Telemark skiing experience

I was so excited to hear that Heather was too tired to do another hike up the mountain with Jared.  I quickly volunteered (never been on telemark skis before) and Jared and I headed up to Copper Mountain.  We started at the bottom at Union Creek and started heading up the green trail.  It was amazing that the skins on the bottom of the skis kept such good traction.  

It was a great workout and I was determined to get to the very top of the mountain.  After about an hour or so the green run turned into a blue run and got increasingly difficult and steep.  I wanted to keep going, but I was more concerned about going back down on unfamiliar skis. 

We finally decided to go down.  We took off the skins, attached the bindings and put our layers back on that we had recently shed.  O.k., let's go!  Jared effortlessly glided down the mountain in the exact lunging technique that is required in telemark skis.  With much confidence, I followed.  Hmm.... I was not quite able to ski "alpine" style.  No problem, I thought, with a little coaching from Jared, I will pick up this lunging thing and work my way down the mountain.  It was not an easy task.  I fell many times to say the least.  

And fell again.  

And maybe again.

Even snowplowing was difficult in these skis.  Every once in a while, I got a good left lunging turn, but as I got ready to turn to the right - you guessed it -  I fell once more.

I worked my way down the mountain snowplowing, a manageable turn, snowplowing, and a good fall or two.  Jared was pretty patient (or pretended to be) as I continued down the hill.

We finally made it back to the bottom.  It was a great experience and look forward to another telemark lesson again.