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An integrated pole-to-ski coupling arrangement that provides coupling formations on a ski pole and ski that releasably connect the pole and ski to create a unitary ski-pole combination that leaves the rear tail of the ski clear and unencumbered. A pole coupling formation may be placed on either the

An integrated pole-to-ski coupling arrangement that provides coupling formations on a ski pole and ski that releasably connect the pole and ski to create a unitary ski-pole combination that leaves the rear tail of the ski clear and unencumbered. A pole coupling formation may be placed on either the shaft or the grip of the pole, and a ski coupling formation may be placed on the boot bindings or attachments thereto. Optionally, the surface formation of the boot bindings may be employed as ski coupling formations. Multiple pole and ski coupling formations allow for a secure and rigid connection.

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1. An integrated pole-to-ski coupling arrangement comprising: a first pole coupling formation, said first pole coupling formation being operable to attach to a single ski pole, and said first pole coupling formation being operable to releasably couple the ski pole to a first ski coupling formation a

1. An integrated pole-to-ski coupling arrangement comprising: a first pole coupling formation, said first pole coupling formation being operable to attach to a single ski pole, and said first pole coupling formation being operable to releasably couple the ski pole to a first ski coupling formation attached to a single ski having a rear tail, wherein the rear tail of the ski is clear and unencumbered when the first pole coupling formation and first ski coupling formation couple together to releasably couple the ski pole to the ski, wherein the ski pole is substantially parallel to the ski, said ski pole can be used as a handle to lift and move the ski, and said coupling formations are arranged such that the pole is immobilized sufficiently to permit movement of the ski and the ski pole with six degrees of freedom after said coupling. 2. The coupling arrangement of claim 1, wherein said first pole coupling formation is on a grip of the ski pole. 3. The coupling arrangement of claim 1, wherein said first pole coupling formation is attached to a shaft of the ski pole. 4. The coupling arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first ski coupling formation is on a binding group. 5. The coupling arrangement of claim 4, wherein the first ski coupling formation is on a front binding. 6. The coupling arrangement of claim 4, wherein the first ski coupling formation is on a rear binding. 7. The coupling arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a second pole coupling formation operable to attach to the ski pole having a grip and a shaft, and operable to releasably couple to a second ski coupling formation attached to the ski. 8. The coupling arrangement of claim 7, wherein said first pole coupling formation is on the grip of the pole. 9. The coupling arrangement of claim 7, wherein the first pole coupling formation is attached to the shaft of the pole. 10. The coupling arrangement of claim 7, wherein the first ski coupling formation is on a front binding and the second ski coupling formation is on a rear binding. 11. The coupling arrangement of claim 10 wherein the first ski coupling formation includes surfaces on a toe piece shroud of the front binding and the second ski coupling formation includes surfaces on a heel piece release lever of the rear binding. 12. The coupling arrangement of claim 10 wherein the first ski coupling formation includes surfaces on a toe securing abutment of the front binding and the second ski coupling formation includes surfaces on a heel piece release lever of the rear binding. 13. An integrated pole-to-ski coupling arrangement comprising: a single ski pole, said ski pole including a shaft and a grip; anda pole coupling formation attached to said ski pole;said pole coupling formation being operable to releasably couple said ski pole to a ski coupling formation attached to a single ski, wherein a rear tail of the ski is clear and unencumbered when the pole coupling formation and ski coupling formation couple together to releasably couple the ski pole to the ski, wherein the ski pole is substantially parallel to the ski, said ski pole can be used as a handle to lift and move the ski, and said coupling formations are arranged such that the pole is immobilized sufficiently to permit movement of the ski and the ski pole with six degrees of freedom after said coupling. 14. The coupling arrangement of claim 13, wherein the pole coupling formation is on the grip of the ski pole. 15. The coupling arrangement of claim 13, wherein the pole coupling formation is attached to the shaft of the ski pole. 16. The coupling arrangement of claim 13, wherein the ski coupling formation is on a binding group. 17. The coupling arrangement of claim 13, wherein the ski coupling formation is on a front binding. 18. The coupling arrangement of claim 13, wherein the ski coupling formation is on a rear binding. 19. The coupling arrangement of claim 13, further comprising: a plurality of pole coupling formations attached to the ski pole, said pole coupling formations being operable to releasably couple the ski pole to a plurality of ski coupling formations attached to the ski. 20. The coupling arrangement of claim 19, wherein at least one of the pole coupling formations is attached to the shaft of the pole. 21. The coupling arrangement of claim 20, wherein one of the pole coupling formations is on the grip of the pole. 22. The coupling arrangement of claim 19, wherein: said pole coupling formations comprise securing and positioning surfaces on a base;said ski coupling formations comprise securing and positioning surfaces on a base; andsaid pole coupling formations being operable to releasably couple the ski pole to the ski by coupling the securing surfaces of the pole coupling formations to the securing surfaces of the ski coupling formations. 23. The coupling arrangement of claim 19, wherein one of said ski coupling formations is attached to the ski in front of a front binding and one of the ski coupling formations is attached to the ski behind a rear binding. 24. The coupling arrangement of claim 23, wherein rebound from flexion of the ski coupling formations and the ski creates a coupling action between said pole coupling formations and said ski coupling formations. 25. The coupling arrangement of claim 19, wherein one of said ski coupling formations is attached to a front binding and one of the ski coupling formations is attached to a rear binding. 26. The coupling arrangement of claim 25, wherein a spring action exerted by the rear binding creates a coupling action between the pole coupling formations, the front binding, and the rear binding. 27. The coupling arrangement of claim 19, wherein said pole coupling formations are separated from one another by a distance that is substantially equal to a distance between the ski coupling formations. 28. The coupling arrangement of claim 27, wherein the distance between said ski coupling formations is determined by the length of a user's ski boot. 29. The coupling arrangement of claim 20, wherein the shaft of the pole is placed in compression by said pole coupling formations while said pole coupling formations are coupled to said ski coupling formations. 30. The coupling arrangement of claim 19, wherein the shaft of the pole is placed in tension by the pole coupling formations while said pole coupling formations are coupled to said ski coupling formations. 31. The coupling arrangement of claim 19, wherein the grip of the pole is placed in compression by said pole coupling formations while said pole coupling formations are coupled to said ski coupling formations. 32. The coupling arrangement of claim 19, wherein the shaft of the pole is neither compressed nor tensioned by the pole coupling formations while the pole coupling formations are coupled to said ski coupling formations. 33. The coupling arrangement of claim 19, wherein said pole coupling formations and said ski coupling formations comprise a coupling means selected from the group consisting of catches, clips, fasteners, snaps, hook and loop fasteners, ball and socket connectors, and magnets. 34. An integrated pole-to-ski coupling arrangement comprising: a ski coupling formation attached to a single ski including a rear tail, said ski coupling formation being operable to releasably couple a shaft of a single ski pole to the ski, wherein the rear tail of the ski is clear and unencumbered when the ski coupling formation releasably couples the ski pole to the ski, wherein the ski pole is substantially parallel to the ski, said ski pole can be used as a handle to lift and move the ski, and said coupling formations are arranged such that the pole is immobilized sufficiently to permit movement of the ski and the ski pole with six degrees of freedom after said coupling. 35. The coupling arrangement of claim 34, further comprising: a base, said base attached to the ski;wherein said ski coupling formation includes securing and positioning surfaces on said base. 36. The coupling arrangement of claim 35, wherein said base is on a binding. 37. The coupling arrangement of claim 36, wherein said base is selected from the group comprising a front binding and a rear binding. 38. The coupling arrangement of claim 34, wherein at least one ski coupling formation is releasably coupled to one or more ski pole coupling formations by at least one of the group comprising catches, clips, hook and loop fasteners, fasteners, snaps, ball and socket connectors, and magnets. 39. The coupling arrangement of claim 34, further comprising: a plurality of pole coupling formations attached to the shaft of the ski pole. 40. The coupling arrangement of claim 36, wherein the binding comprises a clamp that is operable to receive the shaft of the ski pole. 41. The coupling arrangement of claim 37, wherein the pole coupling formations are separated from one another by a distance that is substantially equal to the length of the distance between the front binding and the rear binding. 42. An integrated pole-to-ski coupling arrangement comprising: a single ski pole, said ski pole including a shaft and a grip;first and second pole coupling formations attached to said ski pole, wherein said second pole coupling formation is attached to the shaft of said pole; andfront and rear ski coupling formations on a binding group having a front binding and a rear binding attached to a single ski including a rear tail, wherein said front ski coupling formation is on the front binding and the rear ski coupling formation is on the rear binding;wherein said ski coupling formations and said pole coupling formations are operable to releasably couple said pole to the ski, wherein the rear tail of the ski is clear and unencumbered when the pole coupling and ski coupling formations releasably couple said pole to the ski, wherein the ski pole is substantially parallel to the ski, said ski pole can be used as a handle to lift and move the ski, and said coupling formations are arranged such that the pole is immobilized sufficiently to permit movement of the ski and the ski pole with six degrees of freedom after said coupling. 43. The coupling arrangement of claim 42, further comprising: said front ski coupling formation including a positioning surface and a securing surface;one of said pole coupling formations having a positioning surface and a securing surface adapted to couple to said front ski coupling formation;wherein said pole coupling formation couples to said front binding by sliding said positioning surfaces over one another to secure said securing surfaces. 44. The coupling arrangement of claim 43, further comprising: said positioning surface of said front ski coupling formation comprising a shroud bevel;said securing surface of said front ski coupling formation being a shroud lip;said positioning surface and said securing surface of said second pole coupling formation comprising a beveled tooth. 45. The coupling arrangement of claim 43, further comprising: said positioning surface of said front ski coupling formation being a toe guiding bevel;said securing surface of said front ski coupling formation being a toe securing lip; andsaid positioning surface and said securing surface of said pole coupling formation being a dual toothed curvature. 46. The coupling arrangement of claim 43, further comprising: said positioning surface of said front ski coupling formation being a striker;said securing surface of said front ski coupling formation being a slot; andsaid positioning surface and said securing surface of said pole coupling formation comprising a bolt. 47. The coupling arrangement of claim 43, further comprising: said positioning surface of said front ski coupling formation being a rounded striker;said securing surface of said front ski coupling formation being a rounded slot; andsaid positioning surface and said securing surface of said pole coupling formation comprising a rounded bolt. 48. The coupling arrangement of claim 42, further comprising: said positioning surface of said rear ski coupling formation being at least one of a heel guiding bevel and a heel piece release lever;said securing surface of said rear ski coupling formation being a heel securing lip; andsaid positioning surface and said securing surface of said first pole coupling formation being a canted seat lying above a contact avoidance recess.