How did you start Telemark?

[Ittius]

In 2006 my school took my year group ( year 9 ) to the Snowy mountains to camp out and trek. We were given some cable telemark bindings and were taught the basics of making a turn . I absolutely hated it, cause I couldn't get it right, and it was nothing like alpine skiing which i had only done 2 seasons of by that time. But i vowed i'd come back and master this thing. Jump forward 9 years after getting bored of snowboarding and I've traded in my board for tele's and i am loving it.

And i'm wanting to get into the back country more as well.


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[paul kalac]

Even though I don't and probably never will identify myself as a 'telemark skier', getting more involved in this aspect of skiing has changed my perspectives radically. If you want to put labels on stuff - I'll always go for 'backcountry nordic' as mine. But just skier suffices.

Soooo... what flipped the switch for you?

I remember seeing tele skiers once in a great while at ski resorts when I was a kid. The ones I recall were on really long skis and making giant, graceful arcs down the hill. I didn't think it stupid or gay but I didn't really get it - it looked kind of difficult too.

I recall about 10 years ago trying to make a tele turn on my traditional wax touring xc skis. I was at Mendon Ponds park skiing the groomed trails and for whatever reason I had the idea in my head that all I needed to do was put myself in that telemark stance and the skis would turn. They didn't. Not even close. I maybe tried a couple times and decided it was stupid and impossible and forgot about it for a few years.

I'm not sure what got me turned on exactly, but I remember hearing about metal edge xc skis about 5 years ago. I inquired on the internet and was turned on to Dave Mann's page:

https://home.comcast.net/~pinnah/Dirtba ... rtbag.html

That was the real switch, right there. Everything I read on that site was what I wanted to do. I immediately started to rent skis and try them out. I was hooked, no turning back.

Dave - if you are out there, that site was one of the best things that ever happened to me. I'm sure I'm not the only one who was turned around by Dave's work. Some may say Dave's ideas are old and outdated... sure, a little - but the basic premise is the same. It's still the same goofy skiing that everyone loves to hate - it's not exciting enough to make magazine covers. It doesn't have an Olympic representation. It's not fast or flashy. It doesn't push the limits of anything. The technology is old. The techniques are old. It's just plain old skiing... the way people used to do it before there were lifts and helicopters.

My only regret: I wish I would have known sooner.

Please tell me I'm wrong, I can't seem to connect to Pinnah's site anymore. I knew I should have printed the whote damn thing

[MikeK]

Nah it's dead. He probably shut it down based on my post

[snowrunner]

I downloaded his backcountry wax chart a few years ago... That's not much, but I could upload this at least.

[off_piste]

Starting skiing down my driveway at two years old in the UP. Got bored of downhill in 1991 and tried snowboarding which I loved. While a ski bum at Breckenridge in the early 2000s I got tired of heel sliding down slopes helping the gapers so I picked up a pair of Tuas with Voile 3 pin bindings and taught myself while working. Snowboarding is still my main love because there's nothing better than a board in powder but I break out my teles for other days as long as my knees are cooperating.

[mainer]

My first skiing experience was on rental alpine gear with my dad and brothers back when I was about 14. In short, I hated it. Hated feeling bolted to the skis, couldn't make the skis turn to the left, how heavy everything felt. That combined with how far I grew up from skiing meant that was the only real ski experience of my childhood.

A few years later a friend who owned a bike shop gave me his old SuperComps and a pair of giant (220cm!) Karhu skis with cable bindings. Fun for touring, but not much in the way of turning. I found a deal on skis at a local salvage store and slapped some tele bindings on them. Everything became right in the world! I felt like I could move and balance on the skis (and, of course, crash a lot to entertain my friends). I think it was the next year when I finally tried a pair of T2s and realize there are benefits to plastic boots...

[oggopoggo]

Broke my leg as a beginner alpine skier (1980) and the rearrangement of bones made plastic boots too painful. Steve Barnett's book was out so I used my fleecy vinyl soled xc "boots" on a pair of 210 Lovett Mountain Touring skis with Geze wire bail 3 pins. Eventually the Loipis Heel Locator came out, keeping everyone's heel on the skis until Asolo leather boots made it to market. Still having fun.

[TeleHarry]

... I have never locked a heel since. Now I'm the dirty old Tele guy.

I loved reading that line.
Similar experience here. One difference--I'll probably never be good enough to get admiration---I'll only get laughs.
Hey, I went to Whitewater last year (I assume you meant in B.C.), but there was no snow! I had to listen to days of "we usually have like 14 feet of snow, but there's been a drought". I told one guy that , if I hear him say it again, I was going to lose it...LOL.

[bokonon]

Greetings fine freeheelers,

I used to be a member of this site but can't even remember my old username but would love to talk about my intro into the world of telemark.

I had just spent a year and a half working on a fruit farm project in costa rica and traveling back to the states via bus very slowly. I landed back in minneapolis, mn just in time for winter. I had been a long time alpine and snowboard head but I felt like I needed a challenge that was going to keep my mind from atrophying to much over the winter and keep me healthy.

I learned that Hyland Hills (175ft vertical drop!!) had 4 group telemark lessons including rentals for $99. I was the only telemarker to show up so I got some really good lessons and feedback. Purchased some T1s, K2s and Cobras off of ebay and haven't really looked back.

I am back here because I want to learn more about the lighter side of telemark and explore some different XCD type options.

[MikeK]

I am back here because I want to learn more about the lighter side of telemark and explore some different XCD type options.

I think you came to the right place. Enjoy and thanks for the post!