Ski

Back to school

Want to learn how to ride rails, kick butt on kickers and pass the pipe test? You need to enrol in SnowSkool's Freestyle Camp. Aimed at skiers who would like to learn or improve their freestyle skills, the new two-week course costs HK$18,860 and takes place at Big White in British Columbia, home to one of the best terrain parks in North America. The park features beginner, intermediate and expert level lanes with kickers, rails and boxes, a super-pipe with five-metre transitions and a boarder cross course.

It runs from March 24 to April 7 and the price includes a ski pass, 10 days of expert freestyle tuition with video analysis, accommodation in luxury chalets with hot tubs, transfers and 24/7 access to SnowSkool staff. For more information visit www.sportskool.co.uk.

Put your feet up

Located a two-hour scenic drive north of Vancouver along the Sea to Sky Highway, the luxurious 550-room Fairmont Chateau Whistler offers all the amenities for a luxurious ski soiree. Ski concierge staff, located at the bases of both Whistler and Blackcomb, greet you with a complimentary glass of hot apple cider and relieve you of your skis and boots, leaving you unencumbered on your return to the hotel, from where you can watch the remaining activity on the mountains from one of four slope-side hot tubs, get a sports massage at the spa or indulge in a variety of gourmet dining options. Packages offering accommodation and a hearty breakfast to get you ready for the slopes include Boarding School's half-day Learn to Ride or Summit Session, and Hit The Slopes with dual-mountain ski passes for Whistler/Blackcomb. Both cost from C$329 (HK$2,285) a person per night (double occupancy). For more information call 1 604 938 8000 or visit www.fairmont.com.

No snow

Snowflex Urban Snowsports Centres are a new concept in artificial ski slopes. Touted as the closest artificial substance to the real thing, the Snowflex slope uses a water system to reduce friction. Recent installations include the Dorset Snowsports Centre on the south coast of England. The holiday park offers accommodation in log cabins, a swimming pool, an arcade, a restaurant and fishing lakes. The 110-metre-long slope is suitable for skiers and boarders of all abilities and includes a fun park with kicker, pipe and rails, and Swiss bobsleighs for those who prefer not to ski. Half-hour lessons start at GBP12 (HK$175; GBP6 for children under 10) and recreational packages are sold by the hour from GBP10. Call 44 870 220 4646, or visit www.parkdeanholidays.co.uk. To find other Snowflex installations visit www.snowflex.com.

Slope off

As if 283 hectares wasn't enough, Whistler/Blackcomb has opened 445 hectares of new terrain, allowing skiers and snowboarders more off-piste access. In the past, powder hounds would strap on their skis and hike; now anyone looking for the sweet spots can make their way to Flute Bowl and Peak to Creek. For family fun and evening entertainment this winter, Whistler/Blackcomb has launched a new tube park. Fun for all ages, riders can tube their way down one of seven chutes at Base II on Blackcomb late into the night.

Ski Asia

Cathay Pacific launched its annual clutch of Asian ski packages to Japan and Korea this month, including top ski destinations Naeba (Tokyo), Rusutsu (Hokkaido), Niseko (Hokkaido)

and Yong Pyong (Seoul).

Packages start from HK$3,599 and include flights, accommodation, ski pass and a bonus 2,000 Asia Miles. Call 2747 4388 or visit www.cxholidays.com