“Corn: granular wet snow. Most commonly used by skiers describing good spring snow. Corn is the result of cycles of melting during the day and refreezing at night.” –Â wikipedia.org
Spring corn skiing is one of the true treats to late season skiing. A solid corn cycle can be found just about anywhere but there are a handfull of resorts that, for one reason or another, are known for their corn harvests. Here is a list of 5 of them….
Photo by, Jason Hummel
1. Timberline Lodge, OR
Location:Â Oregon’s Mt. HoodÂ
- The only place in the country where you can get on lift-accessible snow throughout the entire summer!
- The Palmer Snowfield provides amazing corn skiing and riding above tree line to the 8,540′ level of Mt. Hood.
- Score a Timberline Spring Pass that is valid 7-days a week through May 27, 2013 for just $109.
2. Mammoth Mountain, CA
Location: Mammoth Lakes, CaliforniaÂ
- Mammoth is known for its late seasons, bikini clad skiers and of course outrageous corn.
- Warm California days and cold Sierra nights make for perfect corn conditions that last through Memorial Day Weekend.
3. Alpine Meadows, CA
Location: Lake Tahoe, CA
- East facing slopes soak up early morning California sun setting up the corn early in the day.
- Extensive hike access terrain make for smooth corn skiing on untracked slopes.
4. Killington, VT
Location: Rutland, Vermont
- Killington has built a reputation as being the last ski resort to close in New England. This allows the resort to stay open long enough to harvest a solid crop of corn.
- Spring rains can help to break up a firm snowpack and accelerate the corn harvest.
5. Taos, NM
Location: Taos, New Mexico
- Located in the American southwest, Taos Ski Valley enjoys cool nights and warm sunny days.
- A dry climate helps the harvest of large corn nuggets.