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The Bear Valley Telemark Festival is the largest and most celebrated freeheel event on the West Coast! Come experience the thrills of telemark skiing during 3 days of education, festivities and community. It doesn't matter if you are new or wise to the freeheel ways; all ages and abilities are welcome.

Bear Valley is tucked high in the Central Sierra Nevada above 7000 feet and is the ideal location to host this unique and inspiring event. Bear Valley is a great ski area with a small alpine village, so festival attendees literally get the feeling that freeheelers are in the majority during the festival.

HISTORY:

The first BVTF was held in 1997 out of a rented house when 14 people attended and 3 MAS telemark instructors were on hand to teach, clinic, cook, clean and entertain. The groups camaraderie fueled an energy that made the days seem to pass seamlessly and effortlessly. At the end of the weekend we were exhausted but inspired, so we decided to host another festival the following year.

Well the Bear Valley Telemark Festival hasn't slowed down and now is one of the premier telemark ski events in the country. For many people the festival serves as a centerpiece of the winter season.  We view the festival as a time to gather and celebrate in the spirit of freeheel skiing.

Today the Bear Valley Telemark Festival welcomes around 250 freeheel skiers over three days. This event is truly the highlight of the MAS winter season and we look forward to seeing many old and new friends each year.  We hope you can join us during the Bear Valley Telemark Festival.

THE GREEN OBJECTIVE:
As the Bear Valley Telemark Festival grows each year, so does its dedication to being a low impact event.

For example:

• carpooling is encouraged with special website dedicated
• event t-shirt is made from organic cotton
• name tags are recycled each year
• only durable or compost-able cups
• all meals are served on porcelain plates and real silverware with cloth napkins
• dinner menus are created from primarily organic food items
• banquet beer and wine come from sustainable and/or local providers
• compost food waste from the festival banquet. In 2007 we only threw 1.5 bags of trash into the dumpster after feeding 250 people! 
• online registration reduces paper use

In addition:

As always we rely on the feedback we get from participants, vendors and staff on our environmental efforts.  Your awareness inspires our action, and we are dedicated to improvement.  Please feel free to send ideas!  Thank You.

Cheers to The Freeheelers,
MAS

Interested in sharing a ride with fellow festival goers? We have setup an account on a community bulletin board to assist folks in connecting for carpooling opportunities. It's easy to create an account and our group password is "telemark".

Families are welcome. If both parents want to participate in festival events please contact us to customize a package. We can mix and match events so that you can ski and tag team the kids in the resort's play room. We can't provide childcare, but we can offer patience and a easy way for BOTH of you to get some turns and take advantage of the festival offerings.

February 5-7, 2010 - Join MAS for the 14th Annual Bear Valley Telemark Festival for three days of technical clinics, free-skiing adventures, live music, banquets, demos, backcountry skiing, tons of prizes and of course lots of fun. Pre-registration is strongly recommended as many events sell out. This year we are teaming up with the Bear Valley Lodge and Bear Valley Vacation Rentals to offer supper deals on lodging and event packages. This is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the festival and raise your skiing to next level! All attendees receive an event swag and discounted lift tickets for $49* (save $10!). All other events such as food are open to all folks.

Festival Events (+ 2 & 3 Day Packages):

• Discounted Lift Tickets
• Friday Instructional Workshops
• Apres' Ski (Dinner & Drinks) + Open Mic @ 5:30 PM (come share a tune or tale with us)
• Saturday Events
  • 50/50 Festival Fun
  • Instructional Intensive Track
  • Instructional Clinic
  • Freeheel Adventures
  • Demo Pass
  • Costume Parade & Contest
  • Home Run
  • Saturday Banquet (dinner, slideshow, monsterous give-away, live music & dancing)
• Sunday Backcountry Tours
• Sunday Telemark Clinics & Adventures

Discounted Lift Tickets - $49 (regularly $59)

Friday - All-Day Telemark Workshops ($85)
9:30 AM - 3:30 PM (Beginning-Expert)
Spend the day learning from the best instructors in the business and raise your skiing skills to the next level! After a morning warm-up run groups are formed into similar abilities. Instructors will then focus on skills appropriate for the group and provide personal feedback. After lunch groups switch instructors and continue building and practicing new skills until 3:30 PM.

Saturday Events: Saturday is the big day with two 2-hour telemark clinics, ski and boot demos, free-skiing adventures, costume contest & prizes. Saturday's clinic topics and schedule.

50/50 Festival Fun ($50)
Participate in one 2-hour Telemark Clinic and one "Freeheel Adventure" with extra time for demos and the costume contest.

Instructional Intensive: ($60)
An intense day with two 2-hour Telemark Clinics including demos and costume contest.

Instructional Clinic: ($30)
Participate in on 2-hour Telemark Clinic including demos and costume parade.

Saturday Freeheel Adventures ($20)
Join local skiers to explore the goods of Bear Valley Mountain and have fun with fellow festival participants.

Demo Pass ($10)
Take advantage of the numerous demo ski and boot opportunities.

Costume Parade & Contest (FREE for all festival participants)
Strut your stuff and express your freeheel freedom and creativity. Prizes will be awarded based on audience appreciation.

Saturday "Home Run" 4 PM: (FREE)
Strong intermediate skiers and above are welcome to join festival instructors at the top of the mountain for a group / guided ski run back to the Bear Valley Village (conditions permitting).

Sunday Telemark Clinics: $30 (2 hours) / $50 (4 hours)
2 hour group lessons start at 10 AM and 1 PM.  Groups will be divided into skiing abilities and limited to 8 students per 1 instructor.  Don't miss this golden opportunity to keep improving your telemark skills.

Sunday Backcountry Tour: $50
Spend a memorable day in the backcountry with professional guides in search of the best snow while learning valuable skills and enjoying the company of other telemark enthusiasts. All participants need to be at the festival site at the ski area by 9 AM. Trailhead shuttle buses leave the ski area at 9 AM and you can expect to return between 3:30 - 4 PM.

Sunday Freeheel Adventures ($20)
Interested in simply skiing with fellow freeheelers and exploring the goods of Bear Valley Mountain? Well that's what this offering is all about. Join local skiers and hit the slopes in search of primo snow.

All registrations should go through either our Online Registration Form or mail/fax a PDF Registration Form (available after 11/4/09). We discourage taking reservations over the phone or else we would never get a chance to go skiing. If you would prefer a "pen & paper" mode of registration contact us and we will mail or fax you a registration form.

These company's contribute generously to the festival. Please visit and support these folks.

• Bear Valley Map (68K)
• 2009 Saturday Clinic Topics (88K)
• 2009 Saturday Clinic Schedule (43K)