This study uses geographic information systems (GIS) and geographical detector techniques to explore the national and regional pattern of the spatial distribution of China’s ski resorts, and quantitatively identifies the main factors that influence their location. Results show that although China’s ski areas are geographically clustered, ski resorts are more likely to be located at high latitudes (northeast and northwest China) than at low latitudes (central and south China). Among the most influential factors are the winter sporting mega-events that explain 70% of the location of China’s ski areas; the 2022 Winter Olympics accounted for 14%. The main factors that contribute to the distribution of ski areas depend on the regions and types of ski resorts. Implications for the ski resorts industry, such as the different practice for hot and cold spot areas of China’s ski resorts, and the future development direction of ski industry, are discussed.