Bill Tuthill wrote:
My principal gripe is that my skis are heavier than I'd like
for carrying from my car to the lift.

Silly. How much time do you spend walking with skis compared to skiing
on a given ski day. (FWIW, you should be more worried about your boot
soles wearing on the pavement than your ski weight - sole wear will
prematurely wreck your boots.)

Long ago I noticed that Telemark and AT (alpine touring) skis
weigh less than downhill skis of any type.

What would happen if I put downhill bindings (e.g. Marker 13.0)
on good telemark skis such as Atomic TM:X or Fischer Stingrays?
One bonus is that these models cost less than most downhill skis.

Or what about an AT ski such as the K2 Shuksan? I've seen those
at Kirkwood, but neglected to ask the owners about them.

I've got telemark skis (Piste Stinx) mounted with AT bindings (Fritschi
FreeRides) with no trouble. Lots of combinations work. If you're
uncertain of a particular combination, ask your carefully curried shop
technician for guidance (you know the tech I mean - the guy you bring
beer to in the spring as a token of your appreciation throughout the year.)