World’s largest indoor ski park in Harbin is potent symbol of China’s ambitions to become a winter sports powerhouse https://t.co/xxMKNuUL6M pic.twitter.com/VVFaFxGGuU

— AFP news agency (@AFP) September 18, 2017

“Skiing here is just like skiing in a big refrigerator,” ten-year-old Kane Li grinned beneath his neon goggles, who has his hopes pinned on competing at the [2022 Winter Olympic] games [in Beijing].

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The country is currently home to roughly six million skiers, but President Xi Jinping hopes that number will rise to 300 million in the coming years.

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There are currently about 200 ski resorts in China. Chinese officials are aiming to increase that number fivefold by 2030.

There are 463 ski resorts in the United States.

Oh, I found this interesting.

For average visitors, the cost to ski for an entire day, including all rental equipment, is 488 yuan ($74). The most popular package is a three-hour visit at 300 yuan ($45).

That’s about what you’d pay at a small mom & pop ski area in most of the Rockies for a lift ticket, not including equipment.