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Crag & Route Beta

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Topic Date User

Perisher Backcountry ski/climb trip info! 16-Aug-2012 At 11:38:31 AM citationx

Message

On 16/08/2012 climberman wrote:
>On 16/08/2012 citationx wrote:
>>On 15/08/2012 climberman wrote:
>>>On 15/08/2012 simey wrote:
>>
>>>Except you need to learn to telemark.
>>
>>No you don't. perfectly easy to do parallel turns on free heels.
>
>Umm, the OP has not used them before and people are suggesting he use
>lighter XCD or light touring gear. The OP has done downhill skiing. So,
>yep, you 'can' parallel or snowplough or stem christie or whatever on light
>touring and XCD gear. But not generally on your first day. Whereas he'll
>be able to downhill from minute one on AT gear.
>
>Having no experience with up, he's likely to suffer immensely on either
>during this part of the journey !

Wow, with this and Paulie's posts I'm totally lost.
Do you mean to argue that he's going to be unable to use a pair of salomon scaled touring skis on the first day with confidence even though he's a good skier? And you're claiming this is because the skis have free heels not locked down? Or because he'll be using a heavy pack that he may never have tried skiing with?
I don't understand your line of argument. Unless I'm naturally gifted, I never had a problem wedging, ploughing, turning, anything, when I first used teles. If/when you sink into a parallel or wedge or plough turn (ie, a non-tele turn), your heels are being pushed into the back of the ski anyway, just like an alpine turn. My telemark turns:parallel turns are 50:50 at the moment. My girlfriend, having never used free heels before had no problems keeping up with me going up or coming down hills (snow ploughs, wedge turns) on her first go (and she wasn't even a good downhiller).

Also, as a point of the AT gear, listening to others who have/do do it, I find that you're more likely to suffer trying AT for the first time compared to teles. The AT boots are extremely rigid and since the pivot is so far forward shin and calf problems abound for the newbies. Teles have the flex in the foot which allows for a more natural walking/moving motion.

I'd love clarity on your "first day" comment and why you think this is so.