Man, Alpine skiing is fun!!

[phatfreeheeler]

Every year I ski my ass off the first few days of the season, on tele gear as usual. I get totally worked after not skiing much in the summer. The snow gets packed and icy, so I think, "what the hell," and pull out my fixed heel gear for a day. It's like someone shoots me with adrenaline. Cleaner carving on hard snow, I never get tired, ski even faster, and everything seems way easier. It's crazy fun

So until we get the next big dump I ski mostly alpine. I start thinking about getting new alpine setups. Then the next big dump comes and I switch back to tele, usually for the season. It ends up feeling more smooth, more natural for me, and it just looks cool to watch. Most people on alpine gear I can keep up with, so I don't always see a need for more power and control. Although I do get tired more quickly.

Anyone else ever go through this during the year?

BTW - I also snowboard a few days each year.

[72Twenty]

I have a monoski.

[Mulletizer]

Why telemark sucks ass. From a telemark site.

[phatfreeheeler]

Why telemark sucks ass. From a telemark site.

That dude is the "egomaniacal, elitist blowhard" that he thinks tele skiers are. He should get over himself. He did it for 45 days and is now an expert. Whatever Haters are lame.

Like anything, you get respect because what you do has taken lots of time and effort to accomplish. The argument he wanted to start was the same one that goes on between every two sports, in an elementary school playground . My sport is better than your sport.

I just posted because I had a good day skiing and wondered if other tele skiers felt similar and liked to lock the heel occasionally.

[Oarhead]

Next week I will be on alpine gear for the first time in about 6 or 7 years. I am actually looking forward to trying it out.

I am like you in that I keep up with most of the people that I happen to be skiing with (not all but most) and see no need to switch back. I still am looking forward to doing something different though. It is nice to shake things up every now and then.

I am also looking forward to doing a retro day with leathers and skinnies just to try it out.

Also, I think that article is a bit tongue in cheek. I think most of the ski vs snowboard vs tele BS got left behind in junior high school. Or maybe just around here it is less obvious.

[Telenater]

Yup, I'm an occasional switch hitter. It's fun and easy to push hard, but just doesn't have the same joy as tele.

[nhtele]

It's weird - I skied tele exclusively for 7 years and so getting back on alpine gear was like trying something new. I had so much fun that I mostly alpined last year (slippery slope thing - whichever you do more of early season is what you take in the BC, etc.), much to the amusement of my partners who were used to the dyed-in-the-wool tele guy.

This year I'm gonna try to balance both so that I can switch back and forth without that first run jitter when I try to drop into a stance with Z-races, or really pressure my tongues with Hammerheads.

[Mulletizer]

That dude is the "egomaniacal, elitist blowhard" that he thinks tele skiers are. He should get over himself. He did it for 45 days and is now an expert. Whatever Haters are lame.

Like anything, you get respect because what you do has taken lots of time and effort to accomplish. The argument he wanted to start was the same one that goes on between every two sports, in an elementary school playground . My sport is better than your sport.

I just posted because I had a good day skiing and wondered if other tele skiers felt similar and liked to lock the heel occasionally.

Erm, the article is a joke. Tongue in cheek. It's on a telemark website... Props to you for having a good day, whatever type of skis you were on, I haven't skied since March.

FWIW, that little picture, up by my name. Yep, teles. And don't accuse me of paralell turns, that was at a transition. And I have the video to prove it.

I consider myself a reformed telemarker. The hardest part of the 12 step programme was the bit where I had to apologise to my bondage buddies for the hurt I caused them with my telemarking. All that waiting around for me... I couldn't help myself... I'm sorry guys.

But don't forget, telemark is a licence to suck ( (c) Adam U). And I will be mounting some Head M103s with "defective" bindings so don't consider me totally cured yet.