Nobody Cares that you Tele

[WMD]

I tele'd for over 30 years, and learned to ski in powder in the backcountry. Being a telemarker was part of my self image. Seriously.

A few years ago my knees went to shit and I started having days where I'd go home after one run at the resort because of pain.

Then I did a hut trip with a friend who doesn't ski a lot and his rental setup weighed 3 pounds less per foot than mine. Damn! We got into breakable crust and I was working my ass off to get down while he just cruised. Damn! Wheels started turning in my head. Could alpine help me ski without pain while also being more efficient for touring? Hmmm.

Most of my ski buddies had made the switch so I finally rented an alpine rig and dragged my wife off to the bunny slope as I was terrified I wouldn't know what to do with a locked heel (I had very little alpine skiing experience). One run later and I bought some AT gear. I fully switched to alpine the next year and once I stopped crying about my loss of identity as a unique backcountry badass I started learning how to ski and had a shit-ton of fun. Just got my first pair of real alpine boots (not AT) a couple days ago and am blown away by the power and ability to rail turns. So much fun!

I way prefer alpine now. Wish I'd made the switch 20 years ago...

[3PinGrin]

Being a telemarker was part of my self image.

...I stopped crying about my loss of identity as a unique backcountry badass...

I have never understood that mentality. I freeheel ski because it's all I've ever done and I love the turn, so why change? I also frequently parallel turn on my tele gear, to which I say "so what?". It's nice to have the ability to parallel or tele to switch up the leg muscles or switch to parallel for tight trees, etc. as desired. NTN has made that even easier. I don't really care what the locked heel crowd thinks because I could give a shit how anyone else wants to get down the mountain or what their thoughts are on how I choose to do so.

it is pretty simple if you are a serious backcountry skier. You want to be the strongest person out there at the end of the day. That will not be the telemarker. if you are bored at the resort I guess it is something to do.

You sound like a pencil necked skimo geek. Backcountry skiing is different things to different people and for some of us it's not all about comparing vertical stats with your brobrah friends. For me, it sprung from a way to explore the backcountry in winter and get some turns in too. And that's still what it's about and always will be, for me.

[3PinGrin]

And when the slab breaks, and one is trying to jump up and point one's skis down the fall line to gain speed and ski off the slab, a free heel is a considerable handicap; the tips want to point uphill and the tails downhill. It takes several jumps to get in the fall line with nordic gear, if one is not already on one's ass.

Hopefully I never find myself in that situation (I rode a slab a short distance once that didn't break under me), but valid point.

[GeezerSteve]

so why change?

Because AT gear is lighter, skis much better in difficult snow and modern lightweight AT boots walk, scramble and crampon better? In other words, function over form.

[3PinGrin]

Because AT gear is lighter, skis much better in difficult snow and modern lightweight AT boots walk, scramble and crampon better? In other words, function over form.

You're missing one important part, it's pretty damn difficult to telemark turn on AT gear, eh? And for some of us the sensation of that turn technique is an important part of the equation. NTN boots scramble just fine. And fuck crampons, I'm skiing powder, and if it's spring corn I avoid high risk frozen slopes to access the goods. Also, weight-wise, the only remaining piece for tele is boots to get to overall AT gear weights and it sounds like Scarpa is working on that.......

[GeezerSteve]

And for some of us the sensation of that turn technique is an important part of the equation.

and you claim to not identify as a teleposer? ha ha ha. At least WMD is honest about it.

How many pinheads does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

Four. One to turn the bulb and 3 to talk endlessly about how great the turn was.

[MiddleOfNight]

Maximizing fun. What does that mean? Maybe ease of touring, getting one more lap, big drops, making the most out of variable snow, the feel of tele turns in soft snow (giggity), groomer laps, exploring the backcountry, pointing up a couloir, shredding the guhNAR in the park, or wearing a tight onesie and skimo strava-ing your bros. Whatever.

I've once heard some cliche like 'the best skier in the world is the one having the most fun' .. a neat perspective.

There's a realistic chance AT will add more for me than losing tele would take away. That's what my current experiment aims to determine.

[GeezerSteve]

FWIW, I doubled my touring days after I switched from tele to AT (n=15+ years tele + 15+ years AT), mostly because AT is so much easier and fun to ski in less than ideal snow conditions. More touring days = more fun. ETA: I also did more ski mountaineering routes after I switched because AT boots scramble, climb and crampons much better.

[3PinGrin]

and you claim to not be a teleposer? ha ha ha

How many pinheads does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

Four. One to turn the bulb and 3 to talk endlessly about how great the turn was.

How does enjoying the sensation of the turn method make me a poser? I'm curious.

[GeezerSteve]

How does enjoying the sensation of the turn method make me a poser? I'm curious.

Keep telling us over and over about the superiority of your turn sensation and maybe after awhile you'll get it.

[3PinGrin]

Keep telling us over and over about the superiority of your turn sensation and maybe after awhile you'll get it.

It's like if you liked ass fucking, but I liked pussy. It's both fucking, but still....

But what's even funnier is watching people like you stumble all over in exasperation that people still choose to freeheel ski, claim that they are posers, and then pontificate about how superior your choices are. Maybe do what you want and quit worrying about what others choose to do. If someone on tele gear is in your group and creating an unsafe situation or slowing the group down, I get that. But all this nonsense about trying to foist your personal choices on others is a bit egocentric IMO.

[detrusor]

I have said it here before.

Never understood the snowboarder chick who you wait for all day, decides to take up skiing and chooses telemark.

Shoot me in the head.

We call them the “misery sticks” in my house.


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[WMD]

I have never understood that mentality. I freeheel ski because it's all I've ever done and I love the turn, so why change? I also frequently parallel turn on my tele gear, to which I say "so what?". It's nice to have the ability to parallel or tele to switch up the leg muscles or switch to parallel for tight trees, etc. as desired. NTN has made that even easier. I don't really care what the locked heel crowd thinks because I could give a shit how anyone else wants to get down the mountain or what their thoughts are on how I choose to do so.

I was making fun of myself with those comments, but if you think your image or ego is not at least partially wrapped up in being a tele skier, you are fooling yourself. Nobody cares that you tele . . . except you.

I was really afraid to give up the feeling of the turn, but I don't miss it a bit.

Do what you like and have fun! I'm loving alpine now.

[TBS]

I have said it here before.

Never understood the snowboarder chick who you wait for all day, decides to take up skiing and chooses telemark.

Shoot me in the head.

We call them the “misery sticks” in my house.

Q: What's the difference between a tele chick and a hockey player?
A: Hockey player takes a shower after three periods

[3PinGrin]

I was making fun of myself with those comments, but if you think your image or ego is not at least partially wrapped up in being a tele skier, you are fooling yourself. Nobody cares that you tele . . . except you.

I was really afraid to give up the feeling of the turn, but I don't miss it a bit.

Do what you like and have fun! I'm loving alpine now.

I have been free heeling in one form or another for 40 years, I'm not going to switch. There is no ego or image involved, I just enjoy it. Why does that have to mean I have an "ego" problem or that I give a shit what other people think. It seems like the ego thing is coming from the A/T sector, not me. It's funny how adamant the alpine group is that we are doing it all wrong and then proclaim "nobody cares that you tele". I don't give a shit what other people think, but "nobody cares that you alpine tour" so get over yourselves and accept the fact that others might have a different approach and stop trying so hard to persuade them that your way is the only right way and if someone doesn't accept your view then they have an ego or image problem. That's just fucking weird.

Also, like I said earlier, I parallel plenty on tele gear when my legs are tired or the terrain/snow dictate it so I know what it feels like (granted somewhat different than with a locked heel especially in funky/grabby snow). NTN has made the option to make your turn of choice that much easier given how well the Freeride and Outlaw can allow for p turns. The weight of gear is the biggest downside right now, but that is slowly inching down. I'm not on tele tech bindings yet, but probably will switch once someone comes up with a lighter weight tele boot that functions well.

Also, I freely admit that there is a contingent of telemarkers that exude an air of authority. That has always annoyed me. Some of us were teleing long before it came hip and never bought into that crap.


I usually tour alone or with my wife, it's not about how much vertical I can eek out on each trip, it's about enjoying being out in the mountains in the winter. So yes, "do what you like and have fun!"

[bodywhomper]

My one personal concern are my knees. They’ve been great for over 20 yrs of knee dropping for me. I remember back to the weekend I spent with WOW at an avi school when he told me that many of his old tele friends can’t ski anymore because their knees are shot... (WOW was on tele gear that weekend.) For me, I plan to keep it up until that day.....

Can we talk more about the important topic of “serious” backcountry skiing? :P

[El Kanone]

Tele may be stupid and inefficient but there’s no better way to enjoy a pow run.[/QUOTE]


Sooo the best way to enjoy a POW run is to be stupid and inefficient. Ok


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[3PinGrin]

My one personal concern are my knees. They’ve been great for over 20 yrs of knee dropping for me. I remember back to the weekend I spent with WOW at an avi school when he told me that many of his old tele friends can’t ski anymore because their knees are shot... (WOW was on tele gear that weekend.) For me, I plan to keep it up until that day.....

Can we talk more about the important topic of “serious” backcountry skiing? :P

I suspect those using a really low stance have a lot more to worry about than those of us that tele in a more upright position. But apparently I'm not a "serious" backcountry skier so what do I know, heh.

[TBS]

My one personal concern are my knees. They’ve been great for over 20 yrs of knee dropping for me. I remember back to the weekend I spent with WOW at an avi school when he told me that many of his old tele friends can’t ski anymore because their knees are shot... (WOW was on tele gear that weekend.) For me, I plan to keep it up until that day.....

In the 15yrs I fruit-booted, I never had knee problems. Quads would give out and had many spec-fucking-tacular wipeouts, but it seemed like the motion kept my knees warm and lubricated. And like 3PG sez, I never got into that 90* knee bend, all spread out, style. YMMV

Sooo the best way to enjoy a POW run is to be stupid and inefficient. Ok

That's why telemark is for people who want to ski in the worst way possible...

[Bunion 2020]

Boy a lot of self defense and you don't even realize it. Your chosen alias for example shows how much you have invested in that self image.

When I started patrolling at a new hill that had a lot of hiking involved I switched from 50/50 alpine/tele to an AT setup with some Garmont boots and Fritshi bindings.

It was the worst of all worlds, shitty performing boots and crappy/heavy bindings that skied like shit. So I switched fully to tele although I could/would only drop a knee in deeper snow, the mobility and agility and comfort/warmth was the biggest selling point and I could billy goat all over the place with free heels.

That chapter ended with the ski area and I skied for fun for a season as a full time tele skier, by the end of that season I bought some decent A/T boots (they have advanced light years since 2004) and a pair of Salomon Guardian bindings. They kind of suck BTW.

I had so much fun railing turns on alpine gear that by the next season I sold all my tele gear and switched back to alpine. I have a BC setup with some Dynafit bindings. They climb and ski better than any of my tele bindings ever did and are much lighter.

So, IMHO, ski whatever you want, none of us give a rats ass.

[plugboots]

AT stands for "after tele"

[3PinGrin]

So, IMHO, ski whatever you want, none of us give a rats ass.

That's apparently not the case based on commentary in this thread and the whole reason for my defensiveness. It always devolves to that in these anti-tele slagfests though.

me: "I enjoy freeheel skiing"
others: "but it's stupid and inefficient"
me: "I don't care, I like it"
others: "but you're wrong for not switching to a/t"

Now who doesn't give a rats ass about my choice again?

As far as my handle, I've used that for years starting with teletips and how is it different than many other handles that tie to an interest someone has? Tele makes me happy, so what? jeebus

It's my birthday, I'm going to go finish topcoating some moment bibbys, you all have fun with the rest of this, I'm done.

[Bunion 2020]

That's apparently not the case based on commentary in this thread and the whole reason for my defensiveness. It always devolves to that in these anti-tele slagfests though.

me: "I enjoy freeheel skiing"

From me: Very well then go skiing, have fun, rinse, repeat.

[GPP33]

Wow, this thread blew right the fuck up. Can't we all just see eye to eye and do something productive like pick on snowboarders?

[bodywhomper]

ski ballet on tele is where it’s at!