During September in New Zealand, customers would come in to the heli-ski office and inquire as to the present conditions. My answer at the time could have been any one of, “powder, corn, or a mix of powder and corn.” The reaction from most when I said “corn” was one of bewilderment.

For most of us, our image of heli-skiing is making tracks  in the powder. Customers want to be in the snow, not on top of it. Powder is the commodity of heli-ski operations and what invariably keeps the helicopter rotors running. 

To ski corn is like skiing sherbet. It is soft enough that you are still skiing the bases of your skis without the edges and will leave defined tracks in the snow. While it doesn’t give you the weightlessness of powder skiing, in excellent corn conditions, the turns could be described as silky smooth.

Guides know that the timing the corn is all important. They will follow the sun as it rounds the easterly, southerly then westerly aspects, in the northern hemisphere. Out too early on the mountain and it can mean firm conditions, too late and it might have turned to slush. 

The other great thing about a corn day is skiing in spring weather conditions. Sunny and windless days with warmish temperatures and stunning views. The steeper slopes, while often risky during winter due to avalanche hazard, are now in condition.

I haven’t skied better corn than in New Zealand. Sometimes we would ski powder on the shady slopes in the morning and once the legs had tired, switch to the sunny aspects and ski easier corn ski conditions. Yes, another benefit of corn skiing is that it is easy on the legs.

When I first started guiding, I was surprised to hear from a few of the veteran guides that their favorite condition was corn. Perhaps the reason is guiding without the stress of avalanches, or maybe just for the silky smooth turns.