Learning to telemark

I'll quickly inject my experience as a (non-tele) ski instructor...

If you're new to snowsports, get an intro group lesson. Never let a friend teach you; there's a lot more to teaching than knowing how to ski. The better skiers often make the worst teachers, as they've forgotten how to learn to ski, and you can't just teach "great skiing" from the start.

If you already know how to alpine ski, you don't need to run out and get lessons right away. On easy terrain, preferably with some tele friends, get acquainted with your gear, and learn the differences between tele and alpine. Don't spend money to get an instructor to tell you what you already know -- what you need is mileage.

Once you reach that terminal intermediate stage we all hit eventually, then you ought to get an instructor. The two things I'll say are private lessons cost far more than group lessons, but they are well worth it at that level. Also, multi-week programs are more effective than several random lessons. Either way you'll see dramatic improvement, and it's the easiest way to break out of the terminal intermediate stage.

-ski, Fall, get up, repeat

I heard one person say you need to fall a thousand times before you know how to ski. I heard a variation that you have to fall a thousand times on each kind of snow, then you can say you know how to ski. I don't know about the rest of you, but I gotta be gettin' dang close.

Good advice, lordhedgie. I didn't realize Downhill or AT people got stuck at intermediate, also.

The only way you are going to really learn how to be a good tele-skier (or at anything) is to practice a lot.

With limited funds, to me, that means getting the best seasons pass you can afford, even if it's just a night pass to Alpental/Snoqualmie.

I've seen too many people try to learn to ski or tele just by doing the backcountry. My opinion is you might be able to become proficient by doing that, but it will take you 40 years to get really good. Of course you can get into the backcountry while you are learning to tele, just don't do just backcountry...

Have fun. Tele is the best. I only alpine ski when I have a broken leg.

- Matt

Thank you all so much for the advice and welcome! It's more of a response than I expected, so it is definitely an good sense of encouragement. 

Based on what I've culled together from everyone's input, I think I'll start out on the bunny slopes with my helmet and a copy of "...Telemark Tips" in my back pocket! That, and possibly a pillow to cushion my ego. As I was comfortably skiing alpine last season, at least I have those fundamentals down - so perhaps that will help lessen my learning curve. I expect to do plenty of falling and have a few face plants, but hopefully plenty of fun while I'm at it.

Assuming that goes smooth - relatively speaking -  I'll shoot to try and make the WAC lessons work out.

Rusty Knees - Thanks for the candid input. Carpooling would be awesome, so I will definitely have to keep an eye on the boards to hitch a ride when the time gets closer. I'm not too poor so I can help out with gas money! Also to answer your question, I bought a used pair of Karhu BC Jak 100's with BD 01 Bindings off of eBay; I just had them tuned last week and they look awesome! I also found a pair of Scarpa T2-X boots that were a display model on sale, so I bought those; they weren't used, but I figured boots would be something worthwhile to buy new.

Kneel Turner - Practice makes perfect, or as close to perfect as we can be. Thanks for the helpful advice! If I see you around, I'll be sure to say "hi!"

Moscawulff - I'm not sure the girlfriend would like to hear about me chasing other cute lady friends down the slopes, but maybe I'll get her back out on her snowboard to give me some inspiration! If I end up carpooling on Wednesdays, I look forward to meeting you and taking a few mini lessons in exchange for a cold one!

Teleskichica - I'll be sure to try and incorporate lunge stepping into my daily routine - I'm sure it will throw every one at the office for a loop! I already do hatha yoga, so we'll see how that helps me out! See you out on the slopes soon - hopefully   

Chuck Cerveny - Thanks for the info on snowaffair.com; that's a site I didn't dig up in my searching, so good to know there are some cheaper options out there later in the season!

lordhedgie - I appreciate your non-tele instructor perspective. As I mentioned, I'm definitely going to try and get out there and see how I can pick it up solo before worrying about a lesson. Mileage - there's a word I never put in the same arena as skiing, but I like it! Thanks!

kuharicm - Last but not least, thank you for your input. Let's just hope I don't get out there and a break a leg myself and up skiing alpine again! 

Being an avid Karhu fan, you made a great choice on the BC 100's, and I just got the O1's myself...they have stellar reviews and having a free pivot binding will save your shins a world of bruising from the resistance while climbing. If you have any special power to shuck pineapple and bring in the arctic fruit of snow this week I'd be happy to give you some lessons in exchange for that as well. Hope you're excited to learn how to dance with snow.

Thank you all so much for the advice and welcome! It's more of a response than I expected, so it is definitely an good sense of encouragement. 

Kneel Turner - If I see you around, I'll be sure to say "hi!"

Teleskichica - I'll be sure to try and incorporate lunge stepping into my daily routine - I'm sure it will throw every one at the office for a loop! 

See you out on the slopes soon - hopefully   

Of course we are warm and inviting, you've joined a cult, you know that, right?
As for Kneel, I wouldn't say "hi" he's a bad influence, unless you needed more fuel for an obsession.
And while lunge stepping may turn heads at work, you may have to tone back the daydream part  or they might just be shaking their heads--thankfully I'm unproductively self-employed. :

As for see you soon--you have NO idea how much I hope that is a good omen for recovery!  Let it snow!!!