Chongli Revisited: Some Sincere Advice

🏂 Just came back from a tumble in Chongli, and here's my tearful summary of how to avoid the pitfalls.
These are the truths I wish I knew during my magical three-day transformation from a skiing newbie to a wild pro. If I don't tell you now, you'll cry even harder!

❄️ Ski Resort Hot List: Local Coaches Spill the Beans

A survival guide to the three major ski resorts based on personal experience, saving you up to CNY 2,000.
▫️ Thaiwoo Ski Resort Day and Night
✅ During the day, head straight to Cable Car No. 9 (fewer people, beautiful scenery). In the evening, squat on the top of Jade Stone Ridge to photograph the windmill sunset 🌅.
✅ Go to the Snow Beach area for glowing snow tubes during the night session. Bring your own hand warmer to stick to your phone (the battery will die in seconds at -20%).
❌ Don't rent a locker in the lobby! There's a free storage wall behind the ski hall. It's better to bring your own padlock.

▫️ Fulong Ski Resort Hidden Spots
✅ Beginner and intermediate skiers should stick to the B5 magic carpet area. The slope is friendly, and you can get free lessons.
✅ Grab a window seat at the Starbucks on the mountaintop. It's recommended to go early and bring a thermos to wait.
❌ Be careful when buying all-day tickets! After 3 PM, the slopes are like a vegetable market. It's better to buy a night session + hot spring package.

▫️ Vanke Longshan Ski Resort's Pay-to-Win Philosophy
✅ Bring your own board and take the No. 2 high-speed cable car to avoid tour groups and maybe even run into the national team training.
✅ Order a "mystery drink" at the mountaintop cafe: fresh milk + espresso + whiskey, a full warmth buff.
❌ Don't rent protective gear in the ski equipment hall! It's CNY 50/set at the villagers' homes at the foot of the mountain, and you can even bargain for a free butt pad.

🧤 Equipment: Counterintuitive Tips

A life-saving checklist in exchange for blood and tears.
▪️ Wear quick-drying clothes instead of a turtleneck sweater! Sweat will freeze on the cable car and chill you to the bone.
▪️ Choose a face guard with a breathing valve! Ordinary ones will frost over and turn into an ice mask in ten minutes.
▪️ Buy gloves that work with touch screens! When you take off your gloves to scan a code to pay, your fingers will freeze to the point where you want to amputate them.
▪️ Stick a hand warmer on the back of your phone! Sticking it on the front will cause accidental touches. Don't ask how I know 😭.

🎒 Recommended Magical Gadgets
✔️ Massage gun: Save your hips from falling apart. It costs CNY 20 to borrow one at a homestay, which is a huge loss.
✔️ Folding foot bath bucket: The joy of soaking your feet at -25 degrees is something that even VIPs at the ski resort can't trade for.
✔️ Sports camera chest strap: 100 times more stable than holding it in your hand. Your vlog won't be laughed at for looking like it was filmed by someone with Parkinson's.

🍜 Food Guide: Avoiding Rip-offs

The best thing I've ever eaten in Chongli is actually...
▫️ Hidden Menu at the Ski Resort Cafeteria
▪️ Thaiwoo Ski Resort: Alaskan cod burger (only sold in the C area food truck, amazing with chili sauce)
▪️ Fulong Ski Resort: Beef pot sticker (add five spoons of chili oil to the soup, and the northeastern auntie will give you a thumbs up)
▪️ Vanke Longshan Ski Resort: Mutton and sauerkraut casserole (tear up the baked pancake and soak it in the soup, and you'll be fully revived on the spot)

▫️ Hidden Gems in the County
▪️ Erdaogou Crepe: A Mongolian version with shredded potatoes that is three times more substantial than the Beijing version when rolled with crispy crackers.
▪️ Dawei Roasted Whole Lamb: Make a reservation 4 hours in advance! The skin is so crispy that you can knock out "Ode to Joy."
▪️ Oat Noodles: Go to "Lao Baiban" and order mutton and mushroom gravy. Mix it in and you'll be instantly mesmerized by the aroma.

🚗 Transportation: A Brutal Scene

A complete realization after being ripped off for CNY 388 by a black cab.
▪️ At the high-speed train station, look for the "Chongli Special Line" bus, which goes directly to the major ski resorts for CNY 10 (the last bus has a hidden surprise: free hand warmers).
▪️ Drivers must install anti-skid chains! It will suddenly snow on the Cuiyun Mountain 18 Bends, and two-wheel drive cars will dance ballet on the spot.
▪️ The "Dida" ride-hailing app is 30% cheaper than "Didi." Remember to check "Willing to wait 30 minutes."

📸 Lesser-Known Photo Spots: Pretend You're in the Alps

Advanced ways to trick people into liking your photos on WeChat Moments.
▫️ Thaiwoo Paloni Card: Take Cable Car No. 9 to the middle station, walk 200 meters in reverse in your snowshoes, and take apocalyptic-style blockbusters in the abandoned wooden house.
▫️ Fulong Rainbow Road: Take a photo of the S-curve against the light at 4 PM, and you'll become the focus of the snow track with a red helmet.
▫️ Cuiyun Mountain Rime Forest: Catch the 8 AM shuttle bus early in the morning and use a telephoto lens to photograph the cable car shuttling through the sea of clouds.