Junior Bounous
Encyclopedia
Junior Bounous has been known as a "Pioneer in the American Ski Industry" (as quoted by Chuck Rowan in his nomination for Bounous into the National Ski Hall of Fame
) and has been skiing the Wasatch Mountains and elsewhere for over 70 years. He is nationally and even globally known for his ski accomplishments, effective ways of teaching, compassionate nature, and overall love for skiing and the mountains.
. He was the sixth child of Italian fruit farmers, and grew up learning how to ride horses, ice skate, and take care of the farm. Since farm life was busy, his parents never thought of a name for him at the time of his birth, so until well into his mid-20s his birth certificate
read "Boy Bounous". Being the youngest of a large family, his unofficial name became "Junior" immediately, and since then no one has ever thought about changing it. Growing up in Provo Canyon, he was introduced to multiple winter sport
s at a young age. One in particular that he immediately became attracted to was skiing. At the age of 8, he made his own pair of skis out of barrel staves that his dad hat cut out for him. He taught himself how to move on skis near home, where he would hike up a small hill in his backyard and then push himself down. Since it was not very big, he usually only got one turn from it, and it typically was a left turn as to avoid a pile of manure at the bottom of the hill. To this day, Junior claims that his left turn is better than his right because of this. When he was 11 years old, his mother bought him his first pair of real skis. When he was still in his teens, Junior became friends with Ray Stewart. Also a skier, Stewart's wealthy family had bought a large plot of land in Provo Canyon, and Stewart wanted help setting up a rope tow
. At the age of 18, Junior helped him set one up, and played a very large role in scouting for a place to put it and finding an adequate run that skiers of all abilities would be able to go down. This event pushed Junior into his next stage of life, in which he would participate in the creation of more ski resort
s, and ultimately when he would improve his skills and travel down a different ski path that would shape him as a person.
in the area. They did search and rescue
efforts in Provo Canyon
in both the summer and the winter during the war period. Junior's ski talents were to be used for something else however, as a new prominent figure entered Junior's life. In 1939, the 2nd chairlift in the nation and the first in Utah opened in Alta Ski Resort. Rising ski legend moved down from Sun Valley
to work with his brother Sverre to get the ski resort going. Junior at the time was mainly interested in competing in cross-country skiing
, and because Engen was the best cross-country skier in the nation at the time, Junior went to him or lessons around 1945. The reasons for the lessons changed quickly as Junior realized that was more interested in the techniques of teaching people to ski instead of competing. This realization would determine Junior's course of life in skiing. Alf Engen, recognizing an unusual aspect of Juniors personality, began to teach him his philosophy on ski instructing, one that highlighted the enjoyment of skiing in contrast to the strict ways of the Australians that had been used before. In 1948 Alf Engen
encouraged Junior to apply for certification of ski instructing. Bounous passed, and at the young age of 23 got his Forest Service
Certification, being one of the first to achieve it. Alf Engen immediately hired him as a full time
instructor at Alta, and from 1948 to 1958 worked as Engen's professional assistant.
In 1958 Junior was offered a job at California's Sugar Bowl Ski Resort
as their Ski School
Director. He accepted, becoming one of the first American born Ski School Directors ever. While under him, the ski school staff grew from 5 to 15 in seven years, and a love and popularity for skiing boomed. He also created Sugar Bowl's first children's program before moving back to Utah in the 1960s to go back to the now popular Timp Haven Ski Resort, where he became a part time
owner until Robert Redford
bought the resort in 1969. Though the name was changed to Sundance, Redford kept Junior there as Ski School Director for a few more years, during which Bounous helped expand the resort.
In 1970 a new, fantastic opportunity called out to Junior Bounous. Two men by the names of Ted Johnson
and Dick Bass
came to Junior, asking him to help them map out the area for a new ski resort that they wanted to open up next to Alta Ski Resort in Little Cottonwood Canyon
, Utah. Bounous was hired to do the entire layout of ski runs for the resort and directed the cutting crews and bulldozer work. Once the new Snowbird ski resort
opened up in 1971, Junior Bounous became the first Ski School Director. Under him, Snowbird's ski school became ranked as one of the top in the nation, a position it still holds to this today. As Ski School Director, Junior created a children's program as well as a program for the disabled. In 1991, Bounous accepted the position of Director of Skiing, and created his most famous program, one meant for senior citizens
called "Silver Wings". Over his life he was also filmed in well over 10 Warren Miller
films. "I went out of my way to put him in the films for a long time because he was so much better than anyone else," Warren Miller said in an interview for the Documentary film "Bounousabuse: 80 Junior Years." In one Warren Miller film, Junior puts his skis on backwards and skis down the hill with his back facing down, becoming one of the first to do so and possibly the first to be professionally filmed, amazing people all over the nation
National Ski Hall of Fame
The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and Museum is located in the City of Ishpeming in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the birthplace of organized skiing in the United States...
) and has been skiing the Wasatch Mountains and elsewhere for over 70 years. He is nationally and even globally known for his ski accomplishments, effective ways of teaching, compassionate nature, and overall love for skiing and the mountains.
Early Beginnings
Junior Bounous was born on August 24, 1925 in Provo, UtahProvo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
. He was the sixth child of Italian fruit farmers, and grew up learning how to ride horses, ice skate, and take care of the farm. Since farm life was busy, his parents never thought of a name for him at the time of his birth, so until well into his mid-20s his birth certificate
Birth certificate
A birth certificate is a vital record that documents the birth of a child. The term "birth certificate" can refer to either the original document certifying the circumstances of the birth or to a certified copy of or representation of the ensuing registration of that birth...
read "Boy Bounous". Being the youngest of a large family, his unofficial name became "Junior" immediately, and since then no one has ever thought about changing it. Growing up in Provo Canyon, he was introduced to multiple winter sport
Winter sport
A winter sport is a sport which is played on snow or ice. Most such sports are variations of skiing, ice skating and sledding. Traditionally such sports were only played in cold areas during winter, but artificial snow and ice allow more flexibility...
s at a young age. One in particular that he immediately became attracted to was skiing. At the age of 8, he made his own pair of skis out of barrel staves that his dad hat cut out for him. He taught himself how to move on skis near home, where he would hike up a small hill in his backyard and then push himself down. Since it was not very big, he usually only got one turn from it, and it typically was a left turn as to avoid a pile of manure at the bottom of the hill. To this day, Junior claims that his left turn is better than his right because of this. When he was 11 years old, his mother bought him his first pair of real skis. When he was still in his teens, Junior became friends with Ray Stewart. Also a skier, Stewart's wealthy family had bought a large plot of land in Provo Canyon, and Stewart wanted help setting up a rope tow
Ski tow
thumb|right|A rope tow or ski tow.A ski tow, also called rope tow or handle tow, is a mechanised system for pulling skiers and snowboarders uphill....
. At the age of 18, Junior helped him set one up, and played a very large role in scouting for a place to put it and finding an adequate run that skiers of all abilities would be able to go down. This event pushed Junior into his next stage of life, in which he would participate in the creation of more ski resort
Ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...
s, and ultimately when he would improve his skills and travel down a different ski path that would shape him as a person.
Ski career
In 1943 Bounous joined the Civilian Defense Corps, created at Timp Haven as a group of individuals who were essentially the first ski patrolSki patrol
A Ski Patrol is an organization that provides Emergency Medical and rescue services to skiers and participants of other snow sports, either at a ski area or in a back country setting. Patrollers are trained in Basic or Advanced Life Support to stabilize and transport patients to definitive care,...
in the area. They did search and rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
efforts in Provo Canyon
Provo Canyon
Provo Canyon is a canyon located in unincorporated Utah County, Utah, USA and Wasatch County, Utah. Provo Canyon splits between Mount Timpanogos on the north and Mount Cascade on the south. The canyon extends from Orem on the west end to Heber City on the east. The canyon's main thoroughfare is...
in both the summer and the winter during the war period. Junior's ski talents were to be used for something else however, as a new prominent figure entered Junior's life. In 1939, the 2nd chairlift in the nation and the first in Utah opened in Alta Ski Resort. Rising ski legend moved down from Sun Valley
Sun Valley
Sun Valley is the name of several places in the United States of America:*Sun Valley, Idaho, a ski area and resort community in central Idaho*Sun Valley, Los Angeles, in the San Fernando Valley*Sun Valley, Nevada, a suburb north of Reno...
to work with his brother Sverre to get the ski resort going. Junior at the time was mainly interested in competing in cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
, and because Engen was the best cross-country skier in the nation at the time, Junior went to him or lessons around 1945. The reasons for the lessons changed quickly as Junior realized that was more interested in the techniques of teaching people to ski instead of competing. This realization would determine Junior's course of life in skiing. Alf Engen, recognizing an unusual aspect of Juniors personality, began to teach him his philosophy on ski instructing, one that highlighted the enjoyment of skiing in contrast to the strict ways of the Australians that had been used before. In 1948 Alf Engen
Alf Engen
Alf Engen was a Norwegian-American skier and skiing school owner/teacher. Alf Engen set several ski jumping world records during the 1930s.-Background:...
encouraged Junior to apply for certification of ski instructing. Bounous passed, and at the young age of 23 got his Forest Service
Forest Service
Forest Service may refer to:* Canadian Forest Service* Indian Forest Service* New Zealand Forest Service* United States Forest Service* Forestry Commission in the United Kingdom...
Certification, being one of the first to achieve it. Alf Engen immediately hired him as a full time
Full time
Full-time employment is employment in which the employee works the full number of hours defined as such by his/her employer. Full-time employment often comes with benefits that are not typically offered to part-time, temporary, or flexible workers, such as annual leave, sickleave, and health...
instructor at Alta, and from 1948 to 1958 worked as Engen's professional assistant.
In 1958 Junior was offered a job at California's Sugar Bowl Ski Resort
Sugar Bowl Ski Resort
Sugar Bowl is a ski and snowboard area in northern Placer County near Norden, California along the Donner Pass of the Sierra Nevada, approximately west of Reno, Nevada on Interstate 80, that opened on December 15, 1939...
as their Ski School
Ski school
A ski school is an establishment that trains skiers. The modern version of the ski school was invented by the Austrian ski pioneer Hannes Schneider in the early 1920s when he formalized instruction methods and established these methods as teaching principles for all ski instructors at his school.In...
Director. He accepted, becoming one of the first American born Ski School Directors ever. While under him, the ski school staff grew from 5 to 15 in seven years, and a love and popularity for skiing boomed. He also created Sugar Bowl's first children's program before moving back to Utah in the 1960s to go back to the now popular Timp Haven Ski Resort, where he became a part time
Part time
A part-time job is a form of employment that carries fewer hours per week than a full-time job. Workers are considered to be part time if they commonly work fewer than 30 or 35 hours per week...
owner until Robert Redford
Robert Redford
Charles Robert Redford, Jr. , better known as Robert Redford, is an American actor, film director, producer, businessman, environmentalist, philanthropist, and founder of the Sundance Film Festival. He has received two Oscars: one in 1981 for directing Ordinary People, and one for Lifetime...
bought the resort in 1969. Though the name was changed to Sundance, Redford kept Junior there as Ski School Director for a few more years, during which Bounous helped expand the resort.
In 1970 a new, fantastic opportunity called out to Junior Bounous. Two men by the names of Ted Johnson
Ted Johnson
Ted Curtis Johnson is a former American football player in the National Football League. He grew up in Carlsbad, California where he graduated from Carlsbad High School in 1991. From there he attended the University of Colorado and was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 1995 NFL...
and Dick Bass
Dick Bass
----Richard Lee Bass was an American football running back who played for the Los Angeles Rams from 1960 to 1969....
came to Junior, asking him to help them map out the area for a new ski resort that they wanted to open up next to Alta Ski Resort in Little Cottonwood Canyon
Little Cottonwood Canyon
Little Cottonwood Canyon lies within the Wasatch-Cache National Forest along the eastern side of the Salt Lake Valley, roughly 15 miles from Salt Lake City, Utah. The canyon is part of Granite, a CDP and “Community Council” designated by Salt Lake County. The canyon is a glacial trough , carved by...
, Utah. Bounous was hired to do the entire layout of ski runs for the resort and directed the cutting crews and bulldozer work. Once the new Snowbird ski resort
Snowbird, Utah
Snowbird is an unincorporated area based in Little Cottonwood Canyon in the Wasatch Range of the Rocky Mountains in Salt Lake County, Utah, U.S. It is most famous for Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, an alpine skiing and snowboarding area, which opened in December 1971.- History :Snowbird is a...
opened up in 1971, Junior Bounous became the first Ski School Director. Under him, Snowbird's ski school became ranked as one of the top in the nation, a position it still holds to this today. As Ski School Director, Junior created a children's program as well as a program for the disabled. In 1991, Bounous accepted the position of Director of Skiing, and created his most famous program, one meant for senior citizens
Old age
Old age consists of ages nearing or surpassing the average life span of human beings, and thus the end of the human life cycle...
called "Silver Wings". Over his life he was also filmed in well over 10 Warren Miller
Warren Miller
Warren Miller may refer to:* Warren Miller * Warren Miller * Warren Miller * Warren Miller * Warren Miller...
films. "I went out of my way to put him in the films for a long time because he was so much better than anyone else," Warren Miller said in an interview for the Documentary film "Bounousabuse: 80 Junior Years." In one Warren Miller film, Junior puts his skis on backwards and skis down the hill with his back facing down, becoming one of the first to do so and possibly the first to be professionally filmed, amazing people all over the nation