The Payoff to Working Hard on Your Skiing

[Mike King]

So, I wasn't successful in my Level 3 exam, so it was time to climb back on the horse and start back working on my skiing. What an incredible day! The temp at the base was in the low 30's at the start of the day, and my first run, with a sharp set of skis (1 and 3, thank you) was good. But the temps kept on rising, as did the corn...

By noon, it was soft to the top of my favorite training area at Snowmass: Sam's Knob. You can generate a lot of vertical in a short amount of time. I was running laps working on my short turns -- trying to get the "collision" between my upper body and my lower body without working the ski so much. Just let it happen. I was starting to feel a bit of fatigue (12k vert in an hour and three quarters), so decided to go to lunch. After a lengthy lunch with no more than 10 of my favorite folk (Snowmass was absolutely deserted today), I headed back to the Sam's Knob chair and skied... Slot. A moderately steep black run. Groomed. Impeccable. Wait a minute--CORN!!!!

OMG, if you can't ski powder, ski corn!!! It was unbelievable -- as smooth as your favorite porn star's bottom. Well, maybe smoother than that. After 5 or six corn-gasms, I headed to the bumps. OMG, corn slush bumps! Spectacular!!!

I have no idea how much I skied today, but I'm toast this evening. What a day!!!

And I think I made some progress on my training...

Mike

 

[Mike King]

The heels to bum prior to cresting the bump from @recbumper really worked wonders! I don't know if it was the technique or the corn...

 

[recbumper]

> prior to cresting the bump

Ya I think this part about starting the absorption the instant the tips touch the mogul face is one of the New School elements that is relatively easy to do and makes a big difference. It’s like counterintuitive to do it but it makes really good use of the skis' springloading capability.

Basically Modern Absorption Just Works kindof

I think this type of newer action will gradually percolate out from the comp world, but it’s def somewhat different from the older absorption actions with the later heel pull and the bigger tip-travel.

 

[Superbman]

OMG, if you can't ski powder, ski corn!!! It was unbelievable -- as smooth as your favorite porn star's bottom. Well, maybe smoother than that. After 5 or six corn-gasms, I headed to the bumps. OMG, corn slush bumps! Spectacular!!!

Mike

I've long held the notion that corn is the other powder...and maybe the better powder After all, if there's corn, is warm and delightful. Yep, it's hero snow, but who doesn't want to be a hero?

 

[Bad Bob]

Powder is great but there are many forms of good snow. That sounds like a great day.
Personal best snow day ever was a corn day on Alyeska.
Powder days kind of run together, was it this day or that day? A great corn day stays clear and bright in the minds eye.

You have put a LOT into your quest for the pin. Is the payoff for the pin, the knowledge, or better skiing?
Mine was numbers 2 & 3. The pin got put into a drawer physically and figurately (Yes I do know where it is). What would you do after you get your LIII? Just thoughts and questions.

 

[mister moose]

Not just corn, but creamed corn. And not just creamed corn, but baked creamed corn. And not just baked creamed corn, but virgin baked creamed corn. Think about a trail that didn't get skied because the lift is closed. You hike to ski it, and all the bumps have mellowed like marshmallows in the sun, from DD cups to B cups. The temp is 50 or so, and the corn has a decent liquid content and has been above freezing for a few days. The freeze thaw cycle has done its work enough times that the kernels are about 1/8 to 1/4 inch, so the texture doesn't create much suction. And no one has skied it in a few days, so the top is cohesive slightly.

Oh, yes, virgin baked creamed corn. And not just virgin baked creamed corn, but sunny virgin baked creamed corn. Might be even more elusive than powder. Corngasm away.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Yeah, I like a powder day, but at least where I am, a great corn day is even more rare. It's a good thing I like ice too.

 

[anders_nor]

you have 50 shades of corn though, some great, some not so great, but with the right skis they are all pretty fun.

 

[Nobody]

Powder is great but there are many forms of good snow. That sounds like a great day.
Personal best snow day ever was a corn day on Alyeska.
Powder days kind of run together, was it this day or that day? A great corn day stays clear and bright in the minds eye.

You have put a LOT into your quest for the pin. Is the payoff for the pin, the knowledge, or better skiing?
Mine was numbers 2 & 3. The pin got put into a drawer physically and figurately (Yes I do know where it is). What would you do after you get your LIII? Just thoughts and questions.

I know that you are commenting on Mike King and that I can speak only for myself obviously, so cannot speak for Mike but, as I already stated, when and if one has worked hard and long, put a LOT as you say, to get to 2 and 3, just 2 and 3 won't suffice anymore, 1 would be "just" the icing on the cake, or better said, the official confirmation of all that one has given to get there. Now, put yourself in any of us shoes... after all you had done, if you hadn't got 1, happily stowed in a drawer, would you feel the same? Would you still feel rewarded?

 

[graham418]

Like someone said - " You gotta feed your skis a little corn before you put 'em up for the season"

 

[Superbman]

Yeah, I like a powder day, but at least where I am, a great corn day is even more rare.

Really? Some of the best spring sliing days I ever had were in Northern, VT...I make a few well chosen trips up that way every season

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Really? Some of the best spring sliing days I ever had were in Northern, VT...I make a few well chosen trips up that way every season

There's degrees of corn. Slush isn't corn. A perfect smooth trail with corn that peels perfectly, you don't get that every day. It kind of comes with perfect sugaring weather - cold nights, warm sunny days.

 

[Mike King]

Powder is great but there are many forms of good snow. That sounds like a great day.
Personal best snow day ever was a corn day on Alyeska.
Powder days kind of run together, was it this day or that day? A great corn day stays clear and bright in the minds eye.

You have put a LOT into your quest for the pin. Is the payoff for the pin, the knowledge, or better skiing?
Mine was numbers 2 & 3. The pin got put into a drawer physically and figurately (Yes I do know where it is). What would you do after you get your LIII? Just thoughts and questions.

I started this quest to become a better skier and attaining the pin is just confirmation of that. For some time in this quest, I didn't even care if I passed certain parts of the exam (such as MA and teaching, or the stupid human tricks part of the ski exam) as what I really care(d) about was the confirmation of my applied skiing. Now I do wish to pass the whole thing, as it is confirmation that I not only ski at the standard, but understand something about it as well.

In the process of pursuing my quest, I've discovered that I do like sharing my passion for the sport with others. In limited degrees, I'd say -- teaching full time would take a lot of the joy out of it for me, I think.

Who knows what comes after (if?) I attain the pin. Perhaps I'll try to become a trainer. Or become the oldest member ever of the demo team?

Mike

 

[markojp]

I started this quest to become a better skier and attaining the pin is just confirmation of that. For some time in this quest, I didn't even care if I passed certain parts of the exam (such as MA and teaching, or the stupid human tricks part of the ski exam) as what I really care(d) about was the confirmation of my applied skiing. Now I do wish to pass the whole thing, as it is confirmation that I not only ski at the standard, but understand something about it as well.

In the process of pursuing my quest, I've discovered that I do like sharing my passion for the sport with others. In limited degrees, I'd say -- teaching full time would take a lot of the joy out of it for me, I think.

Who knows what comes after (if?) I attain the pin. Perhaps I'll try to become a trainer. Or become the oldest member ever of the demo team?

Mike.

12k of short turns before lunch proves it. Could you have done that before you got the bug? And then lapped in the afternoon? Probably not. The better you get, the easier it gets.

The corn thing, if anyone here was at the PNW/central/Intermountain spring fling at Sun Valley a couple seasons back, the bowls were filled to the brim with the best lift served corn I'd skied in my life. Haul'in a$$ GS ski ripping smooth, perfect, slick cream cheese. Mind blowing.[]

 

[Mike King]

The better you get, the easier it gets.

The rest of that is that it becomes less exercise. So have to watch the food intake a bit more than before...

 

[SBrown]

Best corn I ever ate was in Iceland in June. It sounds a little weird to go on a heliski trip for corn, but totally worth it. Sounds like you guys know what I mean.

 

[Chris V.]

Corngasm away.

This thread's getting to be downright R rated. (Devil horn emoji not working, ha ha.)

 

[James]

Mostly corn bumps wiith ice in between. Hmmm, it’s a thick corn topping. Today-

 

[markojp]

Best corn I ever ate was in Iceland in June. It sounds a little weird to go on a heliski trip for corn, but totally worth it. Sounds like you guys know what I mean.

Yup. Corn's totally hot.

 

[Prosper]

A couple of years ago, Beaver Creek closing day, I skied with my then 9yo and 10yo boys. They were mostly blue and occasional black terrain skiers. The weather was perfect and it was creamy corn all day from 10am to close. We skied their 1st double blacks off of the Birds of Prey lift. The corn was so forgiving and soft. My boys had so much fun and felt such a sense of accomplishment skiing double blacks. Definitely one of those days that I’ll always remember.

The other awesome thing about skiing corn is the general lack of crowds. There’s no 1st tracks corn frenzy like there is with powder. While skiing untouched, deep powder for me is tops, corn all day long comes a close 2nd.