At 98 years old, Junior Bounous continues to participate in Utah's ski culture, visiting Snowbird and Alta Ski Area two to three days a week. The legendary snowsports educator and run designer, who helped shape the terrain at Snowbird 53 years ago, recently sat down with the Last Chair podcast to discuss his nearly century-long journey through the history of skiing.
Bounous's connection to the sport began in Provo when he received skis as an 11-year-old Christmas present. His professional path was heavily influenced by Alf Engen, who provided Bounous with lessons in cross-country skiing, jumping, and teaching. This mentorship led to Bounous being hired full-time to teach in 1948.
In the summer of 1971, Bounous was tasked by Ted Johnson to prepare Snowbird for its opening. Using topographic maps and heli-skiing, Bounous designed and marked off many of the mountain's runs. He noted that while he initially took the job for one summer, it became a permanent part of his life, eventually leading him to purchase a condominium at the Lodge at Snowbird in 1971.
Bounous played a significant role in the evolution of powder skiing. He observed that while early European films showed straight-line skiing in deep snow, Alta became known for making turns in waist-deep powder. He also described technical advancements in equipment, such as sanding wooden skis to improve flotation and moving bindings backward on skis to assist with powder performance.
As an educator, Bounable focused on a teaching philosophy centered on rhythm and relaxation rather than strict, militant rules. He famously utilized a rhythmic cadence known as ba-dump, ba-dump to help students find flow and take their minds off the fear of movement.
Throughout his life, Bounous has experienced many of Utah's most iconic skiing moments, from jumping cornices at Alta to skiing legendary runs like Pipeline with Jim McConkey. Despite the decades that have passed since he first designed Snowbird's trails, Bounous maintains that the profound feeling of looking out over the mountains remains unchanged.
