“I Tele.” Dammit! Immediately, images are conjured up in one’s mind of dreadlocks, hair in unwanted places, and an ego to boot. It’s inevitable to think otherwise. Many a skier prides themself on being tolerant, welcoming, and even experimental when it comes to meeting new people and converting the masses to the sport. However, there is something about tele skiers ( for those unfamiliar, the people who get down the hill by doing a series of lunges, I know, it looks funny) that seem to just irk us alpiners the wrong way. Maybe its silly catch phrases such as: “free your heel, free your mind,”or “tele-skiing is more soulful,” that bugs alpiners and make us not want ski with our free-heel brethren. Or maybe its the fact that they are slower. Regardless, there are some  very strange tele people out there who manage to  fit every possible stereotype.

In there defense, though, there are plenty of us “CORE” alpiners out there as well, bringing just as much ‘tude. We tend to call those people…gapers.

On Saturday, The Wilderness Exchange in Denver screened Powerwhore’s latest work, Flakes, to a packed house. Avery Brewing provided free booze and the first 100 through the door got a free pint glass. Score! Despite showing up nearly a half hour before showtime, the tele dudes and gals had somehow managed to consume all the beer, roughly 2 kegs, before I arrived. Needless to say, I was afraid, very afraid. On top of that, I felt as if I was in a Boulderites’ wet dream…FREEHEELERS everywhere.

There was no shortage of chaco wearing, dread rockin’, free your heel ‘tude packed tighter than a jar of pickles in the front lobby of the store. I was fearful for my life, because I was most definitely the only lock downer in the room. But I made do and settled in for the flick.

For those unfamiliar with Powderwhore, the focus on one thing…Powder. Go figure. Featuring a venerable who’s who of the tele world including: Andy Jacobsen, Megan Michelson, Nick Devore, and a slew of others, the HD film opens up with some beautiful time-lapse shots. As the mood builds, the film transitions into the real goods, POWDER.

Shot mostly in Utah, it is clear from the start of Flakes, why the crew lives there. Deep powder, dense trees, and some backcountry booters are all candidly captured. As Flakes progresses, it’s hard even for a non-freeheeler or dare I say, even boarder to not be stoked for the winter. As drool dribbles down your mouth and visions of neck-deep pow surface in your mind, the film transitions into Cribs…yes Cribs.

The iconic MTV show that delves into the homes and lives of some of the worlds’ richest, most influential people was so intrigued by the works of Powderwhore, that they sent a full crew for a feature. Any guesses as to who the lucky dog was? Jay-Z, Martha Stewart, Whitney Houston? We all know Whitney likes the powder, just not the right kind. The featured crib was none other than Nick Devore’s. I’ll reveal a little, he lives outside of Aspen, off the grid, and shall we say, a more “native” lifestyle. Trust me, it makes the flick even better.

Concluding the film are some really cool shots of some tele-jibbers in Tahoe, and even more POWDER from Patagonia and Colorado. As the evening wound down, and I collected bottles for my homebrew, the mood was light, festive, and most importantly, stoked for winter. Just ask the 10-year-old who won the sweet pair of BD touring poles.

Great film, great times, click for website and tour info…