The 1,466 m descent
A genuine big-mountain day: long continuous terrain with real changes of pitch and aspect as you descend.
Our adventures / Skiing /
Jikepulin.
Above the wooden village of Hemu, Jikepulin holds 1,466 metres of lift-served vertical — the largest figure published by a Chinese resort. It is also the most remote: a winter road, a snowbound village and a mountain that can still be running in May.
Explore the guide ↓Above Hemu · Xinjiang · 1,466 m vertical
- The vertical
- 1,466 m
- The season
- Into May in some years
- The basecamp
- Hemu village
- The commitment
- A long way in
The big one.
Jikepulin is the Altai resort people cross the country for. Its published 1,466 metres of lift-served vertical is the largest figure in China, and the terrain beneath it is correspondingly varied: long open pitches, sheltered tree lines and, in the right conditions, the dry snow that made the Altai a powder destination. It opens later than Koktokay — mid-November in the 2026–27 sequence — and runs later too.
The other half of the experience is the approach. Hemu is a village of wooden houses under two metres of snow, reached by a winter road that closes and reopens with the weather. Horse sleds replace cars, the light goes early, and the evenings are of a piece with the skiing. Most itineraries hold two or three nights here rather than commuting.
What the vertical buys you.
Five reasons this is the anchor of an Altai week.
Dry continental snow
Siberian air crossing the range drops cold, dry snow. Conditions vary by storm and wind — no operator can promise powder on a date.
Hemu village
Wooden houses, wood smoke, horse sleds and a night sky well away from city light. The village is not an add-on to the skiing.
The late season
When lower resorts have closed, the upper mountain can still be running — the other end of the Altai calendar.
Storm flexibility
The extended journey holds reserve days so a storm can be waited out rather than skied through.
Getting it right.
The constraints are the point, but they are real.
Winter road access
The road to Hemu is a mountain road in winter. Its status depends on weather and local notices; any fixed itinerary needs a fallback. We confirm access in the week before departure.
Cold
This is the coldest of the three Altai resorts. Layer properly, keep electronics warm and plan short blocks outside with heated interiors between them.
Ability fit
Best for strong intermediates and advanced skiers. Beginners can use the lower terrain with a lesson, but the mountain makes most sense once you can ski a long pitch comfortably.
Off-piste boundaries
Ski only within open, patrolled terrain unless you are with a qualified local guide carrying proper safety equipment. See the powder-safety guide for how we handle this. Read more →
Give it nights
A single day here spends most of its value on the road. Two nights is the minimum we would plan; three makes the whole week calmer.
Build the week around the mountain.
Tell us your level and how many nights you can give the Altai and we will shape the Hemu stay around it.
Start my journey brief ↗