For the past nine years Simon Beck has been strapping on a pair of snow shoes and tromping about the hills in Savoie, France. This isn’t just any winter hike, but a well choreographed dance that leaves behind spectacular looking snow crop circles.

For each pattern, Beck uses a traditional orienteering compass and determines distance by counting out steps or by using a measuring tape. There’s no computer, no GPS unit, no surveying equipment. He is more or less free handing it.  On average it takes him about 10 hours to complete each design, one step at a time.

[ via epundit]