Urumqi, Xinjiang
Silk Road
丝绸之路国际滑雪场
A 600 m vertical in the Nanshan mountains an hour from Urumqi, with one of China's steepest marked runs and a season stretching into May.
Mountain stats
- Vertical drop
- 600 m
- Elevation
- 1850 m – 2450 m
- Lifts
- 9–10 (sources conflict; ~12,100 pax/hr)
- Runs
- ~10 km of marked slopes
- Terrain split
- ~50% beginner / 30% intermediate / 20% advanced (by km)
- Day pass
- TBC · TBC
- Season
- Early Nov to early May
- Night skiing
- No
Day-pass price TBC — not reliably published in English sources at research time.
Snow realityNo overselling
Drier and colder than anything in eastern China, with decent natural snowfall boosted by snowmaking — and a long, high season. The marked terrain is modest in size, but the resort trades on steepness: its showcase run is billed as China's most challenging, and the sidecountry off the top is tempting (treat it as backcountry — no patrol culture). If you're routing through Urumqi to Altay anyway, it's a worthwhile warm-up day; it's not worth a dedicated trip.
Come here for
- ✓A ski day on the way to or from Altay — Urumqi is the hub you'll transit anyway
- ✓Steep-run collectors
- ✓Late-season turns when everything east has closed
Skip it if
A destination in itself — 10 km of runs won't hold most skiers past a day or two.
Getting there
~1 hr drive south of Urumqi (taxi/Didi ~¥150 each way, or tour transfers). Urumqi (URC) has direct flights from every major Chinese city.
Where to stay
Stay in Urumqi (full range, $25–100) and day-trip; on-mountain lodging is limited.
How tickets actually get bought
WeChat mini-program and Meituan; tour packages with transport are common and often the practical choice for visitors.
Want Silk Road handled for you?
Passes at local prices, the right hotel, transfers timed to your flights — one itinerary, zero Chinese apps required.