Telemark tutorials

Absolute Telemark have produced quality tutorials in the process of making a tutorial on telemark skiing.

HD quality, well conceive by more than 15 years of teaching experience, each lesson is around 20 minutes long and available for pc/mac, Ipod/Ipad, Android tablets and phones.

These tutorials covers subject like:

Basic telemark; a series of 3 tutorials covers everything a beginner needs to know to get started. It even include a fast forward method for alpine skiers or snowboarders, eager to get rippin’ fast.
Telemark falie; this tutorial covers the new style telemark: going backwards on telemark. Fun and really great to learn something new in your technique.
Mogul telemark, a series of 3 tutorials covers all the know how from the fundamental to all the advance stuff.
And the 7 Flaws of telemark, a series of 7 tutorials will cover how to fix your main flaw whatever your level. This is my way of thinking and teaching telemark, seen by thousands of people around the world

Check out my tutorails package here: https://shop.absolutetelemark.com/

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Quebec’s Telemark festifals 2013

Telemark festivals. In the telemark subculture, it plays a central role. If you have never attend one, check your local source of telemark news.They are a must. It’s a great way to meet new people, try new gear, get lessons or telemark tutorial.

A few hours drive north of the US border, Quebec’s province as got really cool telemark festivals. Here a list of dates and locations for you

2013’s first stop is La Reserve, February 2nd and 3rd. info here:
With a 1000′ vert, This is a classic small resort with PLENTY of local flavor. I just love it.

February 9-10, Le Massif welcomes you.
At 2200′, this is THE highest vert in eastern Canada .

Telemark in powder. Got my goggle’s fogged like a rookie ! At le Massif

Come over to enjoy the mountain, the snow and the view on St-Laurence River that is just breathtaking. This is my home mountain, make sure to let me know if you come.

February 16-17, Mont Comi host the OLDEST telemark festival in the province, celebrating it’s 30th anniversary. Here A small mountain with a nice head-wall, the size and the quality of the snow is just perfect to create the ambiance that makes this stop a classic.

Finally, Mont Edouard will host its festival March 8 to 10. After a break last year, many including me expect the return of this very popular festival. With a nice 1500′ vert, 2 fixed quad chairlift deserve this mountain. And the terrain’s got nice trees, steep and raw terrain. The big plus is the mogul run under the chairlift that really create the festival renowned ambiance. here’s the website but it’s is only in French:

Be sure that the organizers of these events and their staff, like any place in the province most likely speak English. Or at least will try to help you the best they can.

Unfortunately, all those festivals are in a tight schedule so it is unlikely for one to attend to all of them. If you only have one to try, honestly, they’re all very cool. Just pick one according to your schedule and forecast…

I will gladly help anybody get the information around all those festivals.

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Telemark in the trees

Telemark skiing in the trees is

So much fun
Always as fresh track left somewhere
Less prone to avalanche (still subject to and one should always evaluate risk accordingly)
Less wind packed, less windy, warmer, just great place to be in a stormy day (like in the video below)
Tight (trees hurt, I know from experience)

Here is what I mean in this old edit

5 questions for 5 top telemarkers: Paul Kimbrough

This week, Absolute Telemark is really proud to present an interview with Paul Kimbrough who is considered by many as THE top big mountain telemarker of today. Whatever, one thing is sure: Paul is passionate about telemark and didn’t hesitate to answer our questions. Continue reading »

Gear talk: where to mount your binding

Through time, equipment as evolve a lot. From no cable pin binding (here), leather boots (here) and tall skinny skis (here) to rigid cable bindings (here), stiff plastic boots (here) and twice as wide skis (here).

A debate of great matter has emerged of this evolution. Where to mount a telemark binding? Continue reading »

Telemark market, survey

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5 questions for 5 top telemarkers: Evans Parent

In the series of interviews Absolute Telemark asked the same 5 questions to 5 top telemark skiers.

Today, telemark skier is Evans Parent, ski bum, in a ski bum world. When ski bum life isn’t cool anymore, when sacrifices are made, year round for years to live the passion. When cold can of beans is luxury, when camping in cold damp is everyday consolation for powder turns around the world. When you see Evan ski resumé, you e end of tthink he’s so lucky to have skied so much, in so many places. When you read the story behind it, not everyone could do it, and very few would actually enjoy it. See his blog’s address at the end of this post. Continue reading »

First day in the slope this year? 5 things to do

It’s time to finally get back to what we love best: telemark. You’ve train for three months to be ready for this?

This time of the year, we usually hit the local ski area for a few warm up runs. The snow quality and quantity might not be excellent but, hey, we go anyhow.

here’s my to do list for that big day:

1. A few days before, gather all equipment and inspect it carefully

I know you say: it was all good last year, why check it? First, make sure you find everything back.

A quick inspection will make you feel confident on the first run. Are your boots still comfortable? all buckles good? any mouse ate your Powerstrap (has happened to me!)? Are your bindings well screwed? (just tight them back with a screwdriver, if nothing moves, good, if it does, see your ski tech) Make sure the bindings are still adjusted perfect. Check your skins (clean, glue, straps…) Check that your adjustable poles still adjust (ask my friend Piteur, who came to me for is ski test for a job as ski patrol and could’t get is pole to move. I almost turned him back!) Check your helmet, your goggles, and of course check your skis (base, edges and chips, cracks…)

2. If you got new equipment, make sure everything is well adjusted to you.

Boots are the most important. Liners can be molded, Cuff alignment (canting angle) can be changed, forward lean is also available on certain models. More and more people buy their gear online, make sure you read your boot manual, search the web and ask questions.

Bindings need to be adjusted to your boots. This is much more simpler than on alpine gear. Again read manuals and search the web. Good tension on the cable is key to safety and performance.

If you need to install a binding, I strongly suggest caution on who you trust with this. Telemark bindings have much more stress on each screws than alpine binding (that’s why most brand have increased to 6 the total of screws on their binding). Also, on a lot of alpine gear, the binding are set on rail tracks which don’t require mounting. It seems fewer technicians are good at mounting bindings these days. You can mount bindings yourself, it isn’t so hard. But if the job is not 100% perfect, you might rip the binding from the ski somewhere through this season.

Check everything else, like jacket, underwear, socks, kneepads… Name it, if it’s new, make sure everything is dialed perfect.

3. the Big day, what to expect

Check weather report, check your ski area report, and check avalanche report. If backcountry is not your goal on the first day, make a habit to check avi reports anyway, it will give you an idea of the season’s coming. The start of the season can be crucial for snowpack stability trough out the season, just check the 2012-2012 Utah backcountry review.

4. There it is, your first run.

Make sure you warm up before going down on your skis. I know, it look silly, but I’ve never seen a pro skier not warm up before going down. On your first run, take it easy, and take an easy run for your level. Dial your balance, play around with different turn shape, telemark, alpine, stop on both side and so on. I always like to telemark fakie or backwards from the get go. This is something easy for me and it help me gain confidence. It is normal to feel a bit awkward at first but just enjoy the moment.

Telemark skiing, like any technical sport, is all in our head. And our head don’t remember the movement as good if it hasn’t practice for a few months…

5. Progress

Don’t wait for Christmas to get better. If you’ve train this fall, if you’ve check your gear, if the snow is good, if all is in place, do what is necessary to go towards your season’s goals right now

Here are my goals for the season:

a 360° cab. (start and land backwards)
Hand plant on our new wall at Le Massif
Improve my carving (which I’ve negleted the last few years for tree skiing and bumps)

What are your goals on telemark this season?

video of telemark bumps

video of telemark tree skiing

Feels free to leave comments below…

Telemark turn, weak side

Like most everything, we have a strong side.

Snowboard is a good example. You have to choose between regular or goofy stance. In fact you don’t choose, it just happens to be that way.

Telemark turn is the same, remember when you started, you had a strong side. Maybe you don’t even remember. Now, mechanically, you may approach difficult situations on your strong side.

Like mentioned in the post: Flawless method to learn movement, practicing your weak side as you learn will only take a few more minutes and will just make it easier to learn on your good side. But what if you never learned something on your weak side and you got real good at it on your strong side. Can you still make it up for the time lost? Will it take incredible amount of time and energy the make it back? probably the answer to all these is YES.

Even if it will seem longer now, it’s still feasible and definitely worth the effort.

You know the saying:

If it ain’t broken don’t fix it. BS. This is a a loser’s perspective.

I think it’s more something like:

Be a visionary: Think outside the box.

Let’s take for example an advanced telemark skier that can ski any run on a resort. You sometime get air of jumps, landing telemark stance. Are you able to land both side equally well? Meaning: can you land with your left leg up front the same as you can your right? Probably not.

And it has a major impact on your ability to ski. Here’s how:

Going down a black diamond run with moguls is still hard but you manage. Things happen fast in moguls and you sometime lose control after a few turns. You probably haven’t notice, but I bet you don’t absorb moguls as good on one side. Why? Because it’s your weak side that has never practice absorbing as much as your good side. And landing jumps is a good way to learn just that.

This is just one example.

Practicing your weak side is not the end of the world, It’s just another perspective to keep in mind as you progress.

Don’t take your ability to ski for granted, don’t stop progressing, Don’t be lazy. And have fun on the mountains. That’s what telemark is all about.

See some moguls skiing here