What is the Point of Telemark Skiing? The Ultimate Guide to Its Meaning

Let's be honest. You've seen them. On a deep powder day, or maybe skinning up some ridgeline while you're on the chairlift. The skiers with the funny, low, lunging turn. The ones with the free heel, looking both incredibly graceful and, from a distance, maybe a bit unhinged. Your first thought might be, "Why?" Why would anyone choose to make skiing harder? Alpine gear is so good, so powerful, so easy. So, what is the point of telemark skiing?

That's the million-dollar question, and the answer isn't just one thing. It's a bundle of feelings, philosophies, and practicalities that, once they get their hooks in you, are hard to shake. I remember my first day on tele gear, rented from a dusty shop, feeling like a newborn giraffe on a trampoline. I fell more times than I could count. My quads screamed. I looked like a fool. And yet, by the end of the day, there was this one turn—just one—where everything clicked. The ski bent, my weight shifted, and I felt a fluidity I'd never experienced on alpine skis. It was addictive. It was also brutally hard. So let's dig into why people put themselves through this.

It's Not About Efficiency. It's About Expression.

If you're coming from an alpine racing background, the first thing you'll notice is that telemark is not the fastest way down the mountain. An alpine parallel turn, with a solid platform and powerful edges, will destroy a tele turn on a hardpack groomer for pure speed and grip. So if the point of telemark skiing was to win a race, it's a failure.

But most of us aren't racing. We're playing. And telemark skiing turns the mountain into a playground for movement. There's a rhythm to it, a dance. Each turn is a conscious, full-body commitment. You can't be lazy. You can't just lean on your edges and let the ski do the work. You have to actively participate in every single turn. That constant engagement is, paradoxically, what makes it so freeing.

Think of it like driving a car. Alpine skiing is an automatic transmission—smooth, powerful, effortless. Telemark is a manual stick shift. You feel every gear change, you're connected to the mechanics, and when you get it right, the satisfaction is immense. You're not just a passenger; you're the driver, the mechanic, and the navigator all at once.

The Freedom Factor: One Setup to Rule Them All

This is a huge, practical point of telemark skiing that often gets overlooked in the poetry. One pair of telemark skis, one pair of boots, one pair of bindings. That's it. With that single setup, you can:

• Skin uphill with the efficiency of a cross-country skier (because your heel lifts freely).
• Ski downhill with control and grace.
• Transition between the two in about 30 seconds (flip a lever, maybe adjust your boot).

For backcountry skiing, this is a game-changer. Alpine Touring (AT) gear is fantastic, but it involves changing modes: you unlock your heel for the ascent, then lock it down for the descent. Telemark is always in "ascent-ready" mode. The descent just uses a different technique. This seamless flow from up to down feels incredibly natural. You're never stopping to reconfigure your equipment; you're just... skiing. The entire mountain, in both directions.

That's a tangible benefit you can't ignore.

Terrain Access and the Quiet Mountain

Telemark culture has always been intertwined with the backcountry. Before AT gear was refined, tele was the primary tool for earning your turns. This heritage means the mindset is often less about bagging the biggest line and more about the quality of the experience. You'll find telemark skiers in the trees, on low-angle powder fields, and exploring rolling terrain where the turn itself is the reward, not just the vertical drop.

It's also quieter. No loud "clunk-clunk" of heel pieces locking and unlocking. Just the swish of skis and the sound of your own breathing. It fosters a different connection to the environment.

The Physical and Mental Workout (It's a Beast)

Let's not sugarcoat it: telemark skiing is physically demanding. It engages muscle groups that alpine skiing barely touches. Your quads, glutes, hip flexors, and even your core get a workout that can humble even the fittest alpine skier. A day of telemarking feels like you've done something.

But the physical challenge is only half the story. The mental focus required is the other half. You are constantly managing balance, pressure, and edge angle on two independent platforms. It's a puzzle for every turn, on every type of snow. This hyper-awareness is meditative. You can't be thinking about your work emails or your to-do list. You are fully, completely in the moment, focused on the snow under your feet and the fall line ahead. In a world of constant distraction, that focused flow state is a rare and precious thing. For many, this mindful immersion is the central point of telemark skiing.

Breaking Down the "Point" by Skier Type

Maybe this table will help crystallize things. The core point of telemark skiing shifts depending on what kind of skier you are.

The Real Talk: Downsides and Who Should Avoid It

I love it, but I'm not a evangelist. Telemark isn't for everyone, and pretending it is does a disservice. So here's the negative review section.

The learning curve is steep. Like, really steep. You will be worse at skiing, potentially for a whole season or more. Your ego will take a beating. The gear, while simpler in function, has its own quirks. Boots can be less comfortable than modern alpine boots. The bindings have release characteristics that are different (and some argue less predictable) than alpine DIN settings. It's crucial to get proper instruction from a certified telemark instructor, which can be harder to find. The Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) has a dedicated Telemark team and establishes the teaching standards, so looking for a PSIA Telemark Certified instructor is your best bet.

If your primary joy in skiing is arcing high-speed GS turns on groomers, or charging through heavy crud and chop, modern alpine gear is objectively better. Telemark can do it, but it's more work for a less stable result.

Getting Started: A No-BS Roadmap

If you're still curious, here's a practical path. Don't just buy gear and hurl yourself down a mountain.

1. Borrow or Rent First. Find a shop that rents modern telemark gear (75mm or NTN). Don't start on 30-year-old equipment.
2. Take a Lesson. I can't stress this enough. A good instructor will save you months of frustration and bad habits. Check with ski schools at mountains known for telemark culture. Resources from the American Association of Snowboard Instructors (AASI) & PSIA can help locate certified pros.
3. Start on Easy Terrain. Really easy. A gentle green slope is your friend. Focus on the feeling of the lunge and weight transfer, not on making linked turns.
4. Build Fitness Off-Snow. Lunges, squats, single-leg balances, and core work will pay massive dividends.
5. Join the Community. Online forums like TelemarkTalk are invaluable for gear advice and stoke.

Common Questions (The Stuff You're Actually Searching For)

Is telemark skiing harder than alpine?

Yes, unequivocally, to learn and to master. It requires more strength, balance, coordination, and patience. Alpine skiing has a lower barrier to entry and a faster path to intermediate competence.

Can you use telemark skis on resort lifts?

Absolutely. That's called "lift-served telemark" and it's how many people learn and practice. Just make sure your bindings have a "ski mode" that prevents your heel from lifting on the chairlift ride up.

Is telemark skiing bad for your knees?

This is a hot topic. With proper technique—keeping your knees aligned over your feet and avoiding excessive inward collapse—it can be very knee-friendly due to the natural, lunging motion distributing force. Poor technique, however, can stress the knees. It's different stress than alpine skiing, not inherently worse. Consulting a sports physiotherapist if you have pre-existing issues is wise.

What's the deal with NTN vs 75mm?

This is the gear divide. 75mm is the traditional three-pin standard. NTN (New Telemark Norm) is a newer, more robust system that offers more power and control, feeling closer to an alpine ski. It's generally considered the future, but 75mm gear is still plentiful and loved for its simplicity.

Do you need special skis?

Not really. Most modern alpine skis work great for telemark. You mount telemark-specific bindings on them. Some skis are marketed as "tele" skis, often meaning they're a bit softer or have a mount point suited to the tele stance, but it's not a strict requirement.

The Final Word: It's About the Feeling

After all this analysis, the core point of telemark skiing escapes easy definition. You can list the practical benefits of a single-pin binding for touring. You can talk about the community. You can marvel at the workout.

But for those who love it, it comes down to a feeling. It's the feeling of fluidity when your inside ski bends into the turn as you rise out of the lunge. It's the feeling of quiet mastery over complex movement. It's the feeling of earning your turn, not just with your lungs on the way up, but with your legs and mind on the way down.

So, what is the point of telemark skiing? It's to experience skiing not just as a sport of descent, but as a holistic, engaging, deeply personal dance with gravity and mountains. It's harder. It's less convenient. It will frustrate you. And for a certain kind of skier, that's exactly why it's perfect. It makes you work for the joy, and in doing so, makes the joy that much sweeter.

Maybe the best way to understand the point of telemark skiing is to try it. Just be ready for your legs to hate you, and your heart to love it.