The Telemark Ski Company

[phil]

Hi, Durham Mountain Sports,

We, The Telemark Ski Company, would like to offer your club members a chance to enjoy ski touring, at special club prices (see bottom of page).

We are the leading specialist company for teaching telemark skiing, telemark ski-touring and nordic mountain ski-touring. We also offer coaching and tours on AT (Alpine Touring equipment).

All our instructors are professionally qualified, with NGB qualifications. These are the British Association of Snowsport Instructors' qualifications in the separate disciplines of Alpine, Telemark and Nordic skiing. In addition, all our staff have extensive experience, other relevant expertise such as navigation and winter safety skills, as well as great leadership qualities. Ski tours or ski mountaineering on glaciated Alpine terrain is led, as required by law, by UIAGM Guides who are exceptionally good skiers.

We teach skiers of all levels, from those starting to ski (on any of the types of equipment) to those who want to ski steep or deep or moguls. We also offer a superb and extensive programme of hut-to-hut ski tours in the Alps (for those using AT or Telemark gear) or in Scandanavian-type terrain (for those on Nordic Mountain-touring skis).

Some of you may not be familiar with the heavier, metal-edged Nordic Mountain-touring gear. They are in the same 'family' as the 'skinny skis' seen in the Olympics but are beefier and specialised for wilderness skiing. (Compare with velodrome bikes and road-touring bikes). While more difficult to turn than downhill skis, (whether Alpine or Telemark), Nordic Mountain-touring skis are lighter and travel well. It is this ease of travel and the very different environment of the far north, that makes Nordic Mountain Touring so great. Much of the terrain in Norway, Sweden or Finland is less steep and has shallower fresh snow than in the Alps, although the total depth of the snow pack can be 5-10 metres. The terrain is by no means flat though; it's just more rolling like the Cairngorms but with higher tops. Even good basic turns like snowploughs and stems will allow a vast number of hut-to-hut ski tours to be done, given some coaching on nordic travel techniques. There are great hytte or mountain refuges, particularly in Norway, so superb journeys can be made, carrying a relatively light sac. If you've never been in the wonderful arctic scenery of Norway, etc, give it a try!

While nordic ski-touring happens in the spring, the complete snow-cover and relatively few distinct landmarks (no trees, walls or houses!) of Scadanavian tours means that even easy tours require a sound technique. Storms can mean wild winds and white-outs - no place for the un-initiated, as was unfortunately shown two winters ago by the tragedy involving some British skiers.

John Eames and Bonny Masson, the owners of The Telemark Ski Company, have been life-long climbers. In the skiing 'off-season', we lead expeditions to the Greater Ranges for Jagged Globe, one of the top mountaineering firms in the world. Our love and knowledge of the mountains underlies our personal skiing and the trips we offer on skis. Mountaineering and skiing away from the pistes share so many great qualities. That's why we are contacting climbing clubs. Your enjoyment of the mountains can be extended further.

So, this is a great chance to learn or improve your skills, have a great winter trip and save some money!

The winter can be a slight 'down-time' for club activities. Why not book a club group for one of the following? (see bottom for trip examples and great offers):

* Alpine or Telemark Coaching for off-piste skiing
* Alpine or Telemark Ski Touring and Ski Mountaineering (various levels)
* Nordic Mountain Touring - introductory hut-to-hut ski tour and higher levels: One of our tours finishes at Ryukan - follow a week of ski touring with a week of ice-climbing!

These are all examples - if one of other trips catches your eye from our website http://www.telemarkskico.com then we will be very happy to quote for them as well.

* Bespoke trips: We can also offer bespoke trips that meet your dates, skiing preferences, venues and cost - contact us directly to discuss even greater savings!

If you have any queries please don't hesitate to get in touch.

Hoping to see you this winter ...
Best wishes,
Bonny & John


Bonny Masson & John Eames

The Telemark Ski Company
http://www.telemarkskico.com
tel: (+44) (0)1248 810337

SPECIAL OFFERS AVAILABLE TO CLIMBING CLUBS
Winter 08 - 09


Alpine or Telemark Coaching for off-piste skiing:
Dates from mid-November to the end of April.
Usual instruction fee (5 x 1/2 days in 6 days skiing) £265
Send a group 4, club price per person (pp) £245
Send a group 6, club price pp £235

Alpine or Telemark Ski Touring and Ski Mountaineering (various levels):
Intermediate hut-to-hut ski tour in the Stubai Alps (28/03 - 04/04/09), brochure price: £995, send a group 4: £965 pp, send a group of 6: £870 pp
Introductory ski tour in the Italian Alps (21 - 28/03/09), brochure price: £925, send a group of 4: £875 pp, send a group of 6: £825 pp
Off-piste and touring in Greece (8 - 15/02/09), brochure price: £785, send a group of 4: £750 pp, send a group of 6: £725 pp

Nordic Mountain Touring - introductory hut-to-hut ski tour and higher levels:
Introductory tour (7 - 14/03/09) with coaching, brochure price: £1065, add 4 to an existing group: £1015 pp, send a group of 6: £965 pp; total group more than 10: £50 'cashback'
Intermediate tour (22 - 29/03/09), brochure price: £920, add 4 to an existing group: £885 pp, send a group of 6: £840 pp; total group more than 10: £40 'cashback'
Tour to the Telemark region (14 - 21/03/09), brochure price: £965, add 4 to an existing group: £920 pp, send a group of 6: £885 pp; total group more than 10: £45 'cashback'. This tour finishes at Ryukan - follow a week of ski touring with a week of ice-climbing! Save a further £30 on the above prices (all ice-climbing arrangements your own)

These are all examples - if one of other trips catches your eye from our website http://www.telemarkskico.com then we will be very happy to quote for them as well.