December – February: the powder core
Deepest snow, coldest air — minus-thirties are possible. For strong skiers who want the full Altai experience and can dress for it, this is the real thing.
Destinations / Xinjiang / Altai snow report
Altai snow report.
China's longest ski season runs in its far northwest corner. Here is the shape of a normal year at the three resorts and the village.
Explore the guide ↓The Altai · late October – early April
- The season
- Late Oct – early Apr
- The reference
- 2026–27
- The vertical
- 1,466 m
- The village
- Hemu
The shape of a snow year.
The Altai's ski calendar is remarkably stable in shape. Koktokay, in its granite gorge east of the city, typically opens first — the 2026–27 season began with a late-October start and the area markets itself on being Asia's earliest. Jiangjunshan in Altay city follows within days. The deep-snow heart of the season runs December through February, when Siberian air delivers the region's famously dry powder; March warms into long spring days; the resorts wind down by early April.
The 2026–27 season as we write this: Jiangjunshan opened 30 October with the beginner terrain, high runs following as snow allowed; Koktokay and Jikikpulin above Hemu open on their own snowfall clocks. Village access to Hemu behaves differently from resort access — storm cycles can close the village road for a day or two at a time, and winter itineraries flex around those windows rather than fight them.
Choosing your month.
Four seasons inside one winter.
Late October – November: early season
Limited terrain, quiet slopes, and the season's first storm cycles. Good for a city-based warm-up week centred on Jiangjunshan.
March: the connoisseur's month
Warmest skiing, stable weather, long days and still-deep coverage on the big mountains. The best month for a first Xinjiang ski trip.
Booking notes
Chinese New Year weeks are the busiest and priciest anywhere in China — avoid or book far ahead. We confirm the year's resort calendars and current prices at enquiry; they are set by the resorts, not by us.