The Meaning of Corn, con't.
Something that marks the arrival of spring, besides the vernal equinox, is corn snow. Never mind the fact
that during this ski season we skied corn in December, and then again in February!
This was the result of the freakish warm spells not typical to mid-winter. Spring truly
arrives when we forget about winter powder and the hunt for corn begins! That time is almost here.
Nature’s recipe for corn snow is a tricky one. One ingredient is a cycle of diurnal temperature
swing (warms days and cool nights). A slope that might “corn-up” first requires several days
of baking followed by several nights of freezing. During the day the snow must cook enough so
that free water begins to percolate throughout the snowpack and all the snow grains transform into
round, wet globules. Then at night the snowpack needs to freeze, which reforms the bonds between
the wet snow grains.
When skiers talk about corn, they’re talking about skiing a firm, frozen
crust (a good corn crust is one you can’t punch your ski pole through), whose surface has softened
from the heating associated with direct sunlight. No sun equals no corn. When corn is “happening”
it generally happens first on southeasterly slopes because the sun shines first on these.
That’s how it works. Honestly though, perfect corn snow is one of the great myths of skiing.
Norse legend tells it that fallen heroes ski perfect corn into Valhalla. But the serendipitous
alignment of weather and snowpack that yields a good crop of corn only occurs in Valhalla.
Here on earth a winter storm usually blows in just after the necessary melt-freeze cycles,
sending the process back to square one and proving again to mortal skiers that perfect corn
doesn’t really exist.
Every once in a while, however, you get close. You’ll be standing on top of the Eagle Creek
Headwall at about 9:30 in the morning wondering if it’s softened up enough that your first
turn won’t end up in a 3,000 foot slide for life to the bottom of the canyon. The sun is
shining and the sky is blue and the air has a slight chill but the snow surface is melting
and you know it’s melting because you can hear it melting. If you’re quiet you can hear it
happening. It’s a faint buzz, barely audible, with a sporadic, static-like crackle.
The crackle is the sound of corn nuggets popping—yeah—it’s going off!
You drop in and the first turn is a perfect arc, penetrating cleanly and smoothly into the corn.
You look up, the sun in your face again, see nothing but smooth corn to the valley floor, and
realize that this could be the most perfect run you’ll ever ski.
Welcome to Valhalla, welcome to spring, and welcome to corn!
Contact Sawtooth Mountain Guides
P.O. Box 18
Stanley, Idaho 83278 USA
Ph (208)774-3324
Fax (208) 774-3729
e-mail:
getaway@sawtoothguides.com
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