Want to ski at midnight? Head to Jisan Forest! 

You can ski at midnight at Jisan Forest near Seoul and Pyeongtaek. A fun spot to blow off some steam after work if you don’t mind dodging the people.

About Jisan Forest Ski Resort

It’s not the highest, the largest, or the best ski resort in South Korea, but Jisan Forest Resort has its perks. It boasts seven small runs suited for beginners and is perfect for those wanting to hone their skills. It’s an easy drive and with tickets sold in chunks of a few hours, and late-night offerings available, it makes for a fun trip – day or night.  

Location of Jisan Forest Ski Resort

Jisan Forest Resort is located in Icheon, a short 45-minute jaunt from both Pyeongtaek and Seoul (if you manage the latter without traffic). The road to enter the parking lot and resort is a bit windy and bumpy, so use caution and drive slowly. Parking is free and lots fill up on the weekends. 

Runs at Jisan Forest Ski Resort

Runs are numbered 1-3 (beginners) and 5-8 (intermediate/advanced), beginning on the left if you are facing the slopes. Notice run 4 is skipped, as the number 4 is a symbol of bad luck here in South Korea. The largest vertical drop of the advanced hill measures around 200 meters.  

Tips for Beginners at Jisan Forest Ski Resort

If you hike up the tiny beginners’ hill all the way to the left, you can ski for free. This is great for absolute beginners learning their equipment, or to practice before getting on the lift. Once you take a lift or the magic carpet, the time on your ski pass begins. They also have a sledding hill located all the way to the right. 

If you are a beginner, stay on the beginner’s hills. Even as an advanced skier, I found the intermediate hills to be hazardous due to the number of inexperienced riders. So many boarders and skiers were crashing into riders below them. 

Be Careful of Others and Watchout for Yourself

Anytime you are on the slope, it is your responsibility to take care not to run into anyone downhill from you. Unfortunately, this was not the case at Jisan Forest and we witnessed numerous injuries. The intermediate runs also seemed to be the most crowded. If you’re advanced, stick to run 6, and if you’re a beginner, runs 1-3 are best. 

Gear at Jisan Forest Ski Resort

All gear is available to rent at two different shops at the resort. Make sure to rent next to the slope you intend to ski so you’re not schlepping gear unnecessarily far. Masks are required; helmets are encouraged. 

Costs at Jisan Forest Ski Resort

Overall Jisan Forest is priced higher than I would expect for what you get. The cost is more or comparable to larger ski resorts like High1 will have far fewer runs and altitudes, and the prices for lessons at the ski school are more than double. But since it’s closer (45 minutes drive vs. 2.5 hours drive) is maybe worth the money spent. They did offer a military discount on the lift ticket for those who have an ID, but no price cut for kids, so my 6-year-old’s ticket ended up costing more than mine. Discounts are also available at 30% off when you pay with an affiliated credit card from Shinhan, KB, NH or Hana banks. 

Prices are as follows:

Adult/Child

• 2 hours: 55,000 / 40,000
• 3 hours: 60,000 / 45,000
• 4 hours: 65,000 / 47,000
• 6 hours: 72,000 / 52,000

*Note these are the prices listed at the resort and differ greatly from what is listed on their website. 

The lift card has a 1000 won deposit. There are machines to turn them in at the end of the day to receive your deposit back. 

Hours and Times for Jisan Forest Ski Resort

Hours for skiing are weekdays, 9 a.m. – 2 a.m., weekend Fri-Sat, 9 a.m. – 4 a.m. 

Runs are closed for grooming 5- 6:30 p.m., Sun-Thursday; and 5- 6:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. – 12 a.m. Fri-Sat. 

Jisan Forest Ski School Info

For more info visit https://www.jisanresort.co.kr/en/index.asp, ski school information can be found here: http://laurenkidschool.com/. Then, after class you can try to ski at midnight at Jisan Forest.