Telemark Talk / Telemark Tips Forum

Hope y'all will pardon the self-promo as this is my first post to Telemark Talk. Likewise hope that some of you will find the following content germane to this forum... I finally got around to writing-up a quick review of my MountainSports lurk(s... I actually have two). Hope you'll click-through if yer interested. Feedback of all varieties welcomed, natch. https://www.rockychrysler.com/2023/09/lets-lurk.html

Awesome write up!

I have an Altai Tiak, same thoughts. Good for the BC stuff. I managed to order a San Juan Stick last fall/winter too. But the week it finally came I created a carbon fiber detachable lurk! Soon to have a few more made. I used survey reflector poles, one end has threads to add a 2”ish ball, purchased a carbon fiber ferrule to join the together. It weighs 2.5lbs and is 102” long. The SJS is great too, just so heavy in comparison. I can use this like ski poles being so lightweight. As the season went on the more I loved the lurk!

RC- I’ve got one of Dennis’ lurks as well- makes a nice product. I’ve found the lurk helps me find stability wearing leathers that I’ve been lacking using poles. I didn’t use it as much as I’d hoped to last year, hoping to create more opportunity for it this year.

3pin- you have pictures to share?

Here are those pictures.

Ferrule that fits a survey prism pole.
https://www.rockwestcomposites.com/46603-f6-5

5/8” threaded ball options (need 2)

Softer ball
https://www.amazon.com/your-orders/pop/ ... =DBTVBCG87

A bit harder poly ball
https://www.grainger.com/product/INNOVA ... derHistory

Snap button
https://www.grainger.com/product/GRAING ... derHistory

Prism survey poles…they are used with Prism for a total station. Any surveyor friends or concrete guys may have old ones laying around, newer ones are usually carbon fiber. It’s the pricy part. You need two of them. These are key since they already come with a 5/8”-11 threaded end.
Example:


I lucked out with a work thing and got ten more of these poles. 3 more future lurks are spoken for, 2 will be for sale once I get the accessories I ordered get delivered

Impressive. Lots of creativity gets shown here on TelemarkTalk and the willingness to share information, thoughts, and experiences is something I appreciate.

Thanks for this thread. I am very interested in learning this. The carbon fiber diy poles look great for the low weight, but just as expensive as the cheaper ones mentioned in the blogpost and I wonder how durable. Being 5'4" riding skinnies and leathers what would you all recommend? Seems like the 7' from Dennis would probably suit me better than 90" San Juan, right? Plus a lot cheaper. Does anyone know anything about the lurk sold by telemarkdown? Doesn't mention anything about whats on the end.

Could one just find a good straight limb from a sugar maple? If it's dry and debarked, what would be the advantage of some of these ones for sale?

How durable? Time will tell, but carbon fiber is pretty badass stuff. I ski with mine at a Midwest resort pretty dang hard. I have 15-20 days on it and still looks good! It's stiff like steel and you can carve with all of your weight into it with no problems. Light enough to reach one handed.

I'm 6', 220lbs and have a 110" SJS. I do like that length; but it is really beefy. Noticeably more work. This carbon one is 101-102" and I found by lowering my hands a bit it an acceptable length for me. On steep stuff shorter works fine, on lower incline the longer pole works a bit better. Lurking it's really easy to over rotate your turns if you have to constantly reach with a pole that is too short...it's a slightly different technique for sure!

But how well would just a seasoned maple limb work? Wouldn't have ferrule or balls or anything on the ends.

Any stick will work! I personally like a detachable lurk due to ski lifts. An 8’+ stick is awkward in a lift line or getting on a lift, transporting, and some resorts my say no to that long pole.