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Junior Bounous Inducted to the U.S. Skiing Hall of Fame By Joe Arave Junior doing wkut Junior does best (1949) Junior Bounous is known to many as a gracious, gentle, soft-spoken man. On skis, however, Junior can be explosive, often smooth and graceful, but always energetic. He is also energetic about skiing, dedicating his life to ski instruction and helping others enjoy the sport that has impacted and shaped his life, and so thoroughly captured his passions. Junior Bounous has also impacted in a big way the sport that has given him lifelong enjoyment. In October 1996, Junior was one of three inductees into the U.S. Ski Hall of Fame at Ishpeming, Michigan. Junior began skiing on the hills of the family farm in Provo, Utah in the 1930's. After experimenting with barrel staves, Junior received a pair of skis for Christmas when he was twelve years old. At an early age Junior had a passion for the mountains. Junior explored the mountains of the Provo area with Reed Bidulph who conducted instruction in mountain rescue operations and later ran a ski teaching program for Provo City. Junior was one of his instructors. When Ray Stuart began working on Timphaven ski area in the North Fork of Provo Canyon, Junior was eager to help with the development of the area and skied as often as he could. Junior soon began teaching skiing for Brigham Young University, Provo City, and Timphaven. Beginning in 1948 he assisted Alf Engen in the ski school at Alta. After ten years at Alta Junior accepted the director's post at the ski school in Sugar Bowl, California. Junior was the first to bring the American Ski Technique into California and became one of the first American born directors of a major western ski school. At Sugar Bowl, Junior successfully directed ski instruction with his easy going style and gentle manner. As a young instructor at Sugar Bowl, Phil Jones remembered that "It was a real pleasant experience to work for Junior. Junior was a special sort of guy. He and Maxine would have little parties at their house. To us Junior was kind of famous and a real good skier. He ran a great ski school with a great bunch of guys." In 1966 Junior returned to Utah to direct the Ski School at Timphaven. In 1970, Ted Johnson, a friend from Junior's Alta days, and founder of Snowbird, asked Junior for help in laying out the runs at Snowbird. Junior was later chosen to direct the ski school at Snowbird. In 1991 Junior was named as the director of skiing at Snowbird. As a competitor, Junior's easy going style and gentle manner may have also seemed contradictory. Although gentle, Junior had no mercy on the competition in the nordic combined events where he dominated regional competition for nearly a decade. Junior was also a champion of the National Gelande Competition at Alta. In the early 1960's Junior helped write the book on the American Ski Technique. He served on the board of directors, and as President of PSIA - Intermountain. In 1991 Junior was named to the PSIA Hall of Fame and the Alta Hall of Fame in 1993. The Utah Ski Archives honored Junior in 1991 for his many contributions to skiing in the Intermountain West and particularly his pioneering role in ski instruction. And now the Utah Ski Archives gives this gentleman of skiing a hardy congratulations for his induction into the National Ski Hall of Fame. Congratulations, Junior! Junior dfxting the Sk1 School at Sugnr Bowl California |
