Choosing Telemark Bindings

Teleskiers, I’m upgrading my setup and I need your help. I’ve decided on the skis. Atomic RT-86s. 176cm, 128-86-114mm, snappy. And the boots. Scarpa T2Xs.

The question really is about bindings. Currently I’m skiing on a Targa G3. It seems pretty good to me. I especially like the light weight and the easy of entry. This set up will be my quiver of one for Gore: groomers, powder and possibly trees, if I can turn those Atomics tight enough.

Would love to hear any opinions on what binders to connect it all together.

The Secret Ski: 6 Mistakes to Avoid

Raymond Brook trailhead signWith the recent DEC clearing and marking of the Raymond Brook Trail, it is finally time to tell the story of The Secret Ski.

It’s no coincidence that I posted precise ski data for North Creek just recently. No longer a secret, the route is just another part of the history of Gore Mountain.

I started skiing at Garnet Hill in 1989. Before I came to the Hill, I thought cross country skiing was something that you did in the flats. I had no idea that you could go up hill, down hill or link turns.

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Harvey Mountain, NY: 2/17/08

Inspired by the conditions I found in the Siamese yesterday, and deterred by the holiday going on at Gore, I decided to “sleep in” and see what I could dig up in the woods for a second day in a row. I got up at 7am and by 7:45 was walking down Harvey Road with my BC skis on my shoulder. I jumped onto Garnet Hill’s trail system, and took Old Faithful to 4H towards the Garnet Hill ski shop.

view from Hooper Mine

I was the first one on the trails, after the groomer, so I guess you could call it first tracks. The trails were in good shape. While skiing 4H, Mark and Julie, a couple of tele instructors from the area, popped out of a chute known as the “elevator shaft.”

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