Why the telemark?

[Digger]

Great thread.

Born of necessity. Reborn in the pursuit of fun. Modern mountain backcountry came from this rebirth of tele in the 80's.

Ultimately it is just another tool in the box. Just like wedges and christies and hop turns. If you want to tour you need a free heel. We just match the gear to the terrain and purpose. Uphill to get to downhill? Then AT works fine. Covering distance? Then go with a classic touring set up. Groomed touring? Skating is the way to go. The gear you are using then dictates the turns that work best.

Living in the Midwest also means lift served alpine skiing is pretty easy. I tele because it adds a bit of a challenge to it.

[STG]

Many years ago I was a downhill, alpine skier that enjoyed mechanized skiing and chatting with people on the lift. My perspective has changed dramatically over the years. I love wilderness, powder, solitude, quiet and observing wildlife. I ski often in the Northwest corner of Yellowstone Park. Alpine touring gear is total over-kill and is more suited to big mountain/side-country (lift access) skiing. I love the free heel (three-pin or nnn) and the sensation of the telemark turn in powder. An alpine turn might be more efficient but the feel of the telemark turn in powder is like being on a cloud. I appreciate the other comments--eloquent and thoughtful!

[MikeK]

I ski often in the Northwest corner of Yellowstone Park.

Wow - I'm very, very jealous. This is one of my dream locations to ski!

[lowangle al]

I telemark ski because I am a nordic skier. My ski career started with xc, and other than a handful of times at a resort( on alpine gear) it has remained xc. My first love was the kick and glide and I have no interest in skiing equipment that doesn't allow this. Tele turns for me started as a way to negotiate terrain but as I got better at them they became the proverbial icing on the cake. Eventually the turns became my main focus but I would never give up the xc aspect of the sport to increase my downhill capabilities.

Regardless of the type gear I'm on I am still a xc skier. All of my skis, from 50mm to 110mm, are all xc skis to me, or I should say xcd.

After 30 years of making turns on nordic gear the tele turn is what I am most skilled at and is my turn of choice. I have been working on p turns for ten years or so and I can see why people enjoy them, but my inability to carve both skis simultaniously makes them less fun for me.

[lilcliffy]

Born of necessity. Reborn in the pursuit of fun.

Brilliant! Patent that- and sell it to somebody for a Nordic product slogan- I mean it!

Living in the Midwest also means lift served alpine skiing is pretty easy. I tele because it adds a bit of a challenge to it.

This is an extremely relevant quote- and one that probably many can relate to.

I get bored at a downhill ski resort- FAST- I have been for 25 years. It wasn't until my kids started skiing that I began to enjoy it again- I will never get tired of watching little kids fly downhill on skis- sometimes I smile and laugh so much I fall over!

Telemark skiing at the local hill has definitely added some extra skill and challenge to resort skiing with my kids...otherwise, if I am in my rigid Alpine setup- I WANT TO BURN THE SIDE OFF THE MTN- not so fun for little kids...

My kids still have to drag me to the hill though- especially when I can ski on fresh snow- right from my doorstep.

My oldest child gets it (13 years old). He would now rather backcountry ski with me than go to the local groomed hill.

[lilcliffy]

I love wilderness, powder, solitude, quiet and observing wildlife.

Powerful stuff man. Nordic skiing enables us to connect with this...and we can't really buy it...we just have to stride out into it.

[lilcliffy]

My first love was the kick and glide and I have no interest in skiing equipment that doesn't allow this. Tele turns for me started as a way to negotiate terrain but as I got better at them they became the proverbial icing on the cake. Eventually the turns became my main focus but I would never give up the xc aspect of the sport to increase my downhill capabilities.

Regardless of the type gear I'm on I am still a xc skier.

This is it for me as well.

[TwoDogNight]

Thanks for the cool thread guys.
Just recently found you all again. Thought Ttips was gone for good back then.
This thread inspired me to actually post again, albeit by a different username.

Although plenty of downhill/lift accessed experience on locked heels and snowboards, I got bored. Kind of like a jam band concert....too much and too long and all the same.....usually.

Using gravity is not what it is all about. I always felt that way with cycling as well and could never wrap my head around anything outside of xc biking. I LOVE going UP on ski or bike. Yes....it earns the turns and is actually a workout!

Truly I found XC skiing as an adult and mostly due to not wanting to drive to the mountains. Taking advantage of local terrain and valuing my time in a hectic life of family, work and self care. The telemark turn, outside of being FUN, simply allows for expansion of terrain previously unusable.

Local woods allows for daily use and having skiing built into my everyday, when conditions allow, rather than a weekend of out of shape alpine or high country BC....which is nice, for sure, but pointless when not specifically conditioned for multiple days of pushing the physical boundaries.

Peace, solitude, sweat, thrill, and the zen all combine for a sweet experience in the woods on snow. It's all about truly varied terrain and the exploration of the local. Daily.

[MikeK]

There is some well crafted literature in this thread!

Hey welcome back TwoDogNight! What happened to the third dog

[video][/video]

[TwoDogNight]

Couldn't pull his weight!
Nah...two dogs is way more than enough. Great fun skiing with them!!!!