Why Telemark Is Still Worth Doing

Telemark skiing has never been the easiest option.
That’s part of the point.

It asks more time, more patience, and more attention than locking your heels and pointing downhill. It doesn’t promise efficiency or shortcuts. And it doesn’t scale well when the goal is speed or volume.

Still, people keep coming back to it.

I think part of the reason is that Telemark skiing rewards presence. You can’t disengage and let the equipment carry you. The free heel demands participation — balance has to be managed, pressure has to be felt, and movement has to be intentional.

There’s also something grounding about its pace. Telemark skiing doesn’t rush the mountain. It encourages a way of moving that’s quieter and more deliberate, where how you ski matters as much as where you go.

For some, it’s about history. Telemark skiing connects modern skiing to its roots — not as nostalgia, but as continuity. It’s a reminder that skiing existed long before lifts, resorts, and performance metrics. The turn itself carries that memory forward.

For others, it’s about longevity. Telemark skiing favors efficiency over force. It rewards economy of movement and attention to detail. Done well, it allows people to ski longer — not just in a day, but over a lifetime.

Telemark isn’t trying to win anything. It doesn’t need to prove itself against other disciplines. Its value isn’t measured by trends or numbers, but by how it shapes the experience of being on snow.

That’s why it’s still worth doing.

Not because it’s better — but because it asks something different. And for those willing to meet it there, it continues to give something back.