2 planks, 1 plank or free heel

[ctenidae]

If that's the requirement to be "the ultimate bc weapon" then one could just as easily argue a randonee setup is the ultimate bc weapon.

I thought bronze was the ultimate BC weapon.

 

[Marc]

I thought bronze was the ultimate BC weapon.

Even BC it was still Chuck Norris.

 

[ctenidae]

Even BC it was still Chuck Norris.

BC isn't "Before Chuck"?

Oh, right, first there was Chuck Norris. All else followed him. I forgot.

 

[Mark_151]

I vote for tele. I took up downhill skiing from XC skiing on tele with no previous experience 4 years ago. I taught myself downhill and tele at the same time on the Monadnock lift at Wachusett and progressed to the rest of the mountain over that season. But, I could never understand people's comments about how easy Wachusett was. Granted, I wasn't terrified on Smith-Walton, but it was a big challenge getting down it with style.

Fast forward to the present, and I'm at a plateau in my tele skiing, and having a very difficult time with angulation and poling when the terrain gets near my limit. I also get thrown into the back seat easy on steep ungroomed terrain on the tele gear, even doing parallel turns.

On a whim, I decided the way to get to the next level in tele, to paraphrase Dicky Hall, was to stop being a tele skier. So, I invested in a cheap alpine setup so I could ski the stuff that's giving me trouble with "style" and hopefully it'll translate over to tele. My reasoning is so many folks come over to tele with lots of alpine experience, so that's what I need to do.

So far, the difference is extraordinary! With about 20 runs on alpine gear, I can bomb right down the fall line on Smith while keeping a quiet upper body and poling correctly. Now we'll see if I'm right and when I go back to tele if I'll progress.

I got a little long-winded, but basically, go tele -- it's a "handicap" in comparison to alpine (can't comment on snowboard -- yet!), and you'll look at your old trails differently.

 

[Marc]

I got a little long-winded, but basically, go tele -- it's a "handicap" in comparison to alpine

That definitely has the potential to ruffle the feathers of a die hard tele skier. There aren't many of those around here though.

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

i've had the itch to try tele, but i think you really need some time to give it and have the opportunity to do it on a regular basis....there are a ton of "games" you can do on small local hills to make it interested...
1. see how many turns you can crank out between spot A and B
2. spot stuff thats fallen on the snow and turn around them
3. ski with your boots unbuckled...will force u to be balanced!! (Great drill)
4. ski with your poles laying horizontal across your arm...keeps your shoulders square and hands in front

could go on and on.....

 

[Marc]

Indeed. Austin and I were skiing on one foot last night for a while. I enjoy skiing backwards from time to time.

 

[Mark_151]

That definitely has the potential to ruffle the feathers of a die hard tele skier. There aren't many of those around here though.

I'd think if anything it's ruffle the diehard alpiner's feathers. From my perspective, tele is more difficult than doing the same pitch on alpine gear.

 

[Marc]

I'd think if anything it's ruffle the diehard alpiner's feathers. From my perspective, tele is more difficult than doing the same pitch on alpine gear.

Saying that alpine gear is better suited for use on the terrain that both alpine and tele skiers ski on is the angle I was looking at.

In other words, any die hard tele who skis on tele gear because he sees more advantages over alpine gear than disadvantages would probably take umbrage with that remark. Maybe not, I don't know. All I know is there are definitely some tele skiers who have a very poor opinion of Lou Dawson because of the practical reasons and arguments he gives for using AT gear instead of tele.

 

[Mark_151]

Saying that alpine gear is better suited for use on the terrain that both alpine and tele skiers ski on is the angle I was looking at.

In other words, any die hard tele who skis on tele gear because he sees more advantages over alpine gear than disadvantages would probably take umbrage with that remark. Maybe not, I don't know. All I know is there are definitely some tele skiers who have a very poor opinion of Lou Dawson because of the practical reasons and arguments he gives for using AT gear instead of tele.

Yeah, but as I said in my first post -- I'm at a plateau and trying to break through. It could be that I'm just looking for a shortcut, but in my personal case, I think that this approach will pay off so I can do the pitches with style on tele gear that presently give me problems. This is just a tool, no different than monomarks and the horizontal pole exercise -- just a little more expensive!

 

[JD]

Totally agree about tele being hard. That's why I love it. It was getting to the point on Alpine skis that I was trying to ski stuff at stupid sppeds to get that thrill, risking greater injury, and untimately tearing a knee up a bit. Tele brings it back to earth and old lines that I know real well take alot of focus to ski smoothly again. I love the challenge and freedom of movement. You can make long teles, short ones, alpine, in great snow you can crank huge "heel side" basically not changeing your lead, but changing your egde. This works great in double fall line runs. A big realization for my tele, specifically in the woods, is you don't nessecarily have to change lead every time you turn thru the fall line. For quick adjustments stay low and noodle. Really a liberating way to ski with many many variations on what a ski turn can be.

 

[JD]

I have an ACL image I'd like to show Old Lou, BTW.

 

[Mark_151]

Yep --monomarks! And, if you ditch the poles and hold your body sideways like a snowboarder, and do entire runs in mono, it messes with their minds! :lol:

 

[campgottagopee]

Totally agree about tele being hard. That's why I love it. It was getting to the point on Alpine skis that I was trying to ski stuff at stupid sppeds to get that thrill, risking greater injury, and untimately tearing a knee up a bit. Tele brings it back to earth and old lines that I know real well take alot of focus to ski smoothly again. I love the challenge and freedom of movement. You can make long teles, short ones, alpine, in great snow you can crank huge "heel side" basically not changeing your lead, but changing your egde. This works great in double fall line runs. A big realization for my tele, specifically in the woods, is you don't nessecarily have to change lead every time you turn thru the fall line. For quick adjustments stay low and noodle. Really a liberating way to ski with many many variations on what a ski turn can be.

That's exactly why I'm interested in checking tele out....looking to make old lines new and fresh again at my local hill. But I know when we get dumped on the alpine gear will come back out for sure because that's truly where it's at for me. Who knows maybe that will change as I progress w/ tele. Peeps who are into it really dig it and rarely seem to go back.

What do you mean by "change lead" thru the fall line. i'm assuming your talking about your lead ski???

 

[Marc]

I have an ACL image I'd like to show Old Lou, BTW.

I called that one. I could be Carnac.

 

[JD]

I called that one. I could be Carnac.

I guess I've talked about it in the past.
Basically, when you change your edge you change your lead ski, ussually when you turn back and forth you go from fall line being to your right, to it being on your left. (fall line being straight down the hill) I find myself staying on an edge longer then when I alpined. Wider arcs. Less turns.

 

[ga2ski]

I tried snowboarding, went back to Alpine.
I tried tele, never went back to Alpine. If I want to alpine, I just don't drop my knee.
I tried Teleboarding, I might eventually get one, but just for fun. I will still tele. Teleboards good on ice.
All this being said, on days of eastern thick powder, snowboards look like fun. On eastern hardpack, forget the snowboard unless it is an alpine board.

Also try out tele gear, get a lesson or two, and a beer for the same price as a lift ticket at tele fest. Go to www.netelemark.com for more info.