Thanks For Dropping By

           I'll be honest – while I hope people find this blog, I don’t expect them to. I am neither a professional writer nor a telemark insider. But there is a reason why I’m putting words down here – I feel like telemark deserves more coverage from disparate voices, especially in mainstream, outdoor media.  

            The sport of telemark skiing currently sits in a strange place: the days of its height and the time of telemark's lowest points are behind us.  So free-heel skiing exists in a sort of post-relevance where the scene and gear could be poised for either a resurgence or a continuation of retrograde.  While a select few still carry the torch, we've lost many more voices than we have gained as time has gone on.  And the current landscape in mainstream outdoor content - rife with conglomerate ownership and diminishing content - isn't very conducive to something as niche and esoteric as telemark receiving coverage  So there are only so many viewpoints on our sport, and only so many avenues to discuss telemark.

            I think telemark - encompassing an amazing mix of finesse, grit, and improvisation - deserves wider coverage.  Ski media has room for telemark.  Stories of our sport, its gear, and its characters represent a small part of the ski experience, but it is a mosaic that harbors relatable stories about a beautiful way to enjoy snow.

             My main goal remains having my telemark articles published in mainstream outdoor publications.  I see that as a vehicle to growing telemark in terms of participation through exposure, but also content serves to preserve the culture.  Any subculture is framed by its content; the inspiration that storytelling brings to a group's members is instrumental. And telemark's legacy depends on more of us creating.  This blog does not represent the dustbin of my attempts at being published so much as the most honest and specific of my takes - and fair, honest, critical writing is what I strive for over fluff and line-toeing.

             So thus goes my vision for this blog. I call it Telemark Voices since I hope to be just one of many.  I hope to share stories and visions that matter to telemark, not just to one telemark skier, and hopefully expand outside the free-heel world occasionally.  I know not everyone will agree with my takes - but I hope they can be viewed as honest, truthful and maybe even occasionally irreverent.  More than anything, I hope to add to the conversation. 

​

​

-Jack O'Brien - 8/12/2023