This is the World Famous TelemarkTalk / TelemarkTips / Telemark Francais Forum, by far the most dynamic telemark and backcountry skiing discussion board on the world wide web since 1998. East, West, North, South, Canada, US or Europe, Backcountry or not.
This is the World Famous TelemarkTalk / TelemarkTips / Telemark Francais Forum, by far the most dynamic telemark and backcountry skiing discussion board on the world wide web since 1998. East, West, North, South, Canada, US or Europe, Backcountry or not.
This is the World Famous TelemarkTalk / TelemarkTips Forum, by far the most dynamic telemark and backcountry skiing discussion board on the world wide web. We have fun here, come on in and be a part of it.
It's probably a bad idea, and I have heard and heeded all the warnings about cotton, but for tooling around in the woods for a few hours in Blue Extra weather I'm often in jeans, a long-sleeve wool base layer, and a wool button-down shirt. The jeans in question fit snugly over Alpina Alaskas so no gaiters are necessary, they block the wind, and they seem to breathe well enough. If it's colder I'll wear wool long johns.
I have some MEC winter bike tights with a windblocking front which obviously I wear for more serious (longer or faster) outings. Wool surplus pants would be ideal but I haven't found any in a long time...
You can get mil-surp wool pants from 17 bucks on the Sportsmans Guide website
I ski 90% of the time during multi-day Norwegian tours in a Norrona cotton anorak and many other people do as well (Bergans and Norrona cotton anoraks have always been popular there). It blocks the wind and it breaths about 1000 % better than Gore Tex. If it is super wet snow I will put on a GTX pac-light parka over it. It has a coyote-fur rough to keep side-wind off the face.
I prefer wool sweaters, never use fleece.
Jim Detterline who used to be the Climbing Ranger for Long's Peak (summited Long's over 400x) was famous for climbing in jeans.