Dostie's View #61- Follow Up on #60 & Is Telemark Skiing Relevant in 2022?

[@vermontnewyorker]

Back in the 80s I was reaching a peak in my alpine technique. I was living in Manhattan and skiing every weekend at Killington. There where these tele skiers that caught my attention. I heard it was more difficult. Seeking a challenge and wishing to improve my alpine skills I committed to learning tele for an entire season. No switching back and forth. Started out one day on Snowshed (novice), ended the day on a black diamond. I was hooked with the feel of the turn. I never looked back! After a three year hiatus I hope to return to the mountains (now in my 70s), on my old Atomic TMX “hippie sticks”.

[@amykopischke4860]

The tele turn is sooooo fun. Relevancy is irrelevant! :)

[@FreeheelLife]

Agree. - Madsen

[@BR10426]

Telemark will always be relevant to those who enjoy it as any pastime is relevant to those who love and partake in it regardless of outside influences. By concentrating more on technique rather than the latest “tech” equipment , the turn is a very uplifting experience!

[@FreeheelLife]

Well said!

[@jasonwooden]

"Telemark amplifies the soft snow experience" - Amen!

[@FreeheelLife]

Truth!

[@Dudadius]

For those of us who don't live in the mountains, backcountry becomes more difficult because we don't have the local experience and we aren't in touch with the snowpack conditions, so resort skiing becomes more accessible. But I do enjoy getting out before the lifts open and climbing up the mountain every day, for the peacefulness and the feeling of cardio. Beyond that, I love Telemark for the challenge and aesthetic of it. I hope to do more backcountry skiing in the future, but I have to be realistic for the time being. My son and I just skied 4 days midweek at Vail and it was awesome! Not too crowded and great snow. That said, as we were leaving on Saturday, the place was a mobhouse and I-70 traffic coming up was insane! But to your point, yes, Telemark is relevant to me!

[@WildMidwest1]

Telemark is definitely relevant to me. I started Telemark skiing ten days ago (thanks Miles at Freeheel Life) and now Tele is a central part of my winter life.

[@FreeheelLife]

Good stuff

[@WildMidwest1]

@@FreeheelLife Love my 22D Axl bindings your team installed last week. They are buttery smooth, making my turns happen with confidence. Another glorious day tele skiing today, thighs really feeling it! Freeheel Life earns my highest praise.

[@batipapo]

It’s about a turn preference. Much like snowboarders….Tele is just a style of turn. I hardly ever do backcountry but much prefer the Tele turns.

[@FreeheelLife]

All about the turn. - Madsen

[@kayakutah]

I don't know what constitutes relevance, but I'm enjoying myself and the challenges of skiing on telemark gear keeps me on my toes - or at least on my back toe!

[@FreeheelLife]

Totally right on the point for sure -- if it's stoking you out, then it's good. - Madsen

[@pickledsausage7513]

I don't care if it's relevant or not, I'm still going to telemark regardless.

[@dustybottoms2780]

My thoughts exactly…..which is kind of the point

[@FreeheelLife]

I definitely think this has been the consensus. - Madsen

[@stephaniecochrane8536]

Loving telemark for almost 40 years, so yes, It's relevant for me and my sweetheart. Only the backcountry will do.

[@FreeheelLife]

Love that! - Madsen

[@occasionalknuckledragger]

Insightful Video, TY for posting. I really enjoy the telemark turn and hope to keep improving my technique, but for bottomless powder, challenging terrain or tight trees I'm more comfortable on a snowboard. I'm sure there are a lot of other people in the same situation with the tele learning curve who find splitboarding more accessible.

[@dustybottoms2780]

Agree with you on the resort ski experience, gone down the shitter.

[@FreeheelLife]

Thanks for sharing. - Madsen

[@shanemilehi]

Ok. Good one. Like the talk a lot. I would like to hear more about the passes and the pros and cons. I for one like being able to ski more than one resort. I’ve skied a basin, winter park , steamboat and copper. It’s been fun. Also Craig!! Would you please do a video of tele skiing in powder? I’ve been on teles for a long time. I just don’t get many opportunities for good powder. When I do, I’m completely lost as to how to ski it. It broke my heart to hear you say that tele is made for powder. Haha. I just can’t seem to find a good explanation. I’ll have tip dive, I struggle to turn as it feels like I get my heels stuck in a turn. Just lost here. If I can find a mellow blue style run with light fluffy powder then it’s a bit easier. Thanks for all you do for this sport.

[@evaodland7349]

You are a "Free Heel Alpine" skier.... 8:24 you just need to accept that the new paradigm shift in telemark is accepting that plastic boots and modern bindings allow us to manipulate fat powder alpine skis, any way we want and we now have parallel, telemark and Free Heel Alpine turns...WHAT?! WHat is a free heel alpine turn....?! (It is a higher, shortend telemark turn that occurs when initiating a parallel turn while sking in modern telemark gear and you find yourself with the inside leg taking pressure with the heel just off the ski. Free Heel Alpine is all on the balls of your feet with rocking motion fore and aft, with modified parallel and partial telly turns....the heel is free and the skier has the ability to execute ANY turn and everything in between and be able to be more mobile for hike outs and long flat traverses in lift served glades with hike out paths. (how else do we escape the dreaded snowboard rutted glades) From a gear preservation standpoint....Free Heel Gear (i.e. modern telemark gear) skiing is SUPERIOR to AT gear. We need to rebrand Telemark gear as Free Heel Alpine Ski gear and welcome all skiers and turns and all in between. To do that we need to recognize, acknoweledge and document the short telemark turn and parallel free feel turn and how it relates to the telemark turn.

[@FreeheelLife]

hmmm.

[@Impala-qp9cb]

I can do an alpine style turn in 3 pin cable bindings a old tua excaliburs. Not entirely sold that the new gear is somehow more capable.