CORN... A
THE NEXT BEST THING TO POWDER BY GREG DIXON
s the days grow longer and the mountains become calmer, you can feel the transition from the hustle and bustle of deep, dark,
winter to the serenity of sun-blasted days of spring. Another transition is also at work; from cold, snowy powder to the gleam of spring corn! Many consider corn snow – formed by a series of freeze and thaw
cycles that bond snow grains together to form a velvety, smooth- sliding surface – the next best thing to powder. T e hero quality of spring corn brings the telemark crowd out of the woodwork and onto the slopes in droves.
On ONE CONDITION
QProper pressure management: T e ability to adapt your pressure management is another key element of being successful in corn. We typically think about applying more pressure at turn initiation to get our skis to bend and turn, but a more reliable tactic in unpredictable snow is to start your turns with very little pressure or, more specifi cally, to get them off the snow by pulling your legs up toward your body.
In telemark turns, we create stability with the fore-aft split of our stance during the lead change. You might think of lead change as progressive pressure management, but when conditions get tricky you’ll increase your chances of survival by altering the timing and intensity of the lead change. Completing the lead change early in the turn and with more force can allow you to move into a more stable stance earlier in the turn and to power through challenging snow.
QGetting light at turn initiation allows you to move through the transition without worrying about hooking an edge in uncooperative snow. T e added benefi t of this light initiation is that it adds pressure through the rest of the turn. Not always a benefi t, but when landing in soft, moveable snow it allows you to power through a heavy snow surface and apply some ample smearing technique.
Greg Dixon, a telemark specialist on the PSIA Nordic Team, soaks up a sunny day of spring skiing.
FOCUS ON TIMING AND TACTICAL TECHNIQUE To get maximum joy from corn conditions (and help students do the same), it’s important to hit the right snow conditions at the right
time and place… and apply or modify specifi c tele tactics. QTransformational timing: First off , you need to know when the snow transforms into corn. It’s important to understand the orientation of your mountain and where and when the sun will expose your favorite pitches. If you get to a slope too soon it will often be frozen and chundery. If you’re there too late, it’s a sticky mashed-potato mess. Aim for that Goldilocks scenario of “just right.”
QTactical smear: Corn snow is loose and relatively unstable, so you can’t expect the surface to hold up to the pressure your skis put on it. T erefore, allow the skis to smear through a turn rather than heavily edge or carve. Actively tip your skis to a lower edge angle and let them drift a little more laterally through the snow. Too high of an edge angle will often cause your skis to get buried, challenging your ability to remain in balance. A fl atter ski allows you to stay more on the surface of the snow. T is smearing feeling is what also creates one of the most fun sensations of riding corn snow.
Like most snow conditions, skiing corn has its own set of rules. Understanding how weather and slope orientation can aff ect snow quality helps telemark skiers know how to adapt and blend their skillset to match the conditions. Changing the intensity of your lead, the pressure on the snow surface, and the timing of your movements will help bring about the amazing mountain experiences we all strive for.
Greg Dixon LV D PHPEHU RI WKH 36Ζ$ 1RUGLF 7HDP +H LV DOVR D VWDff WUDLQHU DW 0W %DFKHORU DQG 0W +RRG 0HDGRZV LQ 2UHJRQ bInstagram: @telelama
QVariable lead change: Although you might assume corn snow is endlessly epic, you’ll often run into extremely variable conditions. Each turn will feel diff erent based on sun exposure, elevation, and temperatures, so approach the descent with some degree of caution.
30 | 32 DEGREES • SPRING 2017
(DFK UXQ FDQ IHHO D ELW GLff HUHQW GHSHQGLQJ RQ WKH VXQ H[SRVXUH DW WKDW time of day.
COURTESY OF GREG DIXON
LINDA GUERRETTE
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