Tourists aboard onehorse sleighs. [Photo By Liu Xiangrui / China Daily]

But seasonal performances are staged in which dancers dazzle crowds for up to five minutes outdoors with nothing but bikinis to shield them from the cold.

Hearty fare helps stave off frigid air in Mohe.

I particularly enjoyed goose stewed with potatoes on a traditional wood oven. As we dined, more ingredients were added - pickled Chinese cabbage and frozen tofu - a local specialty.

On our way back to the county town, we stopped by the Old Gold Valley to learn about the region's history.

The mineral was discovered in a 14-kilometer-long gorge over a century ago.

A rush began, and prospectors flooded the riverbanks in the following decades.

It can still be found in the sands, our guide says.

The industry gave rise to another - sex work - giving the location the nickname Rogue Valley.

The area hosts about 500 tombs belonging to prostitutes from five nations.

Today, perhaps the snowy climate's tourism appeal makes white the new gold in Mohe.