Ski resort in Jilin province offers huge crowd-free slopes, breathtaking scenery and natural snow, Alexis Hooi finds.

The morning sun sparkles through rime-covered trees in the silent wintry air, its golden rays glistening on the virgin snow that you cut through with every turn. Skiing in such sweet solitude during the holidays is getting more difficult in the world's most populous country, particularly when winter sports are becoming more popular on the back of rising affluence.

But in Beidahu, Jilin province, you can do just that.

Beidahu is a major ski resort and big enough to absorb the skiers and snowboarders that make it there. It was the site of the 6th Asian Winter Games in 2007, but it can still be difficult to reach on your own from Jilin city, an hour's drive away.

The resort has 13 marked trails totaling nearly 20 km. The main six-seater gondola lift goes to one of two major peaks, 1,215.6 meters high, promising pristine views of snow-covered mountain ranges stretching toward the Korean Peninsula before you descend on slopes more than 50 meters wide.

Other than the well-groomed advanced, intermediate and beginner slopes serviced by well-spaced chairlifts that cater to skiers at every level, there are also powdery off-piste runs through towering pines and a hiking trail up Beidahu's second peak at 1,404.8 meters, to keep more adventurous visitors occupied.

As a nod to the increasing number of snowboarders, a snowboard park with a decent half-pipe, rails, boxes, kickers and inflatable landing pad are also available for hardy jumpers and daring beginners trying out their aerial moves.

"I've been to the more famous Yabuli ski resort in Heilongjiang province, but Beidahu has comparable and even better facilities, without the maddening crowds," says Zhang Xin, a 38-year-old IT businessman based in Changchun, Jilin's provincial capital. Zhang has been to top ski resorts worldwide.

"I can complete a run here without encountering a single person. Of course, there's some way to go before we get up to the standard of amenities and services at European, United States and Japanese resorts, but right now this is probably as close to Chinese ski heaven as it gets."

Still, it will be hard for Beidahu to stay crowd-free as increasingly affluent Chinese holidaymakers sniff out deals to enjoy winter.

The amount of time a Beijinger spends on skiing has jumped by more than one-fifth in recent years, the capital's skiing association reported. About 5 percent of Beijingers will take up the sport soon, it says.

Accommodation in Beidahu is already expanding beyond two four-star hotels, to include at least one five-star hotel offering 400 beds, to deal with more skiers and snowboarders. The resort is also beefing up its facilities as it prepares to host the national winter games in 2012.

Aprs-ski activities come in the form of hotel restaurants, bars, karaoke rooms and saunas, but those who want to experience more authentic northeastern food and drink can walk down the road from the slopes to affordable local diners that serve up hearty dongbei pork belly stews and dumplings, gulped down with homemade baijiu liquor to help you endure the cold.

And it can get very cold here. Temperatures below -10 C force you to cover every part of your face to block the air from biting into it as you zoom down the ski slopes. But the chill also means snowfall is almost certainly guaranteed for the season.

Thankfully, Beidahu's trails are nestled among mountains that help buffer the winds to prevent the mercury from plunging further. A reservoir that can store 280 Olympic-sized swimming pools of water next to the resort also helps ensure sufficient snow is artificially made for the slopes if nature comes up short.

A number of skiers have complained about the short ski days - Beidahu's slopes can come under the shadow of the mountains by 3 pm - but Chen Ning, a 35-year-old ski travel agent who brings domestic tour groups to Beidahu regularly, says the area's natural resources give it advantages over the slew of small ski resorts mushrooming around the outskirts of cities that often have to rely heavily on man-made snow.

"We have natural snow here, it's cleaner, greener and cheaper," he says.

"It's a really good deal. Most skiers and snowboarders that come here are still Chinese, but it's only a matter of time before more foreigners discover the place."

(China Daily 02/17/2011 page19)