There's no joke here. This is the skinny:In the spring when the snow freezes overnight and then starts to soften up in the sun it is no longer a frozen surface of "ice" but resembles little granules of ice/snow as it starts to soften. The granules are about the size of a kernel of corn. Skiers refer to it as "buttery smooth corn" when it's just right, smoother than a groomed ski slope at a resort. Given the right temps and conditions during the day and overnight with a refreeze, the cycle could go on for days. However, there is a short window of time each year to be able to "harvest good corn".