Telemarkski.com (TSC) is a not so tiny division of The Alpineer in Crested Butte, CO. Some will claim that Crested Butte is the re-birth place of Telemark skiing. Guys like Rick Borkovic, Doug Buzzell, Craig Hall, Greg Dalbey, Jack Marcial and a bunch of other locals and Crested Butte Ski Patrollers couldn't resist the urge to get out into the backcountry and ski off the incredible peaks that surround Mt. Crested Butte. They started the process of modifying their skinny three-pin Nordic skis into gear that would get them both up and down. Brad English who wrote the bible "Total Telemark" relates the story from Rick:

Standing on the groomed slopes of the area, looking out at the backcountry, we longed to ski those untouched runs far from the crowded lifts. I felt this desire could be fulfilled through cross-country skiing and in 1971 I began to seriously explore the backcountry potential of Nordic equipment. We soon found that conventional downhill techniques were generally unsuited to the racing skis we first used, or the conditions we encountered. The snowplow didn't work very well for us in deep powder, and the parallel turn seemed too unstable on free-heeled binding and flexible boots. We eventually worked out the basics of the telemark, guided by an old picture I had seen of Stein Eriksen's father demonstrating the turn, and went from there on our own. The rest, as they say, is history.

Two years earlier, in 1969 (yup, more than 35 years ago), the Alpineer opened its doors in Crested Butte and became a pioneer in its own right. Supplying outdoor gear to a town and its visitors obsessed with being in the backcountry, the Alpineer has been building its reputation in the industry and with our customers as a definitive source of reliable info on backcountry skiing, mountaineering, climbing, mountain biking, hiking, backpacking and camping.

From the earliest leather boots to the first Scarpa plastic boot to today's thermo moldable liner Garmont and Scarpa's, we've been fitting people into telemark equipment that works. From skinny Trucker's and Fischer E99's to the Rossignol Sick Bird and K2 Hippy Stinx, the Alpineer has been on the forefront of testing and selling equipment for the serious telemark skier. We've been there pretty much since the beginning.

We've stayed small in scope -- just the one store and now the website, but we're committed backcountry skiers (ok, we use the lifts sometimes too) who've made the commitment to provide the best info and product we can to our customers, both here in the store and more recently on the web.

Online since February 2001, Telemarkski.com was designed to be an extension of our store. We offer comprehensive selection, good information, product reviews and first-rate customer service. We decided early on to make our 800 number as accessible as it could be because we want to talk to our customers directly, hear their questions and concerns and work with them to find exactly the right gear for their needs.

Finding the right gear is easy for us to do since we represent and inventory nearly every major brand in the Nordic world. new stuff, closeouts, cosmetic seconds and demos we have everything from K2, Rossignol, Black Diamond, Atomic, Fischer, Dynafit, Scarpa, Garmont, G3, Life-Link, Voile, and Karhu to name just a few. We also sell more than just great tele gear. We've been selling cross-country stuff since 1969 and have recently added it to the site (a full selection from touring skis to skate skis). We also recently added Alpine Touring gear (skis and boots) and some essential clothing, packs, maps, books, videos and accessories (like avy gear) to make the backcountry as safe and rewarding as it can be.

So, if you don't have a local telemark shop, or they don't have what you need, give Telemarkski.com a try. You'll likely find the most info, the best prices and the best selection on the web there. If you don't see it online call us at 800-847-0244. Chances are we've got it, but haven't had a chance to post it online yet.