I NEED YOUR ADVICE (please :-)

photo enfant en ski pour I need your help

So I got up really early this morning.
Actually, I couldn’t really sleep after one of our daughters came around at three Am. After half an hour of turning around in bed, I just couldn’t wait anymore.
I had to write to you about this “something” (more on this in a second).

I have a passion in life outside telemark skiing and the community of great people I meet all the time, it’s my family. Even if our three kids are my girlfriends (I’m not the dad), I have been around them long enough now that I really consider them to be my family. Our oldest son is missing on the picture. So really, the best moments in my life is going skiing on weekends with them.

Anyway.

I started creating this “something” I talked to you about.

But then, I was really wondering if this would interest anybody but me.

HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO

If you support the spirit of this blog and have gained anything from my writing and videos…
…them I’d really appreciate you giving me an opinion on something.

It will take less then 3 minutes.
The first question is: “What free product would you LOVE for me to create *just* for
you?”

Because I know your time is precious and because I really want a lot of people to participate, I will give away a pair of Black Diamond Dirt Bag gloves. If you follow my newsletter, you know just how much I love these. Simply answer these questions and I will pick the best answer to win the gloves. You have until Saturday midnight to answer. Winner will be announced on Monday.

Anyway, if you wax these questions then Ullr, the gods of snow, will shower benevolence upon you for all eternity.

>> Answer the Three Questions here <<

Thanks a ton. I’m so grateful.
Rene-Martin

Why I almost shut down Absolute Telemark

WHY I ALMOST SHUT DOWN ABSOLUTE TELEMARK

Since the beginning of the Absolute Telemark project, I always felt like I was not giving as much as I first intended.

This has been a great adventure so far, but over the last weeks, I really thought of shutting down the website and all.

I’m really proud of the tutorials created so far and the answer has been great. The people on our mailing list knows just how much this is important to me. Telemark is my life.

But for me, learning Telemark is more then watching a few videos.

Around me, the Telemark scene is not as alive as it used to be. And it’s not because there are no Telemark skiers. It just seems that we are more diluted, that more alpine skiers are going in the backcountry. That the old guard, the first generation of tele bums, are not as implicated as they used to be…

I’d really like to know your opinion on this. What could be done to get the community to be more dynamic?

Still, I went to a really great telemark festival last weekend at La Reserve. Over 300 telemark skiers present, 170 took a lessons, 120 borrowed equipment and 22 raced. For me, the real interesting stat here is that more people took lessons than borrowed equipment! The interest is on the sport, the interest is about skiing and free heeling.

This reflexion has gotten me to think that Absolute Telemark is still a great way to reach people. And that we can do better…

Over the last two weeks, I’ve really been thinking about how I could do my share, how Absolute Telemark could really help the community. I’ve been working on “something”, a big project. I will share it with you shortly.

In the meantime, if you could tell me what you think about all this (It only have to be a short answer) in the comments below. (The big box right below)

Telemark skiing biggest challenge

I often hear the same comments about telemark, from telemark skiers AND from alpine skiers:

Telemark Skiing is harder than alpine skiing.
It’s hard to go as fast on Tele gear.
You need awesome fitness to perform.

All this is true.

But this is not a reason to stagnate and not improve. Continue reading »

Season Debut Telemark Ski Patrol

I’ve got a few nice clips of the work I do as a ski patrol I thought I would share with you, the Absolute Telemark Community (you can subscribe below). And this will give you an idea of the quality of snow we get up North.

How is this related to a telemark blog?

Well first, most of what I have learned about how to telemark comes from working on my skis. In the clip L’Ancrage, I ski with a few signs and some bamboo poles. Although this may look easy, It’s quite a challenge at first in powder. I learned from carrying stuff how my upper body have a huge influence and how my skis are reacting, especially my hands. You obviously don’t need to be carrying stuff around. You can start by skiing taking your poles at half the shaft or without poles. Try to move your hands in different directions and see what happens

Again, Telemark skiing is an ongoing learning process. At the start of the season, my confidence is not always really high. This will cause mistakes that I wouldn’t normally do. Sitting backward or unweighting my front leg like shown in this picture give me a confidence that I will not trip over some hidden rocks. The draw back is a more physical ride, greater chance of falling, and so on.

[ois skin=”Middle page”]

And some fun along the way

LIKE the music: http://bernadettemusique.bandcamp.com/

I really like working on my Telemarks. It really helps getting around the mountain easily, It’s always fun, it can be a challenge if I want to, or it can be just as easy going, linking a few Alpine turn.

Telemark Movies 2014

This is the time of the year.

Snow is upon us and we like to get pumped for the season

Telemark is a small community. But we are tighly bounded and we to stick by each other. That’s how these incredible independent movies come to life. Please support your community and buy the movies

Here are favorite action movies…

The VI Group

This film is produces by the VI group and is partnered with Telemark Skier Magazine. The skills and quality of the shoot f this movie makes it a must see for fall 2013. Above that, the spirit of freeheel skiing is expressed like nowhere else

See their website here: http://www.thevigroup.org/

PowderWhore

This is a well respected ski film company. Through the years, they have produced some amazing telemark segment and this year is no exception. With segments from Jake Sakson and Paul Kimbrought, two of the best Freeriders in the world, this film is a must see. Note that this film as ski and snowboard scene as well as telemark. It’s all about the backcountry. http://www.powderwhore.com/

Telemarcoeur

I can’t wait to see a french production made by the Telemarcoeur Crew.

This is the preview

If you have seen one of these videos, what is your favorite segment?

Like and share the freeheel love

Fast track to telemark

Telemark Lessons Fast Track to learn Telmark skiing for alpine skiers and snowboarders HD

here is a new trailer for our web tutorial series:

This tutorial is for intermediate alpine skiers or advanced snowboarders that are transitioning to Telemark.

Our experience have showed that the knowledge developed skiing or snowboarding is going to make a positive difference in learning Telemark.

This comprehensive course will enable you to progress faster and better. We will go from beginner to intermediate skills and even how to get started in moguls.
This is a step by step tutorial, with drills for every skills shown along the way .
This is also THE tutorial for telemark skiers that are stock in their progression with an Alpine like position. It will unlock the skills to go in harder terrain such as steeps, powder or moguls. Note that this is NOT a tutorial on moguls, steeps nor powder. We develop here the skills that will enable with to approach this types of terrain.
Never before a tutorial as been set up like that. We skip the classic approach and give you the best for your buck package.

This tutorial will be available November 8th 2013. Preorder your copy now in our Telemark Lessons section

This tutorial is part of our tutorial video series. If you would like to learn specific thing about telemark technique, leave us a comment below.

Big news, follow us, subscribe to our mailing list, a special Webinar event will take place for our November 8th launch. Sign up below

where to look

Where to look when we telemark is crucial in our ability to analyze the terrain and react.

Simply said, looking in front is a good start, of course. But there is more to it. Not only is it one of the most important skill to develop but one advance skier can become an expert by changing the way he looks at his surroundings.

Telemark South America: All you need to know

This is the complete guide to choose your ski destination in South America

Today we meet with Serge Berthiaume, A French Canadian living and skiing in South America. I first meet Serge more than ten years ago; ski bumming his way all over North America. I was not surprised when I heard Serge’s plan to ski South America over the summer; it was a bit of a shock when I heard he would go back every year. Saving money, working winters back home just to go back to ski the Southern Winters. After all, most of us were doing the opposite. Serge now lives full time in Chile and skiing is still his main occupation.

Tell us the story behind a Canadian who lives and work in the ski industry in South America

It’s been 10 years since we started our history here in Chile, that was in 2003. When we arrived to Santiago after saving up our money (for a  whole winter), we understood that what we did was the  best choice, skiing 30 inch of fresh snow on our first day.

The first days were hard! Trying to figure where the best lines were, the best happy hours, the best restaurants… well, the best setup for us! Two months after our  return to Canada we realized that we loved our trip so  much that we didn’t’ spend a day without talking about it!  It was done: we were addicted. We had to come back, we never miss a ski season in Chile ever again!

What’s so special about skiing in South America?

Telemark stance: high or low

Telemark skiing is a fluid a dynamic movement.

I often related to it as dancing down the mountain. I like the flow and the freedom freeheel telemark gives me. And it’s all about that feeling.

Different styles can be seen and two skiers can easily approach the same terrain differently. One big question remain: Should I go down all the way or should I stay high in my telemark stance ?

Above: high stance and low stance in moguls.

There’s no easy answer to that. It is generally said that a higher stance limits your efforts and gives you a quicker response should you lose balance. So telemark instructors have preached with a higher stance. Good reasoning. And that’s what I tend to do.

But a lower stance also have lots of advantages:

it’s fun;
it lowers your center of gravity, making balance easier;
it enable you to stay in movement for a longer period during your turn. I call this dynamic balance. If you are moving, dancing, you can stay with the rhythm of the song more easily. The analogy relates to the terrain dictating the technique. We have to adapt to it. If, on the contrary, you pause and change rhythm constantly, making short movements, it will be much harder to stay balanced, especially if there is an unforseen obstacle that creates an unbalance. The slope is not constant, other people around you are not constant, the snow is not constant. Keeping your body in motion is one key to staying balanced and in control. Telemark skiing offers that freedom more than alpine skiing or snowboarding because of the equipment, because of the freeheel. Momentum is an advantage. Getting low sometimes gives you the extra motion you may need.

Getting low, staying high, both have advantages. There is no one way. I teach to stay as high as possible when you can and to get as low as possible when you need. Also, a common mistake is that people will try to stay high all the time and have never experienced to go low. You need both in your tool box.

Finally, telemark skiing is a lot about feeling. Stay up to save energy, respond quickly and get down in technical, unpredictable terrain.

And get some style for the show…

Oh by the way, the guy with the green pants is by far the fastest telemark skier I’ve ever seen in moguls

What’s your approach? Leave us a comment below

Newschool telemark

Telemark skiing is an art form that peacefully integrates you with your surroundings. You eat granola, drink herbal tea and good craft beer, and bearded men and strong women are the norm. If your backpack has a name and you can’t go skiing without your dog, you’re a telemark skier.

True but there is another side of telemark: Newschool telemark.

These youngsters are all about jumping and grinding in the park. They look the same as the rest of the park rats and spend hours perfecting their spins. At first it looks like a completely different sport. They don’t appear to be turning, but seem to be simply jumping around. Don’t be fooled. These young skiers are just as passionate about our sport, and are as dedicated as most of the traditional crowd. Best of all they call themselves telemark skiers.

Check out this link to see what I mean.

Progression has no limits. Be open minded

Mike Douglas, known to many as the godfather of Freesking has raised the bar for skiers. He and other free-spirited skiers have changed the look of skiing by taking what the snowboarders were proving was possible and adapted their styles to skiing. Telemark skiing is already seeing a similar make over.