What the ski slopes around Beijing lack in quality, they more than make up for in convenience, with up to 10 resorts located close to the capital city, most a mere hour's drive from downtown.
Nanshan Ski Village is one of the most popular spots, and this weekend it stages the annual Red Bull Open, a snowboarding festival that attracts some of the sport's big names, including home-grown star Wang Lei.
Although only 34, Wang is the elder statesman of China snowboarding, admired for his skill, affability and courage. The Jilin native was once a top ski-jumper with the People's Liberation Army team until an arm injury sustained during an awkward landing on late-season snow put an end to his hopes of a professional career.
It took long hours of surgery by a top team of surgeons to save the badly wrenched arm - and a further two years of physiotherapy before Wang fully recovered. But it did not dim his enthusiasm for exhilarating winter sports: Wang taught himself snowboarding, ultimately becoming one of the top practitioners in the country, a showman with an impressive repertoire of tricks.
'The snowboarding community in China is a fun bunch of people and you'll meet snowboarders in any of the resorts around Beijing,' he says. 'Events are happening pretty much every weekend; the best ones are when you can try new gear for free, or get a lesson on the spot. Beijing isn't too far, so you can always get back into the city for an urban apres snow if you don't like to stay in a lodge.
'For competitions, the best spot is the Nanshan Mellow Park; for beginners I'd suggest the Wild Donkey Park at Jundushan, or the park at Wanlong resort.'
This coming Saturday and Sunday, some of snowboarding's biggest names, including up-and-coming Chinese rider He Wei, will vie for the HK$400,000 in prize money, drawing a huge crowd of spectators, including Wang, who has won the event several times, but is not competing this year.