New Moderator

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lowangle al
Posts: 2731
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 3:36 pm
Location: Pocono Mts / Chugach Mts
Ski style: BC with focus on downhill perfection
Favorite Skis: powder skis
Favorite boots: Scarpa T4
Occupation: Retired cement mason. Current job is to take my recreation as serious as I did my past employment.

Re: New Moderator

Post by lowangle al » Fri Mar 03, 2017 9:32 pm

I always thought we were all in the same boat here. A group of Nordic skiers interested in building their skills to travel as efficiently, safely and have as much fun possible in the BC. Then I found out it wasn't that simple. There were different classifications and stigmas about certain types of gear and not everyone was open to all opinions. Prefering to hang on to preconcieved misconceptions that were based on too little experience.

I ski light gear and I ski heavy gear and have fantastic days on both. It's all skiing to me.

As far as a moderator I don't have any input, but it would be a shame for this site to go away.

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Harris
Posts: 331
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2016 4:08 pm

Re: New Moderator

Post by Harris » Fri Mar 03, 2017 10:02 pm

lowangle al wrote: There were different classifications and stigmas about certain types of gear and not everyone was open to all opinions.
I don't know anything about all that, but what I do know is that this forum went from telemark specific to a more trekking specific, and it seems that was an intentional effort by the pst "Mitch" powers that be, and in that this is titled "Telemark Tips" I don't quite get it. But I'm just one skier. And I love to telemark. And I love trying to figure out what gear works best for me concerning, and because the MFGs seem to have largely abandoned the effort right when it was at the cusp, there is a lot of experimentation required. And that is really all I know for certain.



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fisheater
Posts: 2509
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2016 8:06 pm
Location: Oakland County, MI
Ski style: All my own, and age doesn't help
Favorite Skis: Gamme 54, Falketind 62, I hope to add a third soon
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska, Alico Ski March
Occupation: Construction Manager

Re: New Moderator

Post by fisheater » Fri Mar 03, 2017 10:51 pm

Harris, I was not around for the Telemark Talk days, but I have skied and Telemarked before there were computer forums discussing such things. I also enjoy light and heavy gear, at this time in my life it seems as though my focus is really more lighter gear. The reason being I live in Michigan, and at this time I am not planning on traveling west to ski. Now I just ski my Michigan rolling terrain; and put away what I can, I have a son to put through school.
I have always enjoyed your posts, although I never ripped steep mountain terrain on telemark gear, I did as an alpine skier in years past. Reading your posts bring me back to that place. I hope the next moderator appreciates all free heel skiing. I also hope the next moderator promotes people to respect that we all enjoy sliding on snow Nordic style.
I also wanted to say Cannatonic has been an active contributor, and I certainly have appreciated his contributions. One thing this forum would benefit from is more posts from both of you, it is usually good stuff.
BTW it's to thin to ski here, I will go paddle fishing Sunday. I would really appreciate some skiing photos, Cheers.



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connyro
needs to take stock of his life
needs to take stock of his life
Posts: 1233
Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2015 11:46 am

Re: New Moderator

Post by connyro » Sat Mar 04, 2017 12:34 am

lowangle al wrote:I ski light gear and I ski heavy gear and have fantastic days on both. It's all skiing to me.
Well put Al.



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Harris
Posts: 331
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2016 4:08 pm

Re: New Moderator

Post by Harris » Sat Mar 04, 2017 1:00 am

fisheater... You're right. But...

When I first re-joined "Telemark Tips (new)" I was attacked because the moderator thought that because my first posting dealt with trying to find out the best skis to use in PNW sloppy-wet mashed potatoes snow that I was either A) a guy from the PNW who the moderator had recently banned, or that B) I was by region reconciled to be of the same ilk. I don't attack unless attacked. Frankly I was new to the PNW and was struggling with the norm conditions. But... Again, I could care less what or how or why anyone skis; it is all skiing to me. And I have no rote deference to NNN, XC, duckbill or NTN gear; I've been in this gig since a pre-teen in 1980, grew up using/doing it and even before that using bear traps on wood skis before I became a more specific resort/BC telemarker.

I think the thing that baffles me is where did the nearly 40,000 telemarkers go that were members of the old Telemark Tips? That was a very real tribe. And after being given shit by Mike K after my very first post on the new for simply trying to bring discussion to what ski works best in the PNW I guess that I'm pointing fingers at an impressioned problem; that problem being that this site caters mostly to east coast XC guys, some of whom who hold in contempt resort and/or BC telemarkers or worse said from the mid or west regions.

Maybe I'm wrong, but it sure seems that way. It is not the norm in postings, but there have been solid examples of what I claim above to be true, including that blowhard crap sent my way via Cattatonic.

And the irony of it is that besides growing up a Colorado boy, I visit and ski Maine yearly to turn turns with my niece and nephew at either Sunday River, Loon, or Shawnee Peak. I've skied this country left, right and squarely middle, and it is the buffoon who tries to keep this thing confined by free heeled niche (admittedly from what I've seen telemark seems more alive out east in the post AT craze world, which probably has halved the telemark community; I can count on two hands the number of telemarkers I see out in my parts). My point in suggesting separate inter site forums wasn't about separation but more about being more inclusive to a rather large group that seems to be run off.



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teledance
Posts: 120
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 5:48 pm

Re: New Moderator

Post by teledance » Sat Mar 04, 2017 9:16 am

All I know is it's World Telemark Day and I'm going to go play. Love to tele and sharing the joy one way or another. Have a great weekend all off to genuflect to the Mtn.



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Woodserson
Posts: 2967
Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2015 10:25 am
Location: New Hampshire
Ski style: Bumps, trees, steeps and long woodsy XC tours
Occupation: Confused Turn Farmer

Re: New Moderator

Post by Woodserson » Sat Mar 04, 2017 9:35 am

At the risk of wading into this...

Harris, with respect, I think you were reading a little too hard into Cannatonic's post and took it personally rather than see it from a third party at his frustration. I agree with him, I don't think there's enough content to justify two forums. We must circle the wagons so to speak, which is how I read Cannatonic's post. Unite or die kind of stuff. I can see how it seemed targeted at your personally but I don't think it necessarily was, it was targeted at the idea of separating the light from the heavy.

I too like hearing about skiing I'm not doing-- doing so opened more doors for me and now I'm swimming in heavy gear, light gear, XC gear, and loving all of it. I have this forum to thank.

I can relate to you when you felt slammed asking about PNW conditions, often lighter-equipment guys can get the same when asking about leathers and pins and are told they are wasting their time. This may be the experience that Canna is coming from, where he wants to hear from heavy guys and light guys without the segregation. I have experienced this criticism at a trailhead by other skiers, believe it or not, not only on the internet. It's disappointing and not constructive.

This forum is a good place for all tele/nordic skiing that focuses on the free heel and BC travel and some lift served too.

I have always enjoyed your posts and your love of skiing!



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1EyedJack
Posts: 203
Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 12:19 am
Location: Or E Gon
Ski style: On my butt

Re: New Moderator

Post by 1EyedJack » Sat Mar 04, 2017 12:20 pm

Just thought I would weigh in my 2cents:

Me? 60 years of skiing. From early self-propelled days in Mike's neighborhood to the PNW and the magic of the ropetow and beyond. Blew my knees out skiing GS style evading the ski patrol. Now on SB's w/ 3pins and swap between leathers and T3's. If my knees would let me, I would also explore heavier gear for bigger challenges in the mountains.

Though I'm not much of a "contributer", I like all kinds of skiing and enjoy several ski forums. Gear threads -- new advances across the board from xc to at. Tales of skiing in places that I have not been and will likely not.

To split this forum into "light" and "heavy" is just another way to drive a wedge between different styles/opinions of people here who are passionate about skiing.

As for "the moderator", we need to self-moderate and respect other.
[ disclaimer: okay, I have been known throw out some zingers. usually in jest :P ]

ski heil
"everybody's a genius" - albert einstein



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phoenix
Posts: 816
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Location: Northern VT
Ski style: My own
Favorite Skis: Varies,I've had many favorites
Favorite boots: Excursions, T1's
Occupation: I'm occupied

Re: New Moderator

Post by phoenix » Sat Mar 04, 2017 12:54 pm

I'm with you folks about not separating the forum. On a few levels, and for a few reasons.
I've also been wondering whether designating a new moderator is a necessity, or more of an assumption that there should be one ( and I mean that as a simple question, no sarcasm or insinuation in it at all ).

Encouraging to hear some of us expressing the appreciation of comaraderie and respect.



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Harris
Posts: 331
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2016 4:08 pm

Re: New Moderator

Post by Harris » Sat Mar 04, 2017 2:13 pm

You guys make a valid point concerning not splitting up the forum. I guess I was reflecting back to my initial less-than-welcomed experience (referencing an interaction with one of the other members) with re-joining the site.

Frankly if I had the time and leg energy I'd buy a pair of old leathers and occasionally take my skinny 205cm Kazama three pins out for some nostalgia turns. They were really fun to ski. And they were every bit as much telemark as my burly modern rig(s)--in fact, probably more-so. There is something of a real skill to working the turn with "lite" gear. And I would never disrespect anyone for choosing to ski lite. I find it admirable if not more appropriate in certain situations.



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