How Is Your Corn?

[James]

Corn has to be off-piste. Slush has to be on-piste.

Corn is defined crystals, or pieces might be a better word. Like…corn kernels, but never? that big. I don’t think it matters where it is anymore than it matters where powder is. There’s not off piste powder and on piste powder.
If you ski it next to bare woods, you hear a woosh as the spray hits the leaves on the ground.

To me, “slush” is the glop with the consistency of wet Farina that sticks to the car when thrown.
But “slush” is often used for wet corn, like “slush bumps”.

 

[slowrider]

I ♡ sun cups.

 

[Paul Lutes]

So ........ corn until August?

 

[nay]

Corn is defined crystals, or pieces might be a better word. Like…corn kernels, but never? that big. I don’t think it matters where it is anymore than it matters where powder is. There’s not off piste powder and on piste powder.
If you ski it next to bare woods, you hear a woosh as the spray hits the leaves on the ground.

To me, “slush” is the glop with the consistency of wet Farina that sticks to the car when thrown.
But “slush” is often used for wet corn, like “slush bumps”.

I think of corn growing regions like wine growing regions. Colorado isn’t very good for either - we are too high in elevation for the kind of off-piste (backcountry) corn we see in other places. We just have the wrong mix of snowpack to surface temps in the prime growing season. I suspect this correlates to having some of the best facet growing conditions on the planet (also snowpack to surface temps).

So we do have to get our corn mostly on piste, as slush, with grooming a required ingredient for crystallization. To answer the question how is your corn in Colorado? Mostly GMO.

And since GMO can only be found at the supermarket, we have to share with anybody else who wants ride the escalator to go shopping.

 

[4ster]

So ........ corn until August?

Usually any snowfields or patches that are left turn to a summer snowpack by June or July. By now the snow is usually sun cupped & dirty but can still ski well, kind of like corn but fully consolidated. The difference is the consolidated remains fully supportable & consistent even in the middle of a warm summer day.

I’m sure @Stev can describe it better than I.

 

[Paul Lutes]

I was commenting on Slowrider's shot of Bachelor, admittedly a little late to the gate.
And that's Patch skiing, which I consider a distinct subset of corn, possibly a different species altogether. While it definitely has some corn like characteristics, I view it as more of a convergent evolution kind of thing

Or maybe beyond corn is a better way to look at it, so maybe the next evolutionary step/survival of the fittest flake kind of thing!

 

[nay]

Usually any snowfields or patches that are left turn to a summer snowpack by June or July. By now the snow is usually sun cupped & dirty but can still ski well, kind of like corn but fully consolidated. The difference is the consolidated remains fully supportable & consistent even in the middle of a warm summer day.
View attachment 169796

I’m sure @Stev can describe it better than I.

We’re getting deep into it now.

 

[skibob]

We’re getting deep into it now.

Any more moisture in that "snow" and you are going to need keels and a tow rope.

 

[Stev]

Usually any snowfields or patches that are left turn to a summer snowpack by June or July. By now the snow is usually sun cupped & dirty but can still ski well, kind of like corn but fully consolidated. The difference is the consolidated remains fully supportable & consistent even in the middle of a warm summer day.
View attachment 169796

I’m sure @Stev can describe it better than I.

You did a fine job of describing things. Let me think about any words I could add. Until then, here is a photo of Zooey and I practicing our synchronized corn snow spraying earlier today.

 

[slowrider]

So ........ corn until August?

Palmer open

 

[Paul Lutes]

Oops <red face>
Bachelor, Hood ..... they're all volcanoes that look to be skiing into August.

 

[nay]

You did a fine job of describing things. Let me think about any words I could add. Until then, here is a photo of Zooey and I practicing our synchronized corn snow spraying earlier today.
View attachment 169817

This is what a corn growing region looks like vs. what I posted. Don’t make me post the horror of St. Mary’s.

 

[dbostedo]

Don’t make me post the horror of St. Mary’s.

So what's the deal with St. Mary's? Why does everyone on here seem to hate going there?

 

[nay]

So what's the deal with St. Mary's? Why does everyone on here seem to hate going there?

One word: September.

 

[slowrider]

Oops <red face>
Bachelor, Hood ..... they're all volcanoes that look to be skiing into August.

That's Palmer snowfeild/glacier on Hood. Just opened this week.
169" Base depth at the lodge at 6,000'.

 

[Guy in Shorts]

I ♡ sun cups.

I second that.