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Telemark skiing is the traditional way that Norwegians would get from A to B in winter.Why do people do it? It¿s a new challenge, it¿s different, it¿s fun and it's highly addictive.It¿s also a great way to go ski mountaineering, seeking out new pistes and back of beyond bowls. No crowds and no noise and you get to ski on snow that no-one else has skied on!
Back country steeps in the morning, piste cruising in the afternoon and the boots are comfortable enough to keep on the in the evening whilst you prop up the bar with your mulled wine. It is great way to enjoy mountains, hills or fells wherever you live.
Thanks to the Braemar Telemark festival folk for supplying us with the facts!
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Telemark Skiing. |
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Want to get started?
If you fancy trying telemarking get some decent instruction and ski on good, modern gear! There are a few downhill shops that sell the odd telemark ski but only two set ups that really specialise in this sport; Mountain Supplies in Braemar and Mountain Spirit in Aviemore.
There is also the pinnacle of the UK telemark scene; the Braemar Telemark Festival which runs in early March over a weekend. It offers instruction, demo gear, races (both fun and serious) topped off with an excellent Scottish ceilidh on the Saturday night. Alternatively, telemarkers are welcome at the Ski Mountaineering Festival run by Mountain Spirit.
Where to go:
Anywhere there is snow and hills! It is amazing how little snow you need to ski, especially if the hills are grassy, but for premium ski conditions you simply cannot beat skiing in the Cairngorms. The hills are that bit higher and being inland tend to weather out sudden thaws, retaining snow into April or May when western hills are snow free. There are superb touring conditions to be had during even the leanest of winters and the ski centres are always on hand should you prefer to hone your skills on piste.
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Administrative Bodies ...
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Braemar Telemark Festival