About the Author
This article was written by June, an AASI Level 1 certified snowboard instructor who has spent three winters riding in Hemu, Xinjiang. Having explored many of China's top snowboard destinations, she specialises in big-mountain riding, powder terrain and helping riders discover lesser-known resorts. This guide is based entirely on her first-hand experience of riding and travelling in Hemu.
Intro
Xinjiang has some incredible riding, but most visiting snowboarders head straight for Keketuohai. After spending several winters exploring the region, I keep coming back to Hemu instead. This is the resort I recommend to friends, and the one I’d choose if I could only ride one destination in China.
Don’t get me wrong, Keketuohai is great. It has excellent facilities, and it’s snow season lasts over half a year.
Yet few people know Hemu, located in the same great snow zone of Altay, offers equally amazing riding. Its biggest highlight is fantastic big-mountain powder.
Sitting on the Northern Hemisphere’s prime snow latitude, it snows heavily here. Seriously. The pow is creamy smooth, and at times could even rival Japan (seriously).
My second reason for favoring this resort is that the terrain is literally surrounded by larger mountains – delivering excellent wind shelter. At the same temperatures, riders enjoy far comfier conditions here than at most northern resorts.
As Asia’s largest ski resort by area, Jikepulin reaches a top altitude of 2848 meters and features a total vertical drop of 1466 meters. It has around 70 groomed run, however, the real charm of Jikepulin never lies in the groomed runs but in the wild land beyond every off-piste gate.
But before I lecture you for too long about my love for this place, let’s look at some of the finer details.
My Guide to Riding in Jikepulin
The resort is split into West and East Zones with well-defined zoning purposes. The West Zone is for beginners and intermediate riders, while East Zone suits intermediate to advanced riders like me.
Topping my personal recommendation list is Big White Slope (Da Bai Po), the East Zone’s most iconic run, with premium powder and steep terrain. Take gondola 1 up to the 2800m summit (Yun Xiao Feng), and the start point is on the left, at the four-nation directional marker. Once you reach the bottom, jump on the grey Gondola right back to the to – barely any dead time.
The only downside: it gets tracked out quickly after fresh snow. If you miss it, go for Lingyun Valley instead which is like a whole different world by comparison. It is huge. With wide-open views and some pretty epic big-mountain vibes.
With any luck, you might even bump into wild foxes popping over to say hi.
Lingyun Valley is packed with tons of different runs. Pick any spot to drop in, you will end up down in the valley bottom.
One classic line I regularly ride: follow the fence-post ridgeline to the first saddle with wide-open slopes dropping below.
Important note: Avalanche gear (and training) is required to enter Lingyun Valley.
Caihong Valley on Lingyun Valley’s right is more advanced in East Zone. It has many short uphill rolls along the ridge, plus lots of exposed rocks halfway down. When I’ve ridden with a little too much speed, I’ve seen how easy it is to take nasty crashes over blind drops onto stones. Compared with Lingyun Valley, Caihong Valley features steeper slopes dotted with rocky outcrops and plenty of natural fun kickers. It has even hosted competition stops of the Freeride World Tour (FWT), making it a pro-level off- piste spot for advanced riders chasing a challenge.
West Zone covers two peaks: 1850m Feiyun Platform and 2450m Guanyun Platform. Compared to East Zone, it’s packed with fun little features and tree glades, which lets it hang onto dreamy fresh powder longer!
The 1850 section is packed with perfect beginner-friendly spots to dip your toes into off-piste riding.
One awesome newbie playground sits between Pangudao Run and Kanas Run. Cruise down from either run toward Qinggeli Run, and boom — you hit forgiving off-piste powder paradise. The cozy little tree glade left of Yekaxia Run is another hidden gem, with lazy, easy slopes and generously spaced tree openings. These two spots are ultra-safe training grounds for anyone dipping their toes into off-piste fun!
Liulan Valley and Shaoyao Valley make fantastic next-step terrain for progressing new riders. They’re also loads of fun. Their bottom stretch features natural half-pipes, moguls and small woods. However – whilst Jinlianhua Valley may look easy, it can quickly turn into a rookie’s worst nightmare. Its overly flat pitch makes it super easy to get stuck in the snow, with many riders struggling to get back on their feet. Plan your route!
Heads Up
Whether you’re riding in East Zone or West, keep your eyes peeled for sudden drop-offs! Bright red flags or crossed red marker poles pop up right beside these sharp cliffs as your early-warning danger signs. I once rode past the red flags and had to hike back uphill, or I would have fallen straight off the cliff. Whoops!
Oh and for riders who favor groomed runs, Keketuohai run is unmissable; it is China’s longest groomed run, spanning 11.2 km. Kick off your ride from the 2800m summit in the East Zone, with stunning scenery unfolding all the way down as you soak in the entire sweep of Ling Yun Valley.
Accommodation
I have witnessed tremendous changes to Hemu’s supporting facilities over the past few years. In the early days, visitors had no choice but to stay in Hemu Village, and only a handful of luxury ski-in ski-out hotels stood near the slopes.
Now three main areas fit pretty much every budget. Ranked by distance:
Hemu Village (farthest )
Fuwu District
and the resort (closest).
Free inter-zone shuttles make transport effortless. I stayed in both the village and Fuwu District, so here’s my honest advice: traditional Tuvan wooden cabins offer poor soundproofing — book standalone units if possible.
Some rooms also rely only on wall heaters with uneven warmth, so prioritize lodgings with underfloor heating. Fuwu District is a newly built area with better amenities.
I traveled solo this time with a low-to-mid budget for the trip, so I picked the hot spring hotel beside the base lodge. It offers a hostel alongside private rooms, with each dorm bed priced under ¥300 per night. By the way, soaking in hot springs after a long day on the slopes is absolute bliss.
Food
After a long day of riding, try local Xinjiang food at the base lodge – pilaf and pork noodles are my top picks.
For better dining, Ke’ai De Xingjiang at Fuwu District is definitely my pick for the best Xingjiang cuisine here. lt offers friendly service and spotless, tidy surroundings.
Hungry mid-ride? Mountain cabins dot the peaks and mid-slopes serving coffee and light bites. Don’t skip the fragrant grilled lamb skewers right by the No.2 Gondola terminal.
Hemu village has the widest restaurant choices, and the biggest surprise of all? There’s even a KFC right in the village!
Transport
Fly to Burqin Kanas Airport for the shortest drive to Hemu (2+ hours), though flights are limited. Most travelers pick Altay Airport for more flights, with a 4+ hour car ride.
Key rule from experience: the mountain checkpoint closes at 6 PM and opens at 10 AM —you can’t enter before 10 AM or leave after 6 PM. Book local drivers ahead; last- minute cars are hard to find!
To Sum Up
There are bigger names in China, and there are resorts with better infrastructure. But after spending three seasons riding in Hemu, I still find myself comparing everywhere else to it.
It’s the combination that’s difficult to explain until you’ve been there. The scale of the mountains. The feeling of dropping into huge powder fields with hardly anyone around. The quiet lift rides looking across endless snow-covered peaks. Even small things, like finishing the day with Xinjiang food and soaking in the hot springs before doing it all again, become part of the experience.
Hemu isn’t the easiest resort to reach, and it’s not the place I’d recommend to every rider. But if you’re an intermediate or advanced snowboarder looking for deep snow, genuine big-mountain terrain and somewhere that still feels a little undiscovered, I honestly think it’s one of the best snowboard destinations in China. After three winters here, I’d still go back tomorrow.
