{"id":4155,"date":"2021-02-01T11:00:33","date_gmt":"2021-02-01T18:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/?p=4155"},"modified":"2021-02-18T09:56:57","modified_gmt":"2021-02-18T16:56:57","slug":"the-telemark-ski-mountaineer-tips-tricks-and-discussion-points","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/the-telemark-ski-mountaineer-tips-tricks-and-discussion-points\/","title":{"rendered":"The Telemark Ski Mountaineer: tips, tricks, and discussion points"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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\"Telemark-Ski-Mountaineer-very-old-NH-telemark\"<\/figure>
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In the year 2021, it would seem that telemark and mountaineering are now mutually exclusive concepts.  With far superior technology and weight saving advantages within the alpine touring sector of backcountry skiing, there is almost no reason to be a ski mountaineer on telemark equipment. Yet alas, the years go by, and I myself am still here: a \u201cmodern dinosaur\u201d (as my guided ski clients have referred to me) continuing to take my rat traps into the outer reaches of the off-piste experience.

When I started backcountry skiing in 2006, free heeling was still a valuable and legitimate tool in the high mountains. Four buckle Dynafit compatible boots were in their infancy, and the available alpine touring bindings that weighed durability versus performance versus ski-ability were still unaware of exactly what they wanted to accomplish.  Elegant, sleek, simple, and time-tested, telemark knew exactly what it wanted to be. It just so happened that telemark equipment was also readily available on the used gear market, making it almost the only option for my 16-year-old self making $7 an hour picking vegetables at a local farm. Therefore, here I am, 15 years later and skiing the steeps on a pair of bindings that were essentially invented in 1912.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Photo circa 2007 with my Voil\u00e9 three-pin bindings on Lafayette Peak, NH. (1970s hairstyles pair well with fringe snow sports).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Telemark
Chaminox Couloir, Beartooths MT. Photo courtesy of Doug Burns.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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As easy as it is for me to justify my continuation of telemark skiing by the hippie-dippy \u201cfree the heel and the mind will follow\u201d rhetoric, one of the main reasons I continue to telemark is for the health of my body. Before I reached the ripe old age of 23, I had endured five knee surgeries. Three ACL reconstructions, as well as multiple meniscus scopes and repairs, spanned those five years. From the time I was 16-23, I was still alpine skiing at the resort and used my freeheel equipment in the backcountry. After fully committing to telemark skiing in 2013, my knees and back have never felt younger or stronger. <\/p>\n\n\n

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I know many folks would disagree with me on this subject, but I am ready to fight to the grave on the stance that the telemark turn is better and more anatomically suited for the human body. It is also an excellent way to prolong your skiing career.  I invite you to shoot me an email if you would like to engage in the age-old argument and tell me something different \u2013 tyguarino@gmail.com<\/a> or www.telemarkty.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, for those of you like me who still can\u2019t kick the telemark habit, I want to share some tips and spark discussions on how to efficiently move through the mountains on telemark gear and leave your weight-conscious dynafit-dork friends in the dust. Below are some important topics and principles that I have lived and skied by for the last 15 years. These tips, from trial and error,  are the unique concepts that define the TSM (telemark ski mountaineer)!!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Telemark
Tobacco Root Mountains, MT. Photo courtesy of Jonah Barta.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Telemark Ski Mountaineer Principle 1<\/strong>:
skis, boots, and binding flex need to all work in conjunction to suit your personal skiing style<\/strong>. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you want to ski in steep ski-mountaineering terrain, I would say that you need to have multiple types of ski turns: Most important would be the low, knee-to-ski<\/strong>, hop turn.  Because of this, you need to be able to get your hips around on each turn while also keeping your shoulders (mostly) perpendicular to the fall line.  The only way to effectively do this is to ski on a soft spring cartridge\/neutral flex setting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am 5\u201910, about 163 lbs, and ski pretty low.  One of my all-time favorite ski mountaineering rigs is pictured here: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Telemark-Ski-Mountaineer-\u201ctele-heli-wrap\u201d\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Telemark-Ski-Mountaineer-\u201ctele-heli-wrap\u201d-2\"
Pictured here are the skis explained below with the special \u201ctele heli wrap\u201d (Similar to how AT skiers can clip their poles under their Dynafit toe pieces, tele skiers can do something like this). Spring cartridges appear silver, but are actually thoroughly faded blue variation.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n