Behind the Cover - FREESKIER Volume 28 Issue 1

Featured Image: Daniel Rönnbäck | Skier: Sammy Carlson

The latest edition of FREESKIER Magazine, Volume 28 Buyer's Guide, is here. If you didn't get a copy delivered to your mailbox, you can find it at ski shops, retailers, book stores and more. On the cover, we're honored to feature Sammy Carlson as photographed by Daniel Rönnbäck deep in the Canadian wilderness. There's more to this shot than meets the eye, as Rönnbäck explains the trials and tribulations that went into capturing this idyllic turn in this installment of Behind the Cover.

Rönnbäck: I had been in Canada for nearly four weeks. Sammy and I always seem to find the goods when we get out there. While this was a long trip, one month feels like no time at all when you’re skiing pow with your friends! Our journey began with a successful heli ski mission at Kingfisher Heli. It was five days of riding nothing but powder under sunny blue skies. You can’t draw it up any better.

From there, we went straight into a remote winter camping trip deep in the interior of British Columbia. Together with the samurai Vinzez Keller and legendary filmer Sean Logan, we hopped on sleds and headed out. But our hopes were short-lived, as it soon became clear to us that while there was plenty of deep snow, the snowpack was in poor shape. We had to turn around.

Sammy C checks the unstable snow pack (left). The iconic skier, photog duo are all smiles (right)

After a few days of letting the snow rest, we decided to go out and try to find safe conditions that hadn’t been affected by wind or sun. On our last day of the trip, we found this beautiful mountainside. The snowpack was stable, the whole area was backlit lit and there was a patch of fresh snow that had been preserved just for us. It felt like finding a needle in a haystack!

Sammy has one of the best-looking turns I’ve ever shot. It’s always a pleasure to watch. His Whitewalker 116s let him carve every inch of the turn radius while still staying afloat in the deep end. I knew he would lace up a perfect turn on this face, and he did just that. It was proof that good things happen with patience and good decisions. Though we ended up scoring some truly deep Canadian pow, I’m glad this shot landed on the cover of FREESKIER, because the conditions were against us on this part of the trip, but we never lost hope and found the silver lining.

Catch Armada's 2025 team film this fall; a two-year project that blends art, skiing, music and cinematography like few have attempted. The "ORNADA" Live Experience Tour begins October 25 in Salt Lake City. Click here for tour dates and ticket information.