As the Minshan Mountains are blanketed in pure white snow and the headwaters of the Fujiang River crystallize into icy formations, Pingwu County in Mianyang City enters its most enchanting winter season. In recent years, leveraging its unique ice and snow resources and ecological advantages, Pingwu has centered its development around an "Ice and Snow+" core driver. It has meticulously built a diversified winter industry system integrating Wanglang ecological research, Huya dynamic skiing, and supporting upgrades at Yaocong Mountain, successfully transforming "cold resources" into a "hot economy" and forging a new path where ecological protection and economic development complement each other.
With research and education as the core, this snowy wilderness has been transformed into a natural classroom. In the Wanglang section of the Giant Panda National Park, primeval forests with an average tree age exceeding 500 years are draped in silver, with hanging usnea lichen and whispering icy streams creating a pristine and solemn winter wonderland. This area is not only home to over 70 species of national key protected wild animals and plants, including giant pandas and golden snub-nosed monkeys, but has also achieved a leap from closed protection to open education by constructing facilities like the Panda Reception Hall and nature education trails, earning the title of "National Social Practice Base for Primary and Secondary School Environmental Education." The Wanglang winter research program turns the icy environment into a vivid natural textbook. Centered on themes like "Exploring the Panda Homeland," it has developed 18 courses across 7 categories, adopting the internationally recognized PBL (Project-Based Learning) model, co-instructed by research experts and reserve rangers.
Sports serve as the wings, with two ski resorts igniting passion for winter activities. The Huya Ski Resort, with a total investment of approximately 1.5 billion yuan, has commenced trial operations. Nestled in the Minshan Mountains at an altitude of about 2,400 meters, the resort boasts a high-quality snow season lasting up to four months. The first phase has constructed ski slopes covering approximately 80,000 square meters, featuring beginner, intermediate, and advanced runs, along with a family snow play area, complemented by professional equipment and instructional services, effectively filling the gap for large-scale winter sports projects in the region. The Huya Ski Resort forms a dynamic synergy with the nearby spectacular icefall scenery of the Huya Grand Canyon, creating a "dynamic and static" combination. The frozen, layered icefalls resemble natural ice sculptures, perfectly complementing the thrill of skiing.
Integration forms the vein, with all-for-one cultural tourism painting a grand winter scene. Pingwu, under the theme "Snow Adorns the Secret Realm, Longzhou Celebrates the New Year," has integrated the resources of Wanglang, Huya, Yaocong Mountain, and the county's cultural offerings. It has launched a series of winter activities spanning January to March, constructing a comprehensive ice and snow cultural tourism system that is "playable, viewable, learnable, and participatory." During the day, visitors can explore the Wanglang snowfields and ski the slopes of Huya; in the evenings, they can immerse themselves in diverse cultural experiences in Pingwu county town: participating in Hanfu fashion shows themed "Magnificence of the Great Ming" at the Bao'en Temple, strolling through the "Intangible Cultural Heritage Longzhou" cultural block, appreciating traditional crafts like sugar painting and dough figurines, and experiencing the unique charm of Baima Tibetan songs and dances.
From ecological research to exhilarating skiing, from intangible cultural heritage streets to snowy mountains and icefalls, Pingwu is using ice and snow as a link to connect nature, sports, and culture, painting a winter tourism picture rich in formats and profound in heritage. As infrastructure continues to improve and industrial integration deepens, this ecological secret realm will continue to unleash the strong kinetic energy of the ice and snow economy, truly turning "lucid waters and lush mountains" into "gold and silver mountains" that benefit people's livelihoods and promote development.
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