Wanlong Ski Resort is one of China's newest destination resorts. Located less than a 4 hour drive from Beijing, it sees over 1000 skiers each weekend. At 6000'+ elevation, it also enjoys one of China's longest seasons. A new 100 room 3 star hotel located on site offers room to lift skiing and a assortment of amenities that you would expect in a slope side hotel.
Wanlong has 4 chairs: one double chair that goes to mid mountain with one main trail back down and a terrain park side trail. This wide beginning/intermediate slope is the primary teaching area an is excellent learning terrain. A man made mogul field on top adds some interest to advanced Skiers and a Nastar like side run is open to anyone at any time there is not an actual race being run. (Chinese skiers like to go fast. You can almost think there are only two types of Chinese Skiers – beginning snow plowers and GS racers.) The top of this lift connects with a brand new quad chair to the top of the mountain (2210M) an another older double chair side by side so that uphill capacity is not a constraint anymore during busy periods.
Top of the Mountain Cabin at Wanlong
On top is a warm up/refreshment log cabin. Inside you can get a hot drink, snacks including dumplings or just sit by the fireplace and relax. Since most of the skiers stayed on the bottom half of the mountain, it was not heavily used, but still well staffed for good service. The view from the top is panoramic of the entire area.
Wanlong Off the Top
There are 3 distinct trails off the top that branch out into 4 other main trails including two new more advanced trails opened this year. The Eastern most is a skate for the first 650 M, then a nice wide intermediate cruising trail from there. This trail eventually comes into the top of the mid mountain trail described above. What looks like a new (in December yet unopened) trail branches out to the right from this trail and looks like it could be a good trail back to the hotel without having to use the bunny slope lift. Westward of this first trail is a wide trail that essentially follows the lift contour back to the bottom of the lift. You can then continue down the main mid mountain slope or take the lift back up to the top. A GS set of gates is sometimes set up on this trail for anyone to use as desired. Pitch is still intermediate But it is also a nice cruising trail all the way from the top.
West Ridge Trail at Wanlong
On the westernmost side of the mountain is another long mostly intermediate wide cruising trail that branches mid mountain to a cat track trail back to the bottom of the lift or continues along the western ridge all the way to the bottom. The pitch on the final portion of this trail is the steepest on the mountain and could be quite nice if there was enough snow to build a mogul field. However, early in the season it is groomed Flat and skied fast by most of the skiers who take this route. A new quad chair (not high speed) runs from the bottom to mid mountain to service this westernmost trail. In addition a new lift contour trail will bring you back to the bottom of this new chair. From the top of this lift you are able to take the main trail described back to the base lodge, the new trail back to the lift bottom or the road trail back to the bottom of the lift that goes to the top. It alos appears that a new westernmost trail from top of the mountain to the bottom of the quad chair is in the making providing the longest trail on the mountain. Overall, there are enough lift and trail combinations to ski the better portion of a day without using the same route twice. For China, at this time, this is about as good as it gets.
Magic Carpet on Beginners Slope
For beginners there is a separate slope leading from the hotel to the base lodge. This year the lift servicing this slope has been replaced by a magic carpet (a belt conveyor you just stand on as it conveys you to the top.)
Shuanglong Hotel at Wanlong
Getting to Wanlong is a 4 hour trip by car or bus. The area's web site lists commercial transportation options including a van they run themselves if you have a minimum of 3 people signed up. Not a problem on weekends, but if you have less than 3 people on a weekday, it might not be available. Cost for the resort's van was 160 RMB/person round trip last year. You could also rent the van for 1-10 people for 500RMB each way. The public bus to ChongLi is cheaper at 60 RMB, but will take you most of a day from Beijing to Wanlong with no time left to ski. When you arrive in Chongli, a car can be hired for 50 RMB to take you to the resort. For the adventurous, a night train leaving Beijing at 2:30 AM gets you to Zhangjiakou about 6 AM and a 180-200 RMB cab ride takes you to the slopes in time to catch the first lift when it opens. You can also try to hire a Beijing car and driver. This might cost as much as 800 RMB each way. Unless you are comfortable traveling on your own in China it is best to know someone with a car or join a group.
Renting it all at Wanlong
Costs at Wanlong during the 2007-2008 season are up with a weekday Lift ticket - $42/8 hours, Rentals - Regular $20/day, Premium (Solomon skis and boots) $27/day, ski suit - $4/day and a locker is $1.25/day. Weekends are about 10% higher while multiday tickets knock about 20% off the single day prices. Note that a 500RMB cash deposit is required to rent the equipment. The hotel rates was 498RMB/night weekdays and 658RMB/night on weekends.
Breakfast Western and Chinese Buffet at Shuanglong Hotel
Choices for food are limited to the hotel and ski area base lodge. A good combination Western and Chinese breakfast is included in the room rate. Lunch is at the ski lodge for 40 - 80 RMB per person and dinner is in the hotel dining room at 100 - 180 RMB for a meal for 1-3 people (unless you go for the premium dishes like Shark's Fin). Hotel food was actually quite good, ski area less so but no real problem.
