BRIONY Johnson loves to snowboard.

She's been doing it since she was three, happily carrying her board out of Mt Hotham's Jalanga Ski Lodge, which decades on, she is managing this season.

"It feels like home, having spent so much of my childhood there with my parents," she says with a cheeky grin.

"I just love being up at Mt Hotham.

"I reckon as a snowboarder, it's just the best mountain, with such a variety of terrain."

And terrain is something this semi–professional snowboarder certainly knows about.

Her main job this season, as it has been for three previous seasons, is working as one of six crew members at the Mt Hotham Terrain Park.

"I really love it...I'm an expert at shovelling snow...we do alot of that, farming snow from one area to another to help provide the best cover possible," she enthused, shovel in hand, knee deep in the white stuff.

"We've been really busy so far this season...our main focus has been on the little park at the rear deck of the Hotham Hotel, but with more snow falling we'll have the main terrain park opened.

"It runs almost the full length of the Summit Chair and caters for all abilities with its ramps, jump lines, boxed features and big and small rails.

"We help prepare and maintain all the features for use in the park, managing the day to day operations.

"It varies from shovelling snow from one area to another to roping off areas, putting up signage, and also ensuring safety in the terrain park, which includes making sure users abide by the alpine safety rules."

While Briony enjoys the park, free riding is where it's at for this talented snowboarder.

"I've been doing free ride competitions for the last few years in New Zealand and Japan," she said.

"Free riding doesn't have the same profile as freestyle, boardercross, slopestyle or alpine racing, but I just love it because of the creativity involved.

"I can see it growing in popularity."

For the uninitiated, free riding takes place on uninhibited steep mountain faces, with not set courses and no time limits.

"Basically you have to study the face and choose your lines to make the best impression on the descent," explained Briony.

"You are judged on five main criteria, being air and style, technique, line of choice, control and fluidity.

"You really need to have good technique and must be a really strong boarder."

As someone who loves the freedom of picking her own lines and pristine terrain, there's no surprise as to where you'll find Briony after fresh falls.

"My favourite thing to do is getting out the other side off Gotcha chair, Keogh's and Orchard after fresh snowfalls in the morning," she said.

"For intermediate and advanced boarders there is alot of fun to be had."

FREE RIDING

Five criteria and "the overall impression" are taken into account to determine the riders' final score:

Difficulty of Line

It's all about the path a competitor chooses to take down the mountain. What's the danger factor, how unique, imaginative, is their route and does it tickle people's imagination?

Control

This is key in big–mountain riding. Possess it and your golden but lose it and you can die.

Fluidity

This is all about rewarding those who can ride from start to finish with no hesitation, no stoppage and no confusion. It's all about flow.

Jumps

For many, this is what makes freeride competitions so exciting, because nothing is man–made. Style and aggression play a part, as do the height, what happens in the air and the landing.

Technique

Judges will ask themselves if a control issue occurred because of a lack of technique but otherwise, if a rider is in control, they can have his own technique and won't be penalised.