Ski into the night in Lynchburg, Va.

— -- What's billed as the nation's only year-round artificial ski hill with a terrain park is now open for night skiing before its official kickoff Aug. 29.

Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre in Lynchburg, Va., is the first synthetic ski hill in North America to use Snowflex, a system that has edging and gripping characteristics coupled with a cushioning layer for softer landings. Unlike other synthetic hills, promoters say, this system allows extreme moves, such as jumps and flips, with a soft landing.

Snowflex Centre features a 500-foot slope with intermediate and advanced runs for freestyling skiing and snowboarding. Tickets are $5 and $7 an hour, which doesn't include equipment rental.

It's on the campus of Liberty University, founded by the late televangelist and Moral Majority co-founder Jerry Falwell. Information: 434-582-3539; liberty.edu/snowflex.