Learning to telemark

Hi everybody! I'm new to the board, so I hope it's not a problem if I jump right in by asking a question.

Although, I suppose I'll give a bit of background on myself first. I spent the entire summer lurking around this board, jealous of all the trip reports I saw with shots of happy faces skinning up and skiing down mountains and glaciers that I never knew to be accessible.

I grew up skiing alpine at Yosemite and Tahoe, and relocated to Seattle for work two years ago. I hadn't been on the slopes since high school; last year however, I made the effort to blow off work as much as possible, and spent time zipping around on lift-served mountains on a small pair of "ski boards." I got looks from the mountain masses (snow boarders, alpine skiers), but really didn't care. I was having fun. Late in the season, I came across what appeared to be another minority on the mountain - the telemarker. I watched them dropping knees, cutting graceful turns down the slopes and springing through the powder.

I knew then that it was something I would have to try. However, with bills to pay and a meager paycheck, I kept to my gear through the end of the season as I couldn't afford more than the occasional lift ticket. Now, it's a few months later; having been able to save through the summer, I scrounged together some used tele gear, and I'm ready to give it a shot!

I've read through a few of what seemed to be the only texts I could find on the subject, "Allen and Mike's Really Cool Telemark Tips," "Free-Heel Skiing: Telemark and Parallel Techniques," and downloaded a bunch of miniature instructional videos. However, what I think might help me put two and two together (after all, you can only learn so much from a book before you actually get out and do it) is a lesson - or five. I searched through the forums and found out about WAC Telemark series in January and February, however with registration fees, lift tickets, and class costs that's going to run me more than $400!

What I want to know is if there is any one out there who knows of a good instructor, or maybe is one themselves, that could help get me started? Or if there's a patient person reading this that wouldn't mind taking a newbie under their wing? I'm not loaded with cash, so I'm trying to keep the cost down. If anyone would be interested in barter, I bake and cook a lot and am quite good at that; or I could do yard work, house cleaning - most anything as long as it's legal.

I'm excited to get out and start earning my turns; all I need now is a bit of a boost 

Thanks!
Jesse

Hi Je-c,  welcome to our world, the crazy group who like climbing up almost as much as the trip down.  You can learn alot by going out with other tele-gapers, and you're welcome to pile in with any group heading uphill these days - lots of carpools form on this site, and I bet most groups have a tele-er included. Even if not, the AT people are also a great set of ski partners with a wealth of knowledge about locations, safety and general ski-sense.

I think you can self teach, and I also think you can find a jedi master on this site to imprint you with the tele-force.  Beware... some of them are really into "hucking", and some false prophets may try to lead you away from the one pure style.   

Regarding the WAC lessons, I think they're a great investment!  I got to intermediate pretty much on my own, but classes last year helped alot.  I shot way up, almost to int-plus, INMVHO.  :  One reason the classes helped so much was that - duh- they were every week!  I couldn't help but improve skiing every week.  That really was a pretty big key for me.  Of course, it also helps to eat, sleep and dream of telemarking every day.  It seems like when you get hooked on it, those are common symptoms - telemarkitis.  My shrink (wife) calls it an obsession.

If it makes it any easier to handle, money wise, I know there are 2-3 of us from Seattle who will be going to Snoqualmie every Wednesday, either for the lessons, or just to ski, and you can certainly ride up with us every week.

Snoqualmie allows you a discount on your season pass if you're in the class, and I bought just the night pass, to keep the cost down.  If that's still too expensive, getting out with any of us as often as you can will help.  We're all just egotistical enough to think we have something to offer.  Mostly we like to show off...am I right, tele gapers?

What kind of gear did you get, and where?  Anyway, welcome, good luck, and see you up there!

Congradullations, je-c welcome to the greatest sport ever!
You're doing a lot of great stuff that will lead you down the long, endless path of dialing in your tele turns.  There is no one right way to do it.  If anyone tells you that, they don't understand the whole point -to have fun (although sometimes you may question this).  
You just read a book that has, like, 100 great tips.  Read them again, think about them, visualize them, and then go out and practice them, one at a time.  The best advice (I think from Paul Parker) is to spend as much time as possible on your skis, tromping, shuffling, skating,  slipping, stumbling, falling, and hopefully skiing.  
Lessons are great too, but they are expensive, and if you're anything like me, you'll have no problem identifying your own breaks in form at first.  You'll have plenty to work on.  You probably don't need someone else to point out more.  
On your first run assume that since you've read the book, memorized it, thought about it, visuallized it, probably even  practiced it in the privacy of the store room at work, that you've got it down.  Nailed it.  You're gonna pop from turn to turn, snarling, and leaving a wake of spin drift behind you (This is the confidence that will exponentially accelerate your learning curve).  Then do so until you fall flat on your ass.  Get up, try to figure out why that happened, then work on that until you start to figure it out.  Repeat this proccess over and over, and over until you're exhausted.  Then do it a few more times.
In hind sight some things that helped me (and still do):

-ski, Fall, get up, repeat
-work on one thing at a time
-while working on your skills, always take some time to think about nothing and just go for it
-say "Hi" to other tele-ers, they all learned at some point, and are pretty friendly people who will likely give you their own tips
-chase someone who is better than you (this one is great!)
-Do as many "hop lunges" as you can.  During your workouts, when you wake up, before you go to bed, while watching Tele videos, waiting for the bus, waiting for your Pop Tart...  Fatigue kills form
-remember your desire to learn will get you there.  Enjoy the ride (I still am).

-chase someone who is better than you (this one is great!)

Especially if that rider happens to be a cute lady friend; nothing like a good shot of testosterone to shut off the brain and allow the body to meditate in motion. As far as texts, Allan and Mike's Telemark Tip's is the abridged bible of this sport in my opinion. Classes and drills are cool for finding your balance and strengthening your ability to hold a line. I purchased that book for a friend last season and felt it offered in writing everything I've conceived through my tele-turns over the years, and many other's I hadn't yet realized. I'm in the carpool on Weds. with Rusty Knees and am willing to give you a few lessons (on nights with crummy conditions) in exchange for a few Alpental Porters in the bar. I also agree that the best way to improve is by obsessing and prioritizing the amount of time you spend skiing, getting a pass and doing hot laps is a bomber way to do it.

I'm no tele-extraordinaire, but my top 3 tips are:
Tip 1, Visualize: beyond daydreaming this includes lunge stepping to pick things up off the floor, while waiting for the bus, or retrieving the laundry from the dryer, finding Marmite on the lower shelf of the grocery aisle, etc. etc. Many daily activities lend themselves well to the teleturn if you are obsessed enough or are doing this tip properly  . . .
Tip 2, Follow and mimic: (Then go back to tip 1, visualize) cause you want to be that telegod you are presently following.
And tip 3, yoga.  I find this helps a lot with balance. And the meditation and warrior poses and all that other stuff that goes along w/ yoga lend more time to step 1, visualize. Or daydream.

Okay, one more. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
Best of luck and hopefully see you out there soon! 

Regarding the WAC lessons, I think they're a great investment!  I got to intermediate pretty much on my own, but classes last year helped alot.  I shot way up, almost to int-plus, INMVHO.  :  One reason the classes helped so much was that - duh- they were every week!  I couldn't help but improve skiing every week.  That really was a pretty big key for me.  Of course, it also helps to eat, sleep and dream of telemarking every day.  It seems like when you get hooked on it, those are common symptoms - telemarkitis.  My shrink (wife) calls it an obsession.

I'd have to agree here. I took the lesson series last year and having been waiting ever since for it to start again. If its out of your budget though try www.snowaffair.com . I saw them listed in the current issue of Telemark Skier magazine as having 1 and 2 day clinics up at Crystal on March 7 and 8. Something like 6 hours of instruction/day.