Skiing, snowboarding gaining in popularity

For the third year in a row, Qu Nan, a 20-year-old skiing enthusiast from Shanghai, has rented a flat in Jilin, a city in northeastern China's Jilin province, during her winter vacation.

"Hotels near ski resorts are expensive, so my boyfriend and I chose to stay in the city proper, which costs us just 2,000 yuan ($314) a month," Qu said. "I've met a lot of like-minded friends－including my boyfriend－through house-sharing and car-sharing."

Despite her lifestyle of careful calculation and strict budgeting, skiing is by no means a cheap sport. Qu said a set of moderately priced ski gear costs over 10,000 yuan, a season card for a ski resort is around 5,000 yuan, and then you have to factor in the costs of transportation, accommodation and dining.