Telemark Skiing in Jackson Hole
Telemarking has grown a lot in popularity through out the world with more specific equipment and lessons becoming available to more people. People who ski with a free heel will notice how turns are much more a full body movement than in alpine skiing. It is heavier on the upper leg muscles and you will need good balance to progress in Telemarking.
The only way to learn telemark skiing is to give it a try. You can only learn so much from Watching and listening to others. Getting advice on body movements and balance can help, but ultimately it is the feeling of the turn and the balance that will only come with pratice. Once you connect with your first turn, there will no turning back.
Telemarking can be recongized by a couple of characteristics.
The heels of the boots are not connected to the skis. The bindings are only attached at the toe end. In turn, the heel comes free of the ski base and seperates the skis by moving one ski forward and the other backward. This forces the knees to bend causing the typical Telemark position. People bend their knees in various degrees, with some only bending a few inches and others almost touching the base of their skis with their back leg.
Special gear is required for Telemarking. Your boot and binding combination must be a free-heel system allowing your heel to lift up from the ski surface. Many regular alpine skis work for telemarking. Just make sure to use relatively wide skis that are not too long. Telemark specific skis are usually less stiff than alpine skis.
In addition to great snow and some of the best terrain in North America, Jackson Hole boasts a corps of expert Telemark instructors. Today, Telemark is the equipment of choice for backcountry skiers, who use it to access untracked snow and tour for long distances. Ski with our Telemark Pros to learn or refine the elegant turn that is admired for its grace around the world.
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