China - Freeride New Horizons

Jikepulin, a New Skiing Destination

At over 50 degrees north latitude, bordering Mongolia, Russia, and Kazakhstan, the country is sparsely populated, and winters are long and harsh. This is also the birthplace of skiing; hunters and trappers have been active in the wintry mountains for over 2,000 years. Construction of the ski area only began four years ago, but there are already an impressive seven state-of-the-art gondola lifts. With their snow-covered peaks and flanks, the mountains are a veritable invitation to freeride. We soar 1,500 meters up to almost 3,000 meters in less than 12 minutes on the gondola. From up here, the Altai Mountains seem endless.

If you'd like to discover a completely new culture and ski where few have gone before, then come with us on a pioneering journey to the Chinese Altai.

Area and Snow Conditions

The region stretches across an area of ​​350 square kilometers on the western slopes of the Yun Xiao Feng Mountains. Many of the runs are directly accessible from the lift, but skins and good bindings are absolutely essential for this trip. While the westward runs repeatedly take us to the valley station, the north side is a bit more adventurous, with runs leading down to the Hemu River and the village of the same name, where local Uyghurs (Kazakhs) still live according to traditional customs of animal husbandry and hunting.

The west side of the Altai Mountains is known for long, harsh winters with plenty of fresh snow. Due to its northern location, snow falls as early as mid-October, reaching the valleys. As in the Altai destinations we know, the winter months are characterized by snow but also by permanently sub-zero temperatures, which is, of course, a clear advantage for the snow quality.

Travel Itinerary

From your home airport, you fly via Kazakhstan to Urumqi in China's Xinjiang Republic. From there, we take a short domestic flight to Burquin Kanas. A shuttle bus takes us up to Jikepulin, where we'll be accommodated, in 1.5 hours. The next seven days are at our disposal to explore and discover this completely unknown region with its almost endless possibilities.

At the end of the trip, we fly back home via Urumqi, bringing with us many wonderful memories and experiences.

Our Hotel

It will be a three-star hotel. We can expect a lot in terms of cuisine; the Xinjiang Republic is known for its excellent food. Laghman and Dhapanji are absolute delicacies and are always freshly prepared.

Pioneer Trip

We've been monitoring the progress in Jikepulin for a few years now, but the 2026 trip will be our first ski trip to this region. We'll be checking out the area in September 2025; we already have excellent contacts. We'll also carefully select and test the hotel on site. It's always exciting and adventurous to develop and create a new trip, especially in a country about which we don't have much information.