Skiing and the meaning of it all...

I'm home from college and just wanted to drop a little update....
Since skiing Highlands once, and a local backcountry spot near Glenwood Springs multiple times, I'm at least up to 20 days on snow as far as I can figure (yes, many of those days have been one or two lap days, but nonetheless....).

Now a few words on the idea of sacred.
Sacred is... Waking up well before dawn with thoughts of telemark turns, (or alpine too...), It's putting skins on in the dark and having to try multiple times to get the skin going down the center of the ski, It's hiking up in the dark and feeling a          chilly breeze rushing through your pit zips and leg        vents, It's reaching the top of the hike in the calm glow of a rising sun yet to poke up above the Elk mountains, It's doing something different than you did the day before! It's realizing that where you live is a beautiful place, It's being grateful for it all... even the little things!
Enjoy and happy holidays,
Luke

Above, Hillary Procknow in preparation for a descent while the sun creeps ever closer.
Left, Hillary dips the knee around 7:30 a.m.

Season's coming, am I ready...?

So I've been lagging a bit, but that is soon to change. Red Mountain Pass has already been skied for the season, and although it wasn't done by me, It's still a clear sign that the season of snow is coming. Within the last week I've also been informed that I will be wearing the Alpine Quest Sports logo this season as part of a newly formed sponsorship. Be sure to visit the store in Edwards, CO or on the world wide web at http://alpinequestsports.com. I'll also be continuing working with FlyLow Gear out of Denver, Colorado. They're also online at http://flylowgear.com. I'm incredibly excited for the next semester of school and the coming wonter months. Word on the street is that it is a El Nino year which means big dumps all around! The Telemark Club here at Fort Lewis is going strong and we'll be screening Josh Madsen's "The Freeheel Life" here on Campus on November 11 at 7 p.m. in the newly renovated Vallecito room! If you're in or around Durango on the 11th be sure to come check it out!
Here's hoping for a big season and thanks for visiting the site,
Luke

Chile and FLC Telemark Club

Howdy,
Sorry for the gap in time on this blog writing stuff. I had quite an adventure this summer; A trip to Chile with Kayo Ogilby and Nick Devore's Big Mountain Telemark Camp. The snow held out well for the time (although it didn't snow until the last evening!) and definitely gained a lot in the way of skiing variable snowpack and going fast. The camp was amazing and if you have the chance, certainly not something to pass up. The Chilean Andes are spectacular and a view of Mount Aconcagua (the tallest mountain in the americas) added something to the sightseeing part of the trip.

I'm now down in college at Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO. I've found a passion for writing and plan to change my major to that when I get the chance. Clubs are very easily formed here and I took advantage and formed the first ever Fort Lewis Pinheads Telemark Club. We have gained over 50 names and e-mails as of now and more are sure to come. We'll see how many commit to the club when the snow flies, but there seems to be a lot of interest in the whole thing. College is interesting and I will surely be posting things as they happen. Enjoy and pray for an unforgettable season,
Luke

Skiing Magazine!

Hey Everybody!

So... I'm interning/shadowing at Skiing Magazine in Boulder now! It's super sweet and I'm learning so much. It's definitely the less glamorous side of skiing (kind of) as time is typically spent in front of a computer. Still, looking at some of the best pictures taken of skiing is not the worst thing. 

See ya on the slopes...Luke

I wish I was skiing... but this is the next best thing!

New Promo... Done!!

Here is my new edit for the season. Mostly filmed in the last few weeks of the season as we had some of the best snow conditions I have ever seen in CO during March and April! Enjoy the show and see you on the water or the slopes.
Luke

Alpine Meadows, CA Telemark Freeskiing Championships February 26th to March 4th

First off, I apologize about my lack of keeping up with the blog. Between school, 3 comps, and more, I am finally getting around to it. I'll start off with the Alpine Meadows Telemark Freeskiing Championships. I road tripped from Glenwood Springs, CO with Jake Sakson all the way down with a one night layover at Josh Madsen's house in SLC. We arrived at the Meadows to 6" of new snow with more expected and the top of the mountain closed due to wind and snow. SICK! Virtually nobody was there and Jake and I shredded with some of the other athletes and also with Evan Phelps who was nice enough to put a bunch of FLyLow riders and many others up for the few days. Phelps is mother to famous tele skier and assistant editor of Skiing Magazine Megan Michealson. Needless to say, on my first run in a new state, I broke a pole. Luckily, Jake brought two of everything (literally) and helped me out.
The competition was awesome even though only 40 skiers came out. The Junior division was small and the Mens division was quite stacked with names like JT Robinson, Ty Dayberry, Paul Kimbrough and many more. I decided to compete up to mens even though I am still 17 and it payed off with a 6th place finish including a lincoln loop in my final run. Jake Slayed it with a 1st place finish and JT tied for third along with Paul Kimbrough. It was a sick comp that TGP put on and I can't wait for next season! Here are some pictures from the comp that my friends and I took during the comp. Enjoy and I will no doubt see you on the slopes!
Luke

On the road again after a pleasent stay at josh
Madsen's House in SLC. Thanks Josh!

That's when it hit us that we were not in Utah
anymore...

Green runs are open, red are not. Whole upper
mountain closed day before comp!

Connor Davis (left) and Jake Sakson (Middle)
take advice from one of the best in the business,
JT Robinson.

Jake gets his shred on in his first run of the comp.

I was pretty happy with my
last run that bumped me from 11th to 6th.

Park dayz

Aspen/Snowmass' conditions are slightly less than prime, but the jumps in the park are doing pretty well. It was nice to have a bluebird day with which to learn some grabs and spin to win. Definetly a good time with my friends from the tele team: Duncan Marsh, Hayden Kennedy, Noah Johns, and my coach Kayo Obilby who took the pictures.
See ya on the slopes!
Luke

Shredding the Gnar!

A Day At Snowmass from Fred Norquist on Vimeo.

Here is a video put up by Fred Norquist over at Sopris Productions (previously Crystal Clear Productions) featuring Jake Sakson, Fred Norquist, Kelsey Lewis, Brooke Lederer and myself as well. More to come shortly, but this is the first edit. Be sure to check out thechroniclesofgnarnia.blogspot.com.
Enjoy,
Luke

The Snow is here!

Finally, the snow god has blessed the Roaring Fork Valley! We went from having a 15 inch base to a 54" base! Highlands is EPIC! That is all I have to say and here are some pictures of Alex King, Jake Sakson and Nick Malik.

Local Newspaper Coverage

Check out the link below for the article about the CRMS Telemark Team competing in Crested Butte that was featured in the local newspapers. We had 4 skiers finish in the top ten! Whoo Hooo!!
Have fun and see ya around,
Luke

http://www.postindependent.com/article/20080327/SPORTS/428258212&parentprofile=search

Here are some pictures from a day in the wonderful Snowmass terrain Park and the Crested Butte telemark nationals taken last season. Good Times! Can't wait to do it all again next season. Enjoy!
Luke

New Promo is Done!!!

My new promo video is done. There is an abscence of park footage due to the copious amounts of snow that we received this year. Why would I ski the park? Anyway, this is filmed at the beginning of the 07-08 ski season, so my skills did grow over the season. Beside from that, it was a great season, and the video can be seen below.
Enjoy and have a great summer,
Luke Lubchenco

Crested Butte Telemark Extremes

Crested Butte is Sick!!!
Competing in the Crested Butte Telemark Extremes was so awesome. I got second and Kjell Ellefson earned first with a 20 ft. drop that he stomped the heck out of. I had some fun and below are some pictures from the first day of competition.




















Another great thing about CB was skiing with Rossignol pro Josh Madsen. He is pushing the sport not only in his skiing but also in his online magazine at freeheellife.com. It is awesome to know that there is somebody out there working day in and day out to help this great sport. Be sure to check out his website.

Introduction

Hello,
I am a 16 year old telemark skier from Glenwood Springs, CO. I attend Colorado Rocky Mountain School (CRMS) in Carbondale. I love to ski of course, but I also am very fond of unicycling, playing the banjo, and fly-fishing. I live with my little sister, Cora, my mom Ruth, and stepdad, Tom. I started telemark skiing three years ago and have proggressed a lot since then. I am really excited t be a part of an ever-changing sport. It is way cool to see telemarkers landing switch in powder and hucking off cliffs like our alpine counterparts, while at the same time, keeping with that level of coolness that telemark skiers will always have. By this I mean the turn! Check out the promo video below (It is only the footage I have right now, but more is on the way!) Catch Ya Later!!!