Telemark the Cairngorms

By Rupert Isaacson

Nordic skiing in the high, white wilderness of the Cairngorms is no ski-resort experience. You get quickly into the wild, skiing with the deer, Arctic hares, peregrines and grouse. Negotiating steep, unprepared snow with Nordic equipment (which uses a free-heel binding) is far from straightforward. And telemarking is Nordic skiing at its highest level, a rhythmic carving motion developed for turning on deep, steep snow. The sheer, gliding grace of it is as exhilarating as the downhill rush. Of course, aching thighs are part of the deal.

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