2011 Crested Butte Telemark Freeskiing Championships

Josh Posted on October 06 2026

Crested Butte, Colorado — 2011

In 2011, I was in Crested Butte, Colorado, documenting the Telemark Freeskiing Championships as the editor of Telemark Skier Magazine.

At the time, that meant being around the event, taking photos, documenting what was happening and posting daily results on social media.

Looking back through these photographs fifteen years later brings back an important period in competitive Telemark skiing.

Crested Butte has deep roots in the modern resurgence of Telemark skiing dating back to the mid-to-late 1970s. It was a major Telemark hotspot and also played an important role in the development of freeskiing competition beginning in the 1990s.

By 2011, Crested Butte had become one of the places where people came to see what was possible on Telemark equipment.

Telemark Skier Magazine at the 2011 Crested Butte Telemark Freeskiing Championships. Photo: Kjell Ellefson.

A Real Test of Telemark Skiing

Crested Butte was always one of the venues that tested everybody.

Steep. Rocky. Technical. Tough lines.

The freeskiing circuit was very competitive, and many of the people in these photographs were among the top Telemark skiers showing up at events year after year.

Colin MacMillan dropping an untouched cliff band during the 2011 competition. Photo: Kjell Ellefson.

Seaton MacMillan sending it large at Crested Butte. Photo: Kjell Ellefson.

These competitions were about more than results.

They brought everyone together. You watched other skiers, compared lines and saw firsthand what people were capable of doing on Telemark equipment.

That was an important part of the freeskiing circuit. It gave everyone a chance to see where the skiing was going and what was actually possible on free heels.

Luke Lubchenco throwing a spread eagle during the competition. Photo: Kjell Ellefson.

Phil Spinner absolutely sending it during the 2011 Crested Butte Telemark Freeskiing Championships. Photo: Kjell Ellefson.

Telemark Equipment in 2011

The equipment visible in these photographs makes them a time capsule of their own.

NTN had only arrived in 2008, so the system was still relatively new in 2011.

There weren't many NTN skiers in the field yet. Rottefella was the NTN binding option at the time, the Scarpa T-Race remained one of the top Telemark boots, and most competitors were still skiing traditional 75mm equipment.

Looking back now, these photographs document an interesting transition between two eras of Telemark gear.

Lucy Sackbauer finding her drop during the 2011 competition. Photo: Kjell Ellefson.

Tim Shepard dropping into his line at Crested Butte. Photo: Kjell Ellefson.

2011 Adult Men's Results

Jake Sakson
Colin MacMillan
Seaton MacMillan
Skylar Memsic
Mark Robbins

Adult Men's podium at the 2011 Crested Butte Telemark Freeskiing Championships. Photo: Kjell Ellefson.

2011 Adult Women's Results

Sydney Fuller
Mackenzie Mailly
Kirsten Fraser
Lucy Sackbauer
Nina Porcelli-Fenn

Adult Women's podium at the 2011 Crested Butte Telemark Freeskiing Championships. Photo: Kjell Ellefson.

Preserving This Part of Telemark History

Luke Falcone at the base area before or after a run during the 2011 competition. Photo: Kjell Ellefson.

I was there in 2011 documenting these events as the editor of Telemark Skier Magazine—taking photos, covering the competition and posting daily results on social media.

I knew many of these competitors from being around the freeskiing circuit, and many were among the top Telemark skiers showing up at these events every year.

Fifteen years later, I'm glad we still have photographs like these and the stories that go with them.

That's exactly what the Freeheel Life Museum is intended to preserve: the people, equipment, competitions and stories that make up the history of Telemark skiing.