and tourism management companies have invested in the development and construction of ski resorts. With the launch of several investment projects worth tens of billions, ski resort projects have shifted from being purely about skiing to a comprehensive business model that includes tourism, vacationing, and real estate development. Today, China’s ski resorts can be described as standing on four strong pillars: Hebei Chongli’s Wanlong and Genting, which rely on Beijing’s tourist base, and the two major benchmarks in Northeast China—Jilin Beidahu and Wanda Changbai Mountain. Beidahu, Genting, and Changbai Mountain have completed their first phases of construction and improvement between 2010 and 2012, with these three ski resorts ranking among the best in China in terms of investment scale and land area. Although the early Wanlong had only a ski area and one hotel, its early development, long slopes, and steep gradients gave it a top-tier status in the industry. These ski resorts each have their unique features, so let’s analyze them from the following aspects to see where they excel and where they fall short.
I. Basic Overview: (All data below comes from the official websites of the respective ski resorts)
In terms of opening time, Beidahu was the earliest, but it was run by a government enterprise and never really took off, wasting great resources. It wasn’t until 2009, when Qiaoshan Group entered, that there was a significant shift in management philosophy, project management, hotel development, and marketing, finally propelling it from a local Northeastern destination to a national one.
Wanlong is the earliest large-scale ski resort near Beijing. Due to its proximity to Beijing, it has always primarily served Beijing tourists and holds an undisputed position in the hearts of Beijing’s skiing enthusiasts. Many take pride in skiing at Wanlong, but its offerings are relatively limited, with only one hotel, and not much else to do besides skiing.
Genting is a newly built ski resort, adjacent to Wanlong, and is its strongest competitor. However, its investment philosophy differs significantly from Wanlong’s, leading to differences in offerings. Skiing is just one part of it, with more focus on developing tourism, vacationing, and year-round operations.
Wanda Changbai Mountain achieved in two years what the other three took several years to accomplish. The resort offers a full range of offerings, demonstrating its strong capabilities. The Wanda Changbai Mountain ski resort opened at the end of November this year, and everything was still unknown before its opening. How good the ski resort is will depend on how the first ski season goes.
II. Comparison of Ski Resort Conditions (All data below comes from the official websites of the respective ski resorts and Google Maps)
1. Slope Comparison:
Although not all of these four ski resorts are ski-centric, skiers are still most concerned about the slopes. From the table above, we can see that in terms of vertical drop, Beidahu has an absolute advantage, reaching over 800 meters. A higher drop means better slope angles and longer runs, and Beidahu’s famous Run 9, which goes from the mountaintop to the base, has an average steep gradient and long distance, making it one of its landmarks. But what makes Beidahu truly unique isn’t just these visible slopes—after heavy snowfall in February and March each year, Beidahu’s backcountry snow never disappoints.
Genting and Wanlong are on opposite sides of the same mountain, but their vertical drops differ by over 100 meters, so Genting’s slopes are generally shorter than Wanlong’s. Coupled with fewer developed slopes, the data shows that Genting is the least advantageous of the four.
Wanlong’s slopes are widely recognized by Beijing skiers—they’re wide, straight, steep, and relatively long. In particular, an advanced slope called “Ben Tou” is a symbol of skill level. But the climate in Chongli is not optimistic these days, with water shortages and strong winds leading to less and less snowfall. It’s getting harder and harder to experience backcountry snow at Wanlong and Genting. As skiers’ skills improve, the number of enthusiasts who enjoy giant slalom on wide, straight slopes is also dwindling. It’s unclear how much longer Wanlong’s less exciting slopes can remain appealing.
Wanda Changbai Mountain’s altitude and drop are similar to Wanlong’s, but its slope designs are less straight, with many winding paths. Although it has the longest total slope length among the four resorts, as a resort-style ski area, it has more beginner and intermediate slopes and fewer advanced slopes than Wanlong, with slightly shorter lengths, which may not be thrilling enough for experts. But its backcountry snow resources are excellent, with the ski season lasting until April of the following year—or even longer than Beidahu’s, with more snowfall.
2. Lift, T-Bar, and Magic Carpet Comparison
Wanlong’s lifts were famously slow in the beginning. It wasn’t until last year that a new high-speed domestic lift was added in the western area, going directly to the mountaintop. Though it lacks a bubble, it’s much better than freezing on a lift, marking the end of Wanlong’s “freezing slow lift” era.
Genting’s two high-speed lifts are quite comfortable. This year, a new mixed gondola-chairlift was added, going directly from the hotel to the mountaintop—a real blessing for winter warriors in Chongli. But everyone knows about the strong winds in Chongli; once the wind reaches level 6 or above, these high-speed lifts all stop working, moving slower than a “freezing slow lift,” which is truly disheartening.
Beidahu’s gondolas and the second lift are indeed good—fast, reliable, and wind-resistant—but last year’s maintenance was reportedly inadequate, causing occasional stops. It’s unclear whether this will improve this year.
Wanda Changbai Mountain’s lifts seem the most advanced and fastest, but for a ski area of this size, having so many gondolas, chairlifts, and 12 magic carpets—more than the total of the others combined—is somewhat excessive. You barely get to the top before you have to come back down, but it’s better than nothing. This winter, I’ll definitely give them a good try.
3. Ski Resort Climate Comparison
Many have experienced the winds in Chongli—when the white-out storms hit, no gear or clothing can protect you. Your legs and feet will be freezing, and even trying to ski down the slopes becomes difficult. Under the same temperatures, Beidahu is much better, feeling noticeably warmer. Additionally, in March, you can ski on spring snow, which is absolutely delightful—you can get by with just a light ski suit. Changbai Mountain is said to have light winds, but being in the Northeast, it’s not exactly warm. The exact temperatures will only be known after winter.
All four ski resorts claim 150 ski days, but Chongli’s snowfall has clearly been decreasing year by year, with lighter and lighter snowfall. Relying on nature alone isn’t viable, and most of it is man-made. Beidahu initially relied on artificial snow, but it gets several major snowfalls each year, especially in March, when the snow comes down heavily. Last year, Changbai Mountain’s snow lasted until April, with reported snow depths of nearly 2 meters—that’s really deep, comparable only to a few ski resorts in Xinjiang.
III. Transportation
In terms of distance, the two ski resorts in Chongli are close to Beijing, reachable by car in just three hours, so they primarily serve Beijing tourists and are easily accessible.
Beidahu’s transportation is also very convenient—you can get there by train, plane, or car, with low travel costs, making it an easy destination to reach.
Wanda Changbai Mountain’s transportation is its bottleneck. Out-of-town visitors can only fly, while local Northeasterners might choose to drive. There is a train, but it’s too slow, so few people opt for it. But flights are infrequent, often delayed, and expensive, which can dampen skiers’ enthusiasm. It’s something to consider before going. Apparently, a highway will open next year—we’ll see if that happens. With trains being so well-developed these days, shouldn’t they focus on improving rail access?
IV. Dining Facilities Comparison
Wanda Changbai Mountain is unbeatable in this category, with a clear advantage. Whether it’s McDonald’s, KFC, Pizza Hut, or other restaurants and hotel dining options, you can find food at any level, with guaranteed quality.
Yulong’s food has always been quite good, and the prices are reasonable too. For lunch, you can usually get full for 40–50 yuan, with plenty of choices and decent flavors. In the evening, you can head back to the town, where there are plenty more options. Yunding is similar, but the lunch isn’t as good as Yulong’s—variety, price, and taste are all just average. I’m not sure what new options the restaurants in the newly opened hotel might have this year, but the prices probably won’t be cheap.
As for Beidahu’s service, I won’t say much—both lunch and dinner are just so-so. Sometimes you might find yourself unable to get a meal even if you have money, which is why the local farmhouse restaurants nearby are much more popular than their own restaurant in the evening.
5. Accommodation Comparison:
1. Number of Rooms at the Four Major Ski Resorts
2. Comparison of Standard Room Rack Rates at the Four Major Ski Resorts:
In terms of price, Beidahu’s Asian Games Village is the cheapest, but the quality really isn’t great. Yunding’s hotel hasn’t even been built yet, so it’s hard to say what level those several-thousand-yuan rates represent.
Among hotels of the same tier, Holiday Inn offers the best value—it’s nearly five-star standard, comparable to Shuanglong and Beidahu’s five-star options, but with the most rooms. Breakfast is richest at Yulong, but Holiday Inn’s is also pretty good. Price-wise, Beidahu is the most expensive, followed closely by Shuanglong. Holiday Inn not only has cheaper prices, but also a single flat rate—making it a big advantage during holidays like New Year’s Day and Spring Festival when other hotels jack up their prices. But for skiing in Chongli, you could also stay in the town itself. Though it’s a bit farther from the ski resorts, there are more choices for food and lodging, and prices are much lower—you can find decent hotels for 100–200 yuan per person. There are fewer hotel options around Beidahu; either they’re quite far away or not in great condition. The two hotels in the development zone near the entrance are probably on par with Beidahu’s offerings.
Also, Wanda Changbai Mountain now has the Westin and Sheraton open, and next year there will be two more three-star hotels and two six-star hotels. In terms of hotel options, there’s a wide range, but the prices are steep.
6. Ski Pass Prices: (2012–13 Season)
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Speaking of prices, it’s always a pain point for us. Ski passes that keep rising in price every year are almost catching up to overseas ski ticket prices denominated in dollars. But no matter how much we complain, the prices just keep going up—and we’re left with no choice but to accept it. This year, Yulong has finally stayed quiet—the rack rates and season passes haven’t gone up. But those prices are still practically astronomical. Members can get an 8.5% discount, but even then, it’s still very expensive.
Yunding’s prices were just released yesterday. The much-hyped season pass from earlier has gone silent, and the ski pass prices are significantly higher than last year, almost catching up to Yulong’s.
Beidahu’s prices used to be okay, but they’ve gone up this year by about 20%. The total is still a bit lower, but the complicated calculation methods and various bundled ticket packages make it a bit of a headache to figure out the best deal.
Wanda Changbai Mountain, the newcomer, has seemingly high rack rates, but there are all kinds of cards floating around—like 20,000 yuan for 20 years or 2,000 yuan for 7 entries. That makes the rack rate kind of meaningless. If you only buy the card but need to book accommodation separately, that’s another issue—hotels are expensive to book alone, and staying in Songjianghe isn’t very convenient. Recently, they’ve introduced a new card for 680 yuan per ski run and stay, which is decent. It’s valid year-round, includes the hotel, lift tickets, and equipment, so it’s somewhat acceptable. But you’ll need to factor in transportation costs, and it’s better to go for multiple days at a time.
Finally, here’s a summary of the positioning and future prospects of these four ski resorts:
1. Yulong: A ski resort dedicated to hardcore skiers (even if it tries to transform, it will be difficult). Backed by the Hollyland Group, future investment is uncertain. Relying solely on hardcore skiers, it’s hard to see any revolutionary changes. Developing lifts, hotels, and slopes will be challenging—it can barely maintain the status quo. But because Yulong started early, has a large area, and unique slopes, it still attracts a significant number of advanced skiers.
Its development in lifts, hotels, and runs will be difficult, and maintaining the current state is already an achievement. But due to its early start, large area, and distinctive slopes, Yulong still draws a large number of advanced skiing enthusiasts.
2. Yunding: A ski resort focused on vacationing. Backed by a strong foreign-funded group, but it always feels a bit out of place. The ski resort and overall planning are half-baked—not particularly outstanding in any way, yet somehow covering all the basics. It wants to become a four-season resort but lacks the polish. It’s missing summer tourism products and can’t solve the accommodation issue in winter. Making a splash in the short term will be tough—it can only take things step by step and accumulate gradually.
Last year, its prices were a bit lower, and it managed to pull quite a few people away from Yulong. But if it keeps the same slope conditions and pricing as this year, that might not hold true.
Its prices were a bit lower last year, and it managed to draw quite a few people away from Yulong. But if it maintains this year’s slope conditions at those prices, it’s hard to say how it will go.
3. Beidahu: First-class natural conditions and environment, good snow resources, and decent equipment. But its weaknesses lie in service and management—these two areas just never improve. Going to Beidahu doesn’t feel like a treat; it always leaves you with some regret. Also, with heavy real estate development underway, if everyone’s busy selling houses, who’s going to manage the ski resort? But in Northeast China, its location, transportation, and price are all advantages, so it probably still draws a lot of visitors.
But with heavy real estate development going on, if everyone’s off selling houses, who knows if anyone will still manage the ski resort? But in the Northeast, its location, transportation, and price are all advantages, so it’s likely to remain quite popular.
4. Wanda Changbai Mountain: A massive investment in a mature mountain resort. Its advantage lies in being next to the established tourist destination of Changbai Mountain. Coupled with the resort’s own facilities, it can operate year-round in both summer and winter. The resort has a full range of leisure amenities and has pioneered destination skiing. But transportation is a real issue—even though ski passes are cheap, the overall cost is high. It’s not a place you can visit often; it’s better suited for vacations and relaxation. With such a large scale, there are bound to be issues—whether the ski conditions, reception capacity, and hardware live up to the marketing claims, and whether management and service can keep up, remains to be seen this winter.
But with such a large scale, there are definitely its own issues—whether the ski conditions, reception capacity, and hardware match the promotional claims, and whether management and service can keep up, all await the test of winter.
With such a large scale, there are bound to be its own problems—whether the ski conditions, reception capacity, and hardware truly match the publicity, and whether management and service can keep pace, all remain to be seen this winter.
We know that in the next few years, 2–3 ski resorts with total investments exceeding 10 billion yuan will break ground in Chongli. That means we skiers will have more and more choices—which is definitely a good thing. But China’s ski industry is still small-scale, and everyone is still feeling their way. The number of participants isn’t large enough. Running a good ski resort isn’t something that can be achieved through quick profits—it requires years of accumulation and development. But it’s unclear whether these developers have the patience and readiness for a long-term battle. Either way, it’s a good thing that so many people are paying attention to this emerging industry—it will surely have a positive impact on the advancement of skiing in China.