Behind the Cover - FREESKIER Volume 29 Issue 1

Featured Image: Rocko Menzyk | Skier : Blake Wilson | Location : Alta Ski Area, UT

The latest edition of FREESKIER Magazine, Volume 29 Issue 1—the almighty Buyer's Guide is here, packed with the best 2027 gear reviews and the finest photography in skiing. If you didn't get a copy delivered to your mailbox, you can find it at ski shops, retailers, bookstores and more.

On the cover, we're extremely proud to feature Blake Wilson as captured by Rocko Menzyk at Alta Ski Area, Utah. Wilson has been shredding the steeps of Little Cottonwood Canyon for a decade, with Menzyk having shot for Alta just as long. It's each of their first cover appearances, and there are few other skier-photographer duos we'd rather shine a light on.

The 2025/26 season was defined by poor snow in the American West, making this mid-winter storm that much sweeter. The wind howled, and the snow piled up as the pair nabbed this epic shot of Wilson bulldozing his way through a secret stash at the resort. Get the inside scoop on how it all came together in this installment of Behind the Cover.

FREESKIER: Congrats on the cover, fellas! If I'm not mistaken, this is the first time either of you has landed a cover. How does it feel?

Blake Wilson: It feels... unreal. I had my first photo published in print last winter in a Swiss Freeski mag. I was hyped to just get a photo, so to land a cover is huge. Especially a FREESKIER cover, which was my bible growing up. I would literally study the Buyer's Guide every year.

Side note, I actually got in huge trouble in high school for filming and posting a naked backflip train with my friends as a McConkey tribute. I sent the video to the former FREESKIER Editor-In-Chief, Henrik Lampert, and he posted it on the site with the direct quote from my email [Laughs]. The Dean of Students put me on probation.

Rocko Menzyk: I couldn't agree more; the fact that it’s a cover for FREESKIER just seems surreal. I submit to mags every year, and usually only get a little bit of love, so honestly, the thought of a cover was something that had slipped further and further back in my mind. I couldn't be more stoked.

The day you got this photo, what was the mood? What were conditions like in the days or weeks leading up to it?

BW: The season had been pretty bad leading up to this storm. I mean, on Christmas day we all snowbladed as it poured rain all the way up the mountain, so we were overdue for a vibe boost. February rolled around and we had a couple storms on the radar, but initial forecasts favored Wyoming. My good brother Grant Howard and I sent it up to Jackson Hole on a whim after work the day they ran Kings and Queens of Corbet's. We got a few sick days of skiing in, but then the forecast pivoted and Utah got slammed.

We headed south, worked two days and then got the day off to finally enjoy some snow. Avy conditions were pretty unpredictable, and Rocko had hit me up to shoot inbounds [at Alta], so we ended up rolling with that plan. Despite the typical Little Cottonwood traffic battle, we met Rocko early. It was dumping and was supposed to snow all day. We were stoking as we loaded Wildcat early. 

RM: This was our one significant storm in February, but it sure did provide. The storm came in hot, snowing four inches an hour, with significant winds. Even while tucked into the trees, the visibility was bad. We shot two laps before bailing due to tough conditions, and I went to ditch my camera pack, unsure if we even got anything worthy that morning. 

As I was loading the chair to go get some laps of my own, I met up with the legend, Lee Cohen . We bonded over how hard the shooting was and how neither of us knew if we had gotten anything good! We then proceeded to have our best laps of the year, shortly before the resort shut down early for the day due to weather. Turns out, we got a few worthwhile frames.

Was this a quick storm, or a multi-day event? 

BW: It was a three-day window in late February, and originally the forecast predicted maybe 12-18 inches over three days. But the models started pumping out some crazy numbers as it got closer. The storm came in perfectly, warm at first to bond, then super cold. It ended up dropping four feet over four days. The 18th was the strongest day of the storm. It snowed 31 inches in 24 hours. That was the day we shot the cover image. There were so many cars stuck in wind drifts in the Alta parking lot. I have a video of snow going over the roof of my truck while driving out of the lot that day. 

RM: This was a quick hitter compared to some Wasatch storms. We had gotten a slight refresh the day prior, which set it up well, but this storm came in like no other did last season. This photo certainly came during the apex of it all.

The cover in question - FREESKIER Volume 29 Issue 1

Do you remember the specific run this shot was on? 

BW: I'm not sure; I think it was in the Westward Ho?

RM: Yeah, Westward Ho off the famous Wildcat chair. I’m not sure of the exact name of the run, but this whole zone is one of my favorite places at Alta to find contrast in the trees for storm-day shooting, which we needed on a day like that.

BW: Seriously. The snow was crazy. It was a warzone out there. Planning a run was pretty hard. We couldn’t shoot anything in the open because the shots were blown out from the snow, so we were trying to stay tight to the trees [Laughs]. None of us thought we were crushing it. We were all thinking, “What are we even doing?” Rocko could barely see through the lens, so we all kinda shrugged, expecting that we didn't get any shots and went to do some soul shredding before they shut it down. 

Give me one word to describe this photo. Why?

BW: Horkel. I don't remember when we started saying it (it's absolutely not a real word), but it's now ingrained in my terminology. It means aggressively skiing pow and trying to get pitted. I'll give you an example in a sentence: “I ripped to the bottom and looked back up at you powder piggies going full turbo horkel through that hallway.”

RM: I'll go with Serendipity. After all my years shooting at Alta, through some truly incredible seasons, I never expected a moment like this to come together—especially during a lackluster winter.

You've each shot with tons of talented photographers and skiers. What’s your favorite part about shooting with each other?

BW: Rocko is a weapon. We call him the rocket man, and the two of us have been friends since college. To be honest, I am terrible at planning days to shoot still photos. I focus a lot on the video side of media, and Rocko rightfully gives me tons of shit for this. He definitely understands the magic of photos, and it's a great reminder.

My preferred method for taking photos is pretty run-and-gun, making sure to stay mobile. Rocko excels at this style, so I really like getting out with him because he's always down to try anything with no bias or expectations. Rocko and I are trying to plan out some cool photo stuff this winter, so keep an eye out for that.

RM: There are so many things to like about Blake. As a person, he’s hilarious to be around and it’s never too serious—we just try and have fun. As a skier, Blake is someone you can trust. He’s going to ski anything well and he always brings a vision to the table. My preferred way of working with an athlete is to make it collaborative, and that's exactly what this was.

One run at Alta to ski for the rest of your life?

BW: I'd pick the zone where this cover photo was shot, Westward Ho. When the snow is good, it's the best place ever. When the snow is bad, it's still insanely fun to find different jib laps and hits. Bonus—you get to lap it from the best lift: Wildcat, or Kitty as we call it. 

RM: For me, it's got to be the classic Highboy. That's what Lee and I skied that day, and when there's pow, it’s the best run in the world. The sustained pitch it provides has given me some of my best Alta runs over the years. Whether it’s pow, chalk or spring bumps, Highboy never disappoints.

The question the people care about: personal record for Alta Bombs put down in one patio session?

BW: This might ruffle some feathers, and I hope it does. I’ve only had one Alta Bomb ever. Not really my thing. Mostly you'll find me out shredding when the lifts are spinning. Ski bell to bell, rip a Highboy lap with your dawgs to end the day, and then drink beers in the lot—you know da rulez.

RM: In the early days of bombs, I was able to put down three in a sitting. I wouldn’t recommend it. Side effects include skiing better than you ever have and potentially ending with a trip to the P-Dog.

Stay tuned as we drop stories and gear reviews from FREESKIER 29.1 right here on the website, or hit the open road and find a copy of the magazine near you!