Cliff skiing, Alta, Snowbird, Solitude. 2019

02:44 min • 13/04/2019

Just a complation of my skiing from this 2019 ski season at solitude, snowbird, alta, bogus basin and brundage ID.

Athletes

Henry ZakowSki

Locations

Snowbird Solitude Mountain Resort

Henry ZakowSki

Profile and significance

Henry Zakowski is a Utah-based freeride skier and coach whose reputation has grown through real-world resort footage, credible results on the Freeride World Tour Qualifier/Challenger pathway, and a clear, instructional voice in his edits. Most winters he stacks laps in the Wasatch—especially at Alta Ski Area, Solitude Mountain Resort, and Snowbird—showing how to read firm “low-tide” conditions as well as storm days. In the Southern Hemisphere he’s spent seasons at The Remarkables in Queenstown, splitting time between coaching and competition. The appeal is simple and durable: readable difficulty. His lines make sense at full speed because approaches are squared early, grabs and slashes are functional, and landings preserve enough speed to keep the run breathing.

Zakowski’s growing footprint includes Challenger-level recognition from the Freeride World Tour and interviews or laps with visiting media crews that highlighted his resort craft on less-than-ideal snow. He also appears frequently in brand and shop content, where the tone matches the skiing: practical, unhurried, and built on decisions viewers can copy the next day.

Competitive arc and key venues

His competitive beat follows the modern freeride ladder. As a junior he logged IFSA regional results, then moved into the North American Qualifier circuit before earning selection to the FWT Challenger roster for Region 2. A key result arrived in Queenstown with a podium at the North Face Frontier 4* in 2023, where a composed run featuring clean 360s and a controlled double-drop sequence put him on the box. Those days on the Remarkables became a proving ground, letting him balance athlete starts with coaching responsibilities and film days.

Venue context explains the toolkit. The Wasatch rewards edge honesty and quick decisions: narrow chutes off the Collins side at Alta, chalky bowls and wind features at Snowbird, and traverse-accessed terrain at Solitude where speed control is non-negotiable. In New Zealand, The Remarkables compresses big choices into short runways and variable snowpacks, a great filter for approach mechanics and landing shape. Together, these places shaped a skier whose competition lines and everyday edits read the same: tidy, decisive, and momentum-forward.

How they ski: what to watch for

Zakowski skis with deliberate economy. Approaches square up early; hands stay quiet; the stance is tall and patient. In steep, featured terrain he favors functional direction changes over drama—hip checks become slashes that reset angle without killing speed. When he spins in the wild, rotations are measured and landings finish over the feet rather than as saves. On natural airs, he “finishes” the move early enough to ride out composed, which keeps the next decision on time even in tight terrain.

If you study his clips, two cues stand out. First, spacing: each move creates room for the next one, so the line feels like a sentence rather than disconnected words. Second, speed protection: he trims just enough at the entry to land centered and moving, which is why his run shape holds up from first feature to last.

Resilience, filming, and influence

Freeride seasons demand patience—storm cycles, chalk weeks, rebuilds after slides, and the judgment to downshift when the snowpack won’t cooperate. Zakowski leans into that rhythm. His edits consciously include “low-tide” days to show how strong skiers solve firm snow, sidewalls, and sharky runouts, turning resort reality into teaching moments. He’s also worked through injury interruptions, returning to the same fundamentals—entry angle, early commitment, centered exits—that make his skiing readable on camera. That clarity is why his clips travel: editors don’t need fast cuts to hide mistakes, and viewers can see the trick math in real time.

Because the approach is teachable, it spreads. Local freeriders borrow his habit of making small, on-purpose speed checks; coaches reference his grab and landing timing when translating park skills to natural terrain; and aspiring competitors study how he strings decisions together so judges and cameras can follow the story.

Geography that built the toolkit

Place is the skeleton of his skiing. The Wasatch provides density—short hikes to consequential entries, traverse culture, and a mix of wind-buffed faces and tracked-out bowls—so repetition turns into habit quickly at Alta, Snowbird, and Solitude. Queenstown adds another classroom: lift-served ridgelines and classic chutes at The Remarkables where consequence rises even when coverage is thin. That Wasatch–Southern Hemisphere loop explains why his skiing survives different snowpacks and feature shapes without changing its identity.

Equipment and partners: practical takeaways

Zakowski’s kit mirrors his priorities. As a Pret Helmets athlete, he emphasizes low-drama protection that disappears in use, and his outerwear choices with Flylow Gear lean toward weatherproof mobility for long days in variable conditions. In New Zealand seasons he has ridden Rossignol freeride setups—predictable platforms that reward centered landings and measured takeoffs. For progressing skiers the lesson is category fit over model names: choose a versatile freeride ski you can steer from the middle, keep bases fast so cadence doesn’t depend on perfect snow, detune just enough to avoid hookiness in refrozen features, and treat every slash or grab as a control input rather than decoration.

Why fans and progressing skiers care

Henry Zakowski matters because he turns everyday freeride into a blueprint. Challenger credentials and a Queenstown podium prove the ceiling, but the real value is how his skiing reads at normal speed on the same resorts many of us ride. If you want to learn what “good decisions” look like when conditions aren’t perfect, watch his Wasatch laps and Remarkables clips: early commitments, landings that keep momentum alive, and lines that hold their shape all the way to the outrun.

Snowbird

Overview and significance

Snowbird, in Utah’s Little Cottonwood Canyon, is a big–mountain benchmark for North American freeskiing. The resort combines 3,000+ vertical feet, roughly 2,500 acres of in-bounds terrain, and a deep, reliable storm cycle that averages over 500 inches each winter. The iconic Aerial Tram rises to Hidden Peak near 11,000 feet, putting skiers onto steep faces, chalky ribs, wind-buffed spines, and long fall lines within minutes. The resort’s three primary zones—Peruvian Gulch, Gad Valley, and Mineral Basin—offer different aspects and snow qualities, letting crews hunt for the right texture from first bell through last lap. Thanks to proximity to Salt Lake City International Airport, it’s one of the most accessible “serious terrain” destinations on the continent.

Terrain, snow, and seasons

Peruvian Gulch (frontside, tram-facing) delivers sustained pitches and classic routes off the Cirque with groomers like Regulator Johnson for high-edge-angle days. Gad Valley (looker’s left) mixes glades, gullies, and storm-day hideouts, plus lift lines that keep lapping efficient when visibility is low. Mineral Basin (backside) is a sun-kissed bowl network with rolling groomers, glades, and spring corn laps; it’s accessed from the Tram, from high chairs, or via the Peruvian Tunnel—an in-mountain conveyor that links Peruvian Gulch to the backside while showcasing the canyon’s mining history.

Snow quality is a calling card: canyon geography funnels frequent cold storms that reset surfaces often. Between systems, prevailing winds sculpt upper-mountain aspects into supportive chalk. Typical seasons run from mid/late fall openings into a long spring, often with quality skiing in April and, in strong winters, operations extending into May. High elevation and north-facing pitches help preserve snow; Mineral’s solar aspects flip to buttery corn when the freeze–thaw locks in.

Park infrastructure and events

Snowbird’s DNA is natural terrain, but you’ll also find a progression-focused Woodward Mountain Park off Baldy Express in Mineral Basin, generally set up with small-to-medium jumps and creative jibs when conditions allow—especially in spring. On the freeride side, Snowbird regularly appears on the IFSA calendar with Junior and Qualifier events staged on legitimate big-mountain venues. These competitions give developing athletes real terrain to test line choice, control, and fluidity, and they draw a strong Intermountain field each season.

Access, logistics, and on-mountain flow

From Salt Lake City, the approach is straightforward: I-215 to SR-210 up Little Cottonwood Canyon. Mountain travel is weather-dependent—during active storms or high-traffic periods, the canyon can see traction checks, uphill restrictions, or full closures for avalanche mitigation. Plan your timing, carry appropriate winter gear if you’re driving, and check official road updates before you commit. Interlodge—shelter-in-place orders at canyon lodges during mitigation—is part of the local safety protocol; when it’s called, all outdoor movement pauses until the work is complete.

On-hill flow is simple once you orient to the three zones. For big, continuous laps, take the Tram to Hidden Peak, then drop frontside faces or spin to Mineral Basin. Peruvian Express and the Peruvian Tunnel link Peruvian Gulch to Mineral without a full return to the summit, which is handy when Mineral is skiing best. In Gad Valley, Gadzoom and Gad 2 serve trees, gullies, and shorter storm-cycle laps that hold quality throughout the day. Patrol opens terrain methodically after new snow; following signage and rope lines keeps everyone safe and usually rewards early risers with sequenced openings.

Local culture, safety, and etiquette

Snowbird is a “bring your A-game” mountain that still welcomes progression. In consequential zones off the Cirque or upper Mineral, manage sluff, exposure, and traverse etiquette; give space on rollovers and call your move when merging on traverses. Respect closures—openings are staged for a reason—and keep a partner in sight in trees and tight chutes. The canyon’s avalanche program is robust but weather-driven; be patient on storm mornings. If you plan to tour beyond resort boundaries, treat it as backcountry travel: beacon, shovel, probe, a current avalanche forecast, and conservative decisions. Deep-snow immersion is a real risk on big storm cycles—communicate, regroup often, and avoid solo dives into tight glades.

Best time to go and how to plan

For powder laps and the classic “Wasatch reset,” target mid-winter through February when storm frequency peaks. For sunny, sustained conditions and long top-to-bottom days, late March into April delivers a reliable corn cycle and playful park builds in Mineral Basin. Book ahead on holiday periods, and keep a flexible plan that can pivot with road status or phased terrain openings. Many visitors anchor a trip at Snowbird and add days at neighboring Alta on the same canyon itinerary for variety. Multi-resort passes are honored here in many seasons—useful if you’re stitching together a broader Utah tour.

Why freeskiers care

Few places combine fast vertical access, serious in-bounds terrain, and a storm pattern this reliable. Snowbird’s tram culture gives you real big-mountain reps in a single day: chalk to pow, bowl to chute, tree lap to ridge traverse. The backside’s Mineral Basin brings spring to life with groomer–corn–glade combos, while Gad Valley handles storm-day laps without wasting time. Add the canyon’s safety protocols, a lift network that encourages smart exploration, and a community that lives for deep mornings and long springs, and it’s clear why Snowbird remains a fixture on athlete schedules and film trips alike.

Quick reference (official resources)

Notable athletes & brands linked to this place

Angel Collinson, John Collinson, Julian Carr
Wasatch Powderbird Guides, Black Diamond, DPS Skis

Solitude Mountain Resort

Overview and significance

Solitude Mountain Resort is a powder-forward stronghold in Utah’s Big Cottonwood Canyon, about 30–45 minutes from Salt Lake City. The official mountain stats list a top elevation of 10,488 ft (3,197 m), a base of 7,994 ft (2,437 m), 2,494 ft (760 m) of vertical, roughly 1,200 acres, and 82 named runs with an average of about 500 inches of annual snowfall. The terrain splits across approachable frontside groomers, tight glades, and the signature Honeycomb Canyon—an in-bounds bowl and chute complex that gives Solitude its big-mountain personality. For video context inside our ecosystem, see the dedicated page at skipowd.tv/location/solitude-mountain-resort/, and for operations and planning start with the resort’s official site at solitudemountain.com.

Solitude’s appeal for freeskiers is efficiency plus consequence. You can lap groomers and small-to-medium park features when temps are cold, then translate that speed control to Honeycomb when patrol opens gates. Night skiing isn’t part of the program here; instead, the resort leans into storm-day laps, wind-buffed chalk between systems, and an easygoing village that keeps logistics simple.

Terrain, snow, and seasons

Frontside zones under Apex, Moonbeam, Eagle Express, and Powderhorn set the tone: readable fall lines, rolling benches, and tree shots that hold definition in flat light. Up high, Summit Express is your pivot point. From its ridgeline you can drop toward Sunshine Bowl on the front side when visibility is good, or pass through Honeycomb gates for longer, more serious panels that ski like lift-served backcountry when they’re open. The short Honeycomb Return lift is the key that brings you back toward the network efficiently; on busy days it saves a long traverse.

Storms here are classic Wasatch. Pacific moisture rides inland and stacks quickly on west and northwest flow, with dense-enough snow for shapeable lips during the event and supportable chalk once winds ease. Mid-January through late February typically delivers the most repeatable cold surfaces and refills; March blends blue windows with aspect-driven softening. Solitude often keeps quality well into April thanks to elevation and northerly bowls. For day-to-day targeting, the resort’s conditions, maps, and webcams page includes a Honeycomb camera and gate-status callouts that help you time openings.

Park infrastructure and events

Solitude’s park program is intentionally modest and progression-focused. The resort’s updates outline two zones anchored by Main Street (small-to-medium rails, boxes, and jumps) and a beginner-focused “Upper Tude Dudes” setup with ride-on jibs—designed to build timing and board/edge control without the risk profile of XL features (#SoliParks update). The emphasis is frequency and consistency rather than headline airs. That’s a good fit for crews who want to stack rail mileage before stepping to natural takeoffs in Honeycomb or along wind lips off Powderhorn and Summit.

On the freeride side, Solitude appears on the IFSA calendar with junior big-mountain competitions in appropriate seasons, reflecting a long-standing “big-mountain first” culture nurtured by the resort’s Team Solitude programs (IFSA venue page; Freeride Team).

Access, logistics, and on-mountain flow

Big Cottonwood Canyon (SR-190) is a winter road; treat timing and traction like gear. Before you drive, check UDOT Cottonwood Canyons for road status, traction laws, and closure updates. Parking policies vary by date; the resort’s Getting Here & Parking page details reservation windows, paid/free time slots, carpool perks, and on-mountain lodging parking. If you’d rather skip the car altogether, the seasonal UTA Ski Bus Route 972 links the Midvale Fort Union TRAX station to Solitude and Brighton; details are posted each winter at rideuta.com, and Visit Salt Lake keeps a clear primer on using the ski bus.

Flow tips are straightforward. On storm mornings, start on sheltered frontside benches while patrol works upper control routes; as ceilings lift and ropes drop, move to Summit for Honeycomb gates and link a sequence that returns via Honeycomb Return. When winds rattle the ridge, favor Powderhorn’s trees and Sunshine Bowl’s leeward edges. If light turns flat, reset with groomers off Apex and Moonbeam to calibrate speed, then step back into features. For a full mental map before you go, pull the current winter trail map or the 24/25 PDF and note the Honeycomb access points.

Local culture, safety, and etiquette

Honeycomb skis like real terrain. Respect gate closures and staged openings—patrol times entries for a reason—and call your drop on rollovers and traverses. Inside the resort boundary you’re still in avalanche-managed alpine terrain; outside the boundary it’s true backcountry. If you plan to travel beyond open gates or outside marked areas, start with the Utah Avalanche Center’s Salt Lake forecast, travel with beacon, shovel, and probe, and bring partners who know rescue. On the road, follow traction rules and give plows space; UDOT’s Cottonwood hub posts real-time restrictions and reminders about slide zones and no-parking areas.

In the parks, ride SMART: inspect features, make a plan, look before you drop, respect others’ turns, and take it easy while you dial speed. Most features are small-to-medium by design; keep the lanes clear and leave room for shapers to do quick touch-ups that keep lips and landings consistent for the next lap.

Best time to go and how to plan

Mid-winter (mid-January through late February) is prime for cold storm cycles, reliable groomer speed, and preserved chalk on shaded aspects. March offers blue spells and forgiving landings by aspect, with Honeycomb cycling between winter texture and spring softness depending on wind and overnight freeze. Build flexibility into arrival times when storms are inbound, and always check the resort’s conditions & webcams first thing. If you’re weaving multiple Utah stops together, Solitude is an Ikon Pass destination, which simplifies pairing with other Wasatch resorts; for a region-wide primer, our Utah overview sits at skipowd.tv/location/utah/.

Day plan ideas are simple: warm up on frontside groomers to nail timing and wax speed; take one recon lap through the current park set on Main Street to lock eyes and speed; track patrol’s updates, then aim for Honeycomb gates once they’ve opened. Use Honeycomb Return to keep circuits tight. When winds pick up, pivot to Powderhorn trees; when light improves, step back to Summit for ridge drops. If members of your crew want a change of pace, the Solitude Nordic & Snowshoe Center offers about 20 km of classic and skate-groomed trails just up the canyon.

Why freeskiers care

Because Solitude turns compact logistics into serious laps. You get authentic Wasatch snow, a credible bowl-and-chute zone in Honeycomb, trees and benches that keep definition when the sky goes flat, and a small-to-medium park program that supports real progression without stealing the day. Add clear road and safety guidance, a sensible parking and transit setup, and quick-hit access from a major airport, and Solitude becomes a high-yield base for storm chasing, filming, and skill-building all winter.

Brand overview and significance

Pret Helmets is a Park City, Utah–born protection brand focused on lightweight, low-profile ski and snowboard helmets—and, more recently, integrated goggles. Founded in 2010 and shaped by riders and engineers from the Wasatch community, Pret’s calling card is fit and feel: helmets that “disappear” in use yet meet modern safety expectations. Within freeski culture, the company shows up on storm days in Little and Big Cottonwood, on park laps, and in backcountry zones where long approaches and rapid transitions punish heavy or poorly ventilated lids. For Skipowd readers, our curated hub for Pret Helmets pulls together rider edits and place context tied to the brand.

Pret’s significance comes from consistent execution across core details—impact management, micro-adjust fit, vent tuning, and goggle integration—rather than loud shapes or gimmicks. The result is gear that many skiers adopt for everyday resort mileage and sidecountry missions alike.

Product lines and key technologies

The lineup is organized by use and fit. Men’s families include Cirque X (feature-rich all-mountain), Fury X (pro-level, quick-adjust vents), Cynic / Cynic X2 (ultra-light, low-profile), and Epic (value with key tech). Women’s counterparts include Corona X, Vision X, Lyric X2, and Sol, with the Moxie covering kids. Across the board, every Pret snow helmet ships with Mips® rotational impact protection, and many models use Pret’s ACT (Advanced Composite Technology) in-mold multi-shell construction—overlapping polycarbonate plates that reinforce critical zones while keeping weight low. Fit is handled by the Ripcord360 (RCS) system, a full-wrap micro-adjust that offers about 4 cm of range and instant quick-release. Venting is model-dependent via VTT (Vent Tuning Technology): Level 1 passive flow on minimalist helmets, more complex adjustable layouts on Vision / Fury / Cirque, and a linked “Level C” scheme on certain X models that opens front and crown vents with one lever.

Inside, Pret pairs HALEO antimicrobial EPS (silver-ion treated beads) with IONIC+® antimicrobial fabric liners for long-term freshness. Practical touches—Fidlock® magnetic chin buckles, audio-ready ear pads, and removable goggle keepers—round out day-to-day usability. Pret’s goggle entry (Effect) adds Lucent photochromic lenses and “VisionVent” goggle-to-helmet airflow that aligns goggle ports with helmet channels to reduce fog and eliminate the forehead “brain-freeze” gap.

Ride feel: who it’s for (terrains & use-cases)

If you prize a helmet you forget you’re wearing, Pret’s low-profile shells deliver. The Cynic and Epic families are popular with park crews and fitness-heavy riders who want maximum breathability for hikes, bootpacks, and rail laps. Cirque X and Fury X add adjustable venting and more shell reinforcement for high-speed resort skiing and storm days. Women’s Vision X and Lyric X2 mirror those roles with the same tech stack and fit logic. For earn-your-turns days, Pret’s lighter options (including the touring-leaning Cynic AT variants) reduce uphill fatigue and pair well with skins-on transitions where fog control matters. All of these helmets interface cleanly with modern goggles—Pret’s own or third-party—so visibility stays consistent when the weather flips.

In practical terms: choose passive-vented models for cold, dry climates and frequent hiking; choose adjustable-vent models if you bounce between frigid mornings, packed trams, and sun breaks where on-the-fly airflow keeps lenses clear and heads cool.

Team presence, competitions, and reputation

Pret’s “Pret Crew” blends Olympians, freeride competitors, and film-scene mainstays. Moguls star Jaelin Kauf lists the Fury X as a go-to; Wasatch freerider Giray Dadali favors the Fury X for everyday laps; ski mountaineer Eric Carter highlights lightweight performance; and snowboard freerider Erika Vikander rides the Haven/vision platform—an athlete mix that stresses real-snow function over slogans. The brand’s reputation inside the liftline is straightforward: low weight, quiet fit, and dependable venting that stands up to big Wasatch storm cycles and spring corn missions.

Geography and hubs (heritage, testing, venues)

Pret’s heritage is the Wasatch, so you see its products in the Utah flow state—storm laps and traverses at Alta, tram days and spring bumps at Snowbird, and playful lines across Solitude. The brand’s footprint extends well beyond the Intermountain West; British Columbia’s long seasons and spring slush at Whistler-Blackcomb are natural proving grounds for goggle-helmet integration and vent management. If you want a broad regional view, see Utah and British Columbia on Skipowd for how conditions and venues influence gear choices.

Construction, durability, and sustainability

Shells use ACT multi-shell composites with targeted thickening in impact zones and in-mold EPS to balance weight, strength, and energy management. Mips® is standard across the range. Venting architectures (VTT levels) and brim details differ by model to tune airflow and goggle seal. Inside, HALEO antimicrobial EPS and IONIC+® liners mitigate odor and microbial growth for the life of the helmet. Functional durability shows up in replaceable parts (like goggle keepers) and interior hardware that resists mid-season failure. Pret also calls out VOC-free paints and a pragmatic repair/replace stance; stated warranty coverage is one year, with the usual recommendation to replace EPS helmets every 3–5 years depending on use and impacts.

On responsibility, Pret frames “Mountain First” as an operating principle and emphasizes longer-lasting builds, lower-impact coatings, and swappable small parts. While helmets remain EPS-based, the brand’s choices around materials, finishes, and serviceability aim to extend product life and reduce waste.

How to choose within the lineup

Start with venting and weight. If you prioritize breathability and minimal mass for park laps, hikes, or touring days, look at the Cynic / Cynic X2 and Epic families (passive Level 1 flow). For mixed resort weather and speed, consider Vision X or Fury X (linked lever control) or Cirque X with robust shell mapping and adjustable vents.

Fit is everything. Use the Ripcord360 dial to land a full-wrap, even pressure with no hotspots. The RCS’s extra range is helpful if you alternate between thin beanies and balaclavas; the instant release simplifies hut transitions and parking-lot kit changes.

Goggle pairing. Pret’s Effect goggles with Lucent photochromic lenses are designed to lock into helmet vents via VisionVent, but most modern cylindrical or toric goggles pair well. Prioritize a clean seal across the brow and clear nasal breathing under the strap; if you ride wet maritime climates, carry a second lens to complement your vent choice.

Use-case shorthand. Daily resort and storms: Cirque X / Fury X. Lightweight laps, park, and spring touring: Cynic / Cynic AT styles. Price-conscious but capable: Epic with Mips and RCS. Women’s fits: Vision X for adjustable venting; Lyric X2 for the sleek, breathable feel; Sol for approachable price and comfort. Kids: Moxie for durable simplicity.

Why riders care

Pret helmets win fans by solving the small things that matter all day: a dial that truly wraps, vents that actually manage fog on lifts and hikes, liners that stay fresh, and shells that protect without feeling bulky. Add standard Mips®, ACT shell reinforcement, and thoughtful goggle interfaces, and you get protection that keeps up from windy Wasatch traverses to slushy evening park laps—and feels invisible while doing it. For skiers who value low weight, clean fit, and dependable function over flash, Pret is an easy recommendation.

Cliff skiing, Alta, Snowbird, Solitude. 2019

Athletes

Locations

Sponsors

Henry ZakowSki

Snowbird

Solitude Mountain Resort

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