Samoëns Slush. Who really needs that metre of fresh powder? Do perfectly groomed parks make better riders, or do they produce riders who can only ride inch-perfect corduroy?

This year Nidecker Snowboards went back to basics. No long haul flights, no special terrain, just one run in a resort a short drive from our home. The 45 year old Saix gondola in Samoëns, France is as bare bones as it gets, much like the gnarled Grand Cret trail that lies underneath, but with its banked turns that twist through the forest providing the backdrop, Nidecker thought there wasn’t a better canvas for us to lay out the next chapter on.

Riders: Dave Crozier & Lewis Sonvico
Filming: Sam McMahon & Ed Blomfield
Edit: Sam McMahon
Music: ‘Lake Elsinore Vapers’ by Pounded By The Surf