Snowboard tracks in ski slope
 

Im creating a snowboarder doing tricks down a ski slope. I have the basic hill shape and the lift is done and animated. The snowboarder is done and rigged. All thats left is the board and im off to key in the motion trail and tricks etc. What I can't figure out is an easy way to get the snow to show the grooves as the boarder makes his way down the slope. Ive a couple if ideas. One is to have many blend shapes on the slope, another is to create a lattice deformer along the boarders route and then create a sculpt deformer on a long rectangle that will deform the snow as it moves along the lattice and the last (which I have not looked in that much) is a tube growing over time with a sculp deformer. Are any of the idea's best or is there a better faster way? Thanks for any suggestions. Also is there a way to key component changes over time, as I think that would be the best way to control the deformation.

couldn't you do it with an animated bump map?

I haven't used bump maps as of yet. If that is the way I should do it I will have to learn how. Thanks. Actually I would like to use geometry so I guess I could use an animated displacement map instead?

Maybe a wire deformer might work if you animate the length.

Digital tutors has a free tutorial on creating tracks in smow using softbodies, sohuld be albe to apply the pronciples to your animation no probs.