Places to Ski in and around Chengdu
Whilst it’s very unlikely any of us will be hitting the slopes of Aspen, Courchevel, or Zermatt this year, there are decent ski resorts in China, and some of them are closer than you’d think.
The facilities and equipment may not rival European or North American resorts, and the après-ski will likely leave you wanting, but many of them have hot springs near by, and are lots of fun.
We’re lucky enough in Sichuan to be near Taiziling, one of the best ski resorts in China, with other good slopes near Harbin, or Beijing in the North East.
Here are places to hit the slopes, not too far from Chengdu:
Taiziling Ski Resort
九鼎山太子岭滑雪场
Address: Taizi Ridge Ski Resort, Jiuding Mountain Scenic Spot, Maoxian County
四川省阿坝州汶川县至茂县213国道旁，九鼎山风景区青龙坪太子岭滑雪场
Opening Times:
Monday-Friday: 9am-5:30pm
Weekends and Holidays: 8:30am-6pm
For more info, visit
Tel: 0837-8709999
Jiudingshan Taiziling Ski Resort is located in Wenchuan County in Sichuan Aba, within Jiuding Mountain Qinglong Ping.
It is 2750 meters above sea level, and has a 4.2 km ski trails, skiers can accommodate 5,000 passengers daily.
It is the only commercial ski resort with a drop of more than 2000 meters in the world.
Getting to Mount Jiuding
Taiziling Ski resort is known to have the best ski facilities near Chengdu and is around 3 hours drive from the city centre. You can rent a car or take their resort shuttle or a regular bus to get there. The shuttle is from South Railway Station Exit E (7 am) or Culture Palace Exit D1 (7:20 am), round day trip tickets are 108 RMB.
The bus leaves from Chadianzi Bus Station 茶店子汽车站 to Maoxian every hour and a half from 7am daily. The tickets are 62RMB. The bus will drop you at a petrol station at the bottom of Jiuding Shan 九鼎山. Then taxis or minivans will be waiting to take you to the top of the mountain for about 40 RMB per person. Near the top of the mountain, you have to buy a mountain pass which costs 70RMB. Student passes are 35RMB.
Ski-lift passes
Off peak
199 RMB for 1 day (booking on Taobao.com / Ctrip.com in advance)
268 RMB for 1 day (purchased on the day).
When you purchase the ticket, you can buy a day insurance for 10RMB.
Equipment rental
Ski and snowboard rental is included in the price of your ski-lift ticket.
A deposit of 800RMB is required and will cover any damage of rental equipment. 20RMB is charged for helmet hire, and helmets are mandatory if you want to ride the main chairlift.
Additional to renting helmets, you can also rent salopettes and ski jackets.
Best Time To Go
The best snowfall occurs from November to March and Mount Jiuding usually has approximately 80cm of snow.
Xiling Snow Mountain Ski Resort
西岭雪山滑雪场
Address: Leisure and Sports Area, the back mountain of Xiling Snow Mountain, Dayi County, Chengdu City
成都市大邑县西岭雪山滑雪场
Tel.: 400-028-9695, 028-88309080
For more info, visit
Getting there
There are mixed reviews about the snow coverage in Xiling Snow Mountain, so be sure to call ahead and check conditions before you travel. Buses run from Xinnanmen Bus Station 新南门车站, Chadianzi Bus Station 茶店子车站 and East City Bus station 成都东客站 to Xiling XueShan and take two to three Hours.
Some have remarked this resort is more like an amusement park with snow, than a place with serious ski Trails. Along side more traditional skiing you can also rent snowmobiles, sledges and Play winter games.
Price
Ticket prices are fluctuating and details can be found via https://you.ctrip.com/sight/xilingsnowmountain1484/4349.html#ctm_ref=www_hp_bs_lst
Ski clothes rental begins from 50RMB per garment. There is no need to book ahead as they have 2000 sets of skis and a fleet of 35-40 snowmobiles.
Best Time To Go
There is 60-80cm of snow between December and March, and the opening hours are 9:00am – 17:00pm.
There are some night skiing options between 19:30am and 21:30pm if you don’t mind braving the dark.
Other Resorts
There other options for skiing and other snow sports in Sichuan, such as Guangyuan Zengjia Mountain 广元曾家山滑雪场, Aba Bi Peng Gou 毕棚沟, Dujiangyan Longchi Forest Park 龙池国家森林公园, although the facilities aren’t as good as those mentioned above. What is a good option if you are looking to hit the slopes is catching the fast train to Xi’an for the weekend, where they have a some good ski resorts such as Cui Hua Mountain Ski Resort..
If you’re looking to hit the slopes in the city, this is an option in Chengdu:
Chengdu Sunac Snow Park
都江堰融创雪世界
Chengdu Sunac Snow Park has a total area of about 80,800 square meters and is the world’s largest indoor ski resort. There are six different levels of ski trails and two terrain parks here and can receive 5000 people skiing each day.
Relatively close to Chengdu, with various entertainment activities and shows make it a very popular place for a group of friends and families to go.
Xindu JF Dry Slope Skiing
新都尖锋旱雪四季滑雪场
Address:
Opposite to Beixin Xiaoqu, Chengde Avenue.
成德大道北星小区斜对面
Opening Times:
Two Sessions from Monday to Sunday: 13:30-17:30, 18:30-22:30
Price:
120RMB / person / session
Tel:
028-85248915
Xindu Jianfeng Dry Skiing Ground is located in Majia Town, Xindu District. This skiing ground covers an astounding area which people can ski in year-round. It covers a staggering 40,000 square meters with the skiing track being about 15,000 square meters.
There’s 10+ Dry Ski Slopes to choose from, with varying levels of difficulty ranging from the very basic slope for beginners through intermediate and advanced. They even have two slopes with a big jump where a professional can do tricks.
Author: CdExpat_Team
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