Any of you guys telemarkers?
Yes. I learned to telemark when I lived back East and was generally bored to tears with ski conditions most days - Groomers and maybe some moguls. (Glades are not often skiable in New England all that often outside Northern Vermont).
So, my goal was to learn how to telemark through moguls. I have a very alpine skiing, resort-oriented setup to handle icy bumps. Backcountry - not so much.
In the US, telemark skiing was at one point more popular than AT skiing in the 1990s since touring gear was not quite as advanced then.
Also, Crested Butte, Telluride, etc had a huge telemark culture. I think there was even a Telemark magazine at one point.
A lot of this had disappeared as AT Touring gear assumed dominance. Also, it's easier than telemarking. Less effort and balance are required going downhill.
I am more often on downhill equipment because it's easier and more dependable on terrain such as couloirs, trees, and very exposed steeps. Telemarking is now something to do on off days or skiing with mixed abilities. Also, I am not going to pack a second setup for ski trips - too much gear. If I still lived on the East Coast, I might spend most of my time on tele skis.
Some articles hypothesize that the "Golden Age" of telemarking in the United States—and possibly worldwide—is over.