Yabuli Ski Center, in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, is now open to the public. The center opened a month ahead of schedule due to four early snowfalls in the period since Oct. 27.

Three kilometer run
The ski center, located 195 kilometers north of Harbin, the provincial capital, boasts a 3,000 meter-long ski run, the largest of its kind in the country. It is also the largest ski training center and the venue for the annual China International Ski Festival and the annual meeting of the China Entrepreneurs' Forum. Ski equipment is available for rental at the center.

Heilongjian Province
Heilongjiang province is located in the northern frontier of China, between the temperate and the frigid zones with continental monsoon climate, the yearly average temperature of which is fluctuating from minus 4 to 4 degrees centigrade. Besides the Han nationality, there are another 48 different ethnic groups. The area is one of the country's most important commodity grain production bases, along with their thriving animal farming and fishing industries. The province's annual output and export of soy beans rank first in the country.

Powder in China
A ski resort in Yuzawa town, Niigata Prefecture, opened to the public on Saturday, one week earlier than expected because of an unusually heavy snowfall. About 600 skiers and snowboarders hit the slopes in the Kagura-Mitsumata area, which saw its first snow on Oct 29, according to resort officials.

As of Saturday, mountain peaks had between 80 cm and 90 cm of snow, while the lowest Mitsumata piste was coated with around 30 cm, they said. In recent years, the resort has opened in late November. This is the first time it has opened in the middle of the month in more than 10 years, the officials said.

[Source: Kyodo News]

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