Are there any hippies out there that have returned to telemark and backcountry skiing? I would love to hear from you. I am scheduled for resurfacing in January and I hope to return to tele skiing next winter. I know that tele is hard on the hips as is skinning uphill in the backcountry. Not so much in terms of impact but more the amount of flexion involved.

Thanks,
Amy

Hi Amy,

It has been many years since I was on a pair of skis, but I did a lot in my younger days growing up in Sweden, so I know what it takes.  I am confident that you will be able to return to skiing after you heal from your resurfacing.

I had my hip done about a little over three years ago, and I am very confident that you will be back strong. I do not tele, but I do ski eight hours a day all winter. I have done a fair amount of boot packing through deep snow to access sidestashes, and heli ski every year which involves a fair amount of tromping around in deep snow. Boot packing up the ridges has got to be at least as hard on the hips as skinning. As part of my fall training, I do a lot of lunges with light weights, which would mimic the tele turn. The only thing that I found slightly uncomfortable for the first year or so, was skating on skis. Somehow the push out to the side stressed some of the scar tissue, but no problem with the joint.
I see no reason that you will not be up to your nose in powder next winter, with a huge grin.

Hi John,
I have read many of your posts and it sounds like you are really putting the hip to test! I think you are in Idaho - one of my favorite places in the world! I would imagine that there have to be some other tele hippies out there because there are alot of hippies in the mountain states ( I saw that Dr. Gross has done 55 people from Colorado alone!). I am scheduled for bilateral with him in late January but I am still unsure of whether I am going to do both hips.

Although I would love to get back to trail running again, I would happy give that up so long as I can still backcountry ski and hike. My true love is spending hours making turns in fresh powder on a bluebird day in the Colorado backcountry...after a good long skin up the trail sweating my brains out!  :D I've done many hut trips here in CO and hope to get back to that again at some point. I just don't know anyone else with a metal hip who is into backcountry skiing - I've  known a few mountaineers however.
Anyway, I'm glad to hear things continue to go well for you. Hope you get lots of fresh snow soon!

Amy

Hello,
i had my surgery in september and my goal is late february for hitting the skin track.  i have zero concerns about skiing in the backcountry, nor should you.  Skinning is such a fluid motion even when you are breaking trail.  Frankly, i found skinning hurt less than walking before my surgery and laying turns in perfect pow is easier on the body than damn near anything.  i lived in Alta and Mammoth Lakes and got to the point where I rarely rode a chairlift, there is nothing better than looking down a 3000 ft couloir or a huge open face with no one around but your partner(s). 

I now live about an hour outside of tahoe and missed most of last season's epic snow year trying to recover from a useless hip scope.  Looking forward to curing my withdrawl symptoms soon!  My wife is not only one of my most reliable backcountry partners but she is also my PT so I have no choice but to be highly motivated!

Hi Bryan,
Thanks for your post. That is great news to hear. I am hoping that as Dr. Gross says, anything you can do before surgery you can do after so I will be back to backcountry skiing, etc next year.
I am hoping to get a few turns in this winter before my surgery.I had some injections about a month ago that have proved to be quite successful in managing my pain so I may be able to do some easy skinning in the meantime.

I agree though - anything seems to be easier than walking when you have a bad hip!

I have not had my surgery yet by my Surgeon told me I would be able to water ski again.  Actually that is how I hurt my hip but I'm really looking forward to it.  There are may helpful articles on this site about really serious athletes post surgery.  I'm looking forward to the post recovery experience to rebuild my muscles and go back to activities I am no longer able to do.