Why the telemark?

[MikeK]

The rest of us are sitting on the couch waiting for summer to return.

I did this for a few years. I was horribly depressed during winter. I dreaded storms, traffic jams, travel in snow... all the typical pitfalls. This happened after moving to the city after living in a rural environment for the majority of my life.

I soon realized what an idiot I was being and now I always tell people who I hear complaining about winter to get out and do something, or you'll always feel that way. Either that or move.

You can sit and complain about things and wait for them to change, or you can get off your ass and do something about it. I've found the latter is much more fulfilling

[connyro]

Rural Canadians used snowshoes for work- but people used xcountry skis to get out and tour and visit on the weekends (i.e. cheap and healthy recreation and entertainment).

In a matter of less than 30 years xcountry skiing has become almost exclusively done by track-oriented performance skiers (even those that do it exclusively for non-competitive recreation/exercise).

Everybody else that can afford it is snowmobiling. The rest of us are sitting on the couch waiting for summer to return.

These days, people seem to want to do stuff that's not hard to learn, let alone master. XC touring, including the telemark turn, are hard to learn and even harder to master. I think if we are to ever get people interested in 'real' XC skiing again, it will be through XCD-type gear: wide, stable skis with good grip and flotation attached to comfortable, warm boots with a minimal investment and fiddle-factor. Getting people out into the winter woods needs to sound/seem fun or else they just won't try it. Gearing up and heading to the XC ski area and getting run over by spandex-clad XC racers while you struggle to learn how to kick and glide sounds like way less fun than heading out the back door and learning at your own pace on easy, comfortable gear.

[MikeK]

Some of that hard to learn comes from not learning when you are young. Back in the days when skiing was more of necessity than it is now, you'd learn from a young age and build the neural networks for muscle control and balance when the brain was still developing.

Almost every adult can ride a bike because most learned when they were a kid. Not many people learn to ski as young kids, and if they do, they might only learn a very narrow aspect of skiing.

[lilcliffy]

You can sit and complain about things and wait for them to change, or you can get off your ass and do something about it. I've found the latter is much more fulfilling

Totally with you!

[lilcliffy]

I think if we are to ever get people interested in 'real' XC skiing again, it will be through XCD-type gear: wide, stable skis with good grip and flotation attached to comfortable, warm boots with a minimal investment and fiddle-factor. Getting people out into the winter woods needs to sound/seem fun or else they just won't try it. Gearing up and heading to the XC ski area and getting run over by spandex-clad XC racers while you struggle to learn how to kick and glide sounds like way less fun than heading out the back door and learning at your own pace on easy, comfortable gear.

This is very insightful as well...

VERY few people backcountry ski in the Maritimes...The few people that ski are either heading to the groomed hill-lift; or are xcountry skiing on track...

There is a resurgence in snowshoeing however- and this is not traditional- it is recreational.

I have often wondered whether the "ski-shoe" is the bridge here for people that just want to get out in the backwoods and walk/hike on snow.

A "ski" like the Hok is a great way for winter hikers to get a taste of off-track (i.e. backcountry) Nordic skiing.

I know a few snowshoers that have bought the Hok- loved it- and have developed an interest in Nordic skiing.

[connyro]

I started 'backcountry' exploring on snowshoes and quickly moved on to the sliding snowshoes (Karhu Karver/Metas). They were better than snowshoes for sure, but still not the experience I was looking for. I think they are good for absolute beginner skiers for getting out into the woods, but anyone with aspirations of actual skiing will be disappointed: they glide worth a shit and are clumsy to turn. They do climb well however...

There's not many backcountry skiers here either. I've noticed a resurgence of snowshoeing around here as well. There's also a lot of people on snowbikes here, but unfortunately, that relies on groomed snow and established trails so you don't really get to see the wild winter woods as much as XC touring.

[MikeK]

My wife went from the snowshoe to the ski. It was a hard transition for her, but I don't think she'd ever go back except for winter mountaineering (which she doesn't much care for anyway).

The Hok is certainly a step in the right direction, but there are so many (IMO) good BC Nordic skis on the market right now, I don't know that I'd bother recommending something like that (also I have no experience - maybe I would like it better?).

I think it's actually a bit of a problem for new skiers. What ski to get? Be ambitious and go for a turning ski that will help you get to making turns, or be conservative and get a good touring ski and get the fundamentals?

Personally I think the terror that ensues from skinny skis is not worth the minor touring benefit that one might experience. This is at least what I found with my wife. I'm not advocating big mountain gear for xc, but there is something to be said for starting out with a ski that has exceptional grip and stability and a boot that can easily overpower the ski.

[lilcliffy]

(I want the Hok for a very utilitarian purpose- winter field work- to replace my snowshoes! I am getting a pair before year-end.)

Agree with you Mike that ideally people would start with a true ski-boot-binding...

But- there is such an incredibly complex array of equipment choices...

The beautiful simplicity of a Nordic "ski-shoe"- with a universal binding- is that it gives people a chance to simply try off-track Nordic skiing- wearing their own snow boots.

We all know what it is like to just size ski boots- let alone go through the process of determining which boot/binding and ski to use! " IT DEPENDS"...this is a very painful thing to say to a new backcountry-Nordic skier!

I agree with you connyro- "ski-shoes" are not high-performance skis. But I do think they have very high utilitarian application, and are a great way for a new skier to get started.

And- Mike I couldn't agree with you more- grippy, stable, and boot-binding power, is very important for some beginners...Do I think it is ideal? No- for the same reasons as your post regarding "learning to ski young".

If someone needs to start on a wide, stable ski- fine- but I would strongly suggest having a soft, traditional boot (along with a rigid, powerful boot- if necessary). Developing balance, skills, habits, and muscle memory in a relatively rigid setup, will make it very difficult to ever feel comfortable on a light, flexible setup.

(Many of us current backcountry-Nordic skiers have at least a past on trad xcountry equipment- this gives us an inherent advantage when developing backcountry ski technique)

On the other hand- many people will want to stay on a wide, stable, supportive setup- which of course is fine.

My own personal equipment preferences are certainly not for everyone. I am not afraid to admit that I am obsessed with gliding performance...I will forever be saying- "I wish they made these a bit longer"...

My wife is an Alpine skier...she wants the stability and power to do Alpine turns- even on an XCD setup (which she does with relative ease, as long as the boot-binding is powerful enough)...I'm not sure when, if ever, she will become interested in the telemark...I am working on her though- subversively. She has spent 5 winters backcountry-xcountry touring in flexible NNN-BC boots- and LOVES it. Her current favourite boot? The Alaska NNN-BC! Surprised?

I'm hoping to pretend that I "forgot" the Guides and T4s on our next trip to the mountains!

[MikeK]

My wife started asking about the telemark last year. I'm not sure she's ever going to get very interested in it, but she requested a tele lesson from LoveJohnny (we'll see if he accepts the challenge).

I'd like her to get onto NNN-BC for her narrower skis eventually, but for now, I'm glad she's getting more adventurous with what she has.

[connyro]

I agree with you connyro- "ski-shoes" are not high-performance skis. But I do think they have very high utilitarian application, and are a great way for a new skier to get started.

Agreed! They are very utilitarian if you have the need. I have a ski buddy that used them for a season running a trap line and I am considering using them for grouse hunting this year if the snow sucks in the early part of this season (so far it's sucked)...They are also good for packing down trails around camp and for fetching firewood too!