Telemark Ski Instruction
Freeheel Trails is a telemark ski instruction business that provides a fun and educational experience at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in Golden, and throughout British Columbia and Alberta.
From the budding beginner and those seeking to brush up existing skills to expert free-heelers wanting to refine their technique, everyone is welcome to join me for a day of fun on the snow!
What is Freeheel Skiing?
It's a turn, it's a feeling, it's a lifestyle. Telemark or freeheel skiing is a form of descending on snow, differing from traditional alpine skiing by the nature of the turn and the equipment. Telemark is a physical, graceful and flowing form of skiing. It is a versatile and maneuverable technique that enables you to both climb up and ski down hills with one type of equipment.
In alpine skiing, the binding locks the ski boot in place, including the heel. When descending, the skis are side by side, or parallel.
In telemark skiing, the bindings have a free heel, not fixed, allowing movement of the heel of the ski boot. The turning technique for descending in telemark style requires one ski to push forward and the other to fall back at the same time.
Telemark History
Telemark Skiing, or free-heeling, was developed in Norway in the 1860's by Sondre Norheim. As skiers from the 'Telemark' region would travel through the meadows, up and down the hills and ski jumping, he invented the telemark 'turn' or style because it was easier to maneuver long skis through the deep snow and a more stable way of landing ski jumps. Norheim also invented the parallel turn and shaped skis, all over 140 years ago.
The modern revival of this style of skiing came about in the U.S. in the 1970's. In the 21st century the sport is growing in leaps and bounds, as people embrace new forms of snow-sliding. With equipment improvements and more instructional opportunities people are free-heeling like never before.
Meet Your Instructor, Paula
Paula Steinheber
has been an avid telemark skier since 1989. As a C.A.N.S.I. level 3 instructor,
Paula has been teaching telemarking since 1997. As a former World Cup
competitor on Canada's National Telemark Team she has had the opportunity
to travel throughout the world, including Norway, the home of telemark,
skiing with free-heelers of all ages and abilities along the way.
Paula has participated in Up Productions' films Telemark 1: The Roots of Telemark Skiing and Freetime - a telemark instructional video. She has also participated in ski expeditions and numerous freeheel descents in the big ranges of Canada.
With her breadth of knowledge and enthusiasm Paula draws from her passion for telemark skiing, winter, and the mountains.
How to Book a Lesson:
Book on-line in advance
