In reply to Chris the Tall:
Hello Chris-first define "good" and "hard".
Telemarking is as pointless / good as anything else we all do- climb, ski alpine, nose pick. It has a number of advantages and disadvantages compared to alpine skiing / AT skiing.
advantages
1. It is difficult- so learning is fun, a new skill
2. It is slower than alpine- so you can ski with friends / family kids and still have a good time / ski together- it is a fantastic leveler
3. It is much much more effort- so you get a good work out.
4. Gear is hard to come by- so it can be much easier to get it second had from ebay than in a shop- i.e. boots and bindings. And for cheap all my telebindings have been from ebay and all but one of the boots I've bought for me and the family.
5. Telemarkers are very friendly and sociable. You will invariably stop and chat with other pinheads (at least this is what happens to us). Doing this we have skied with amazing telemark skiers (I really mean amazing) for anything from a run or two to half a day or more. People with astonishing skills that they have been quite happy to share for nothing other than a little bit of a chat and shared interest.- For example a fortnight ago we skied with Britain's most successful skier ever and her coach- it is not normal for a World up skier to ski with a 15 year old and his dad so that she and her coach can check out the lads skiing- but that is excatly what telemarking is like. Similarly we have skied with a French telemark club- they were more than happy to take us along- they were all amazing, and fun and (un)surprisingly we have many many shared interests.
6. When you nail telemark turns is can be a bit of a spiritual experience- it is a great feeling..really...
7. Chicks dig it (allegedly)
Disadvantages
1. It is difficult- so learning involes going really slowly, falling over repeatedly, pain and humiliation. at first just putting the bloody skis on is a nightmare.
2. It is slower than alpine- so you can be certain thta the phrase 'hey guys wait up' will be one you use repeateldy- your 8 year old child will be able to ski faster than you.
3. It is much much more effort- so your quads and butt will scream in agony. Stairs will present untold misery- sleep will be punctuated by leg cramps and the prospect of sitting on the toilet will fill you with dread. Ibuprofen will become your only solace.
4. Gear is hard to come by. You cannot buy it most places. Whne you can it is crazy expensive. Bindings start at about #180 and go to #500. Boots are amongst the most expensive ski boots you can buy (not including exotic carbon fiber boots). They mostly don't take crampons so well. Trying to find kids telelgear is a bit like the search for the Holy Grail.
5. Telemarkers are very friendly and sociable. Some are really quite strange. Many wear llama hats (fair trad organic llama hats knitted from their own pubes), most hold quite odd beliefs
6. When you nail telemark turns you are quite likely to fall over face first.
7. Chicks dig it - this is a myth.
see also