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The Telemark Turn
The Telemark turn is the original and oldest turn where one ski then the other is advanced in front of the other. Long ago, when skis were solid wood, very much longer and very difficult to turn, this technique in effect created one long ski with a variable radius and it was the only technique to change the direction of your skis without lifting them out of the snow and stepping them round.
You'll see from the photo on the Index page the iconic telemark image of the heel of the back foot being lifted off the ski. If you haven't seen anyone telemarking it looks something like a series of curtsies whilst stepping down the slope. Try walking downstairs in a zig-zag, changing direction on each step and you'll get the idea. For anyone new to skiing this stepping forwards can feel very natural and stable.
Now that we have modern skis that seemingly turn by just thinking about it, we don't need to use the telemark turn to change direction any more, so why do we? There are a couple of jolly good reasons. The first one is because it feels fantastic. It's the nearest thing to soaring whilst still on the ground. Telemarking in powder is one of life's truely awesome experiences. There will be no wiping the smile off your face after you've done your first tele run in powder. If this isn't enough, it's great to have another skill. Telemarking on piste is good fun and it gives you more variety in your skiing.
Telemark Myths
One myth about telemark skiing is that you don't have to telemark everywhere. With modern equipment, someone on telemark gear, skiing parallel, will be indistinguishable from an alpine skier. In any case, you'll want to mix and match diffferent skiing techniques and styles to suit the different snow conditions. You really can do everything on telemark gear that you can do on alpine gear but more. | 
