Corn Snow

Corn Snow

It’s getting to be the time of the year when you can often run into “Corn Snow” on the slopes. I used to love this skiing right into May. In fact I have such fond memories of one May 24^th long weekend when I managed 65 runs per day (130,000 vertical feet for the weekend). George LaBounty, if you are still around give me a call. George was the lift operator who helped with this feat.

The lifts on the slopes no longer run that late into the season, but there is still a good run of spring skiing in the corn snow. Corn snow is granular and very watery, tremendous for carving turns with your edges. It can however freeze to a very hard icy sheet overnight before softening up later in the day, so if you want more relaxed skiing sleep in just a little longer and give the runs a chance to soften up. But, if you want to get the oh so good hard skiing in, get up and be prepared to use those steel edges.

If you have been thinking of trying your hand at alpine skiing, March and April are the ideal time of the year. Not only do you run into fabulous snow conditions, you are usually treated to relatively mild temperatures and lots of brilliant sunshine. Many times you can ski in shorts and T-shirts or even topless.(Although this could cause accidents) Take along some good sun-block, though, for the sun reflecting off the snow as well as from above can result in some serious sunburn. Do not forget the camera, either, the blue skies, white snow and the warm green of the trees make for some great pictures, and you just might run across an attractive ski bunny.

Lessons are likely the quickest way for a beginner to get comfortable and enjoy this sport, but it is possible to pick it up by watching and by trial and error. The new safety harnesses and shorter skies have helped reduce the risk of injury, but the warmer temperatures also mean the muscles are more relaxed.

I believe anyone who can dance can ski. The important things to remember are to keep most of the weight on the lower ski and not to sit back into the hill. Try to keep the shoulder at right angles to the fall line with most of the motion coming from the hips to the feet - all of which is much easier to show than to describe. Take a chance and hit the slopes if you can afford it.

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