Oral Histories, Utah Ski Archives

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Oral Histories

The following interviews are part of the Everett L. Cooley Oral History Project, an ongoing collection of interviews conducted with Utahns or those with a Utah or University of Utah connection. There are several subject categories: theater, science, religion, education, and recreation. Listed here are the interviews currently available from the project that have been conducted with individuals involved in skiing. When requesting access to these interviews, please reference Accn 814.

#211 Ardo Perri Interviewed by Joe Arave 1989

Ardo Perri (b. 1913) recalls his family history and his work in the Utah ski industry. A pipe fitter and mechanic by trade, he helped build and maintain ski lifts at Brighton, Solitude, and Park City. Much of the interview centers around his work with Zane Doyle.

#229 Chic Morton Interviewed by Joe Arave 1988

Chic (Charles) Morton (b. 1916) recalls the development of skiing and the ski industry from the 1930s to the 1980s. He reminisces about working at Brighton and Alta ski lifts, managing the Alta Lodge, and becoming president of Alta Ski Lifts. He also discusses the skiing philosophy practiced at Alta, and talks about the individuals involved at Alta, including Alf Engen and Joe Quinney.

#232 Jan Peterson Interviewed by Joe Arave 1989

Jan Peterson (b. 1939) has been a part of the Utah skiing scene since he was a boy. He is the owner of Jan's Mountain Outfitters in Park City. He recalls his parents’ interest in skiing, skiing at the Bonneville Golf Course, his own ski racing career, and skiing at Alta, Brighton, and Park City.

#233 Max Lundberg Interviewed by Joe Arave 1989

Max Lundberg (b. 1939) recalls skiing at a very early age at Alta. He discusses his involvement in skiing especially as it relates to youth instruction, and talks about the standardization of techniques used in instruction and certification. He also relays information about national and international membership in ski instructors’ associations. Lundberg served as assistant director to Alf Engen at the Alta Ski School, and works with Professional Ski Instructors of America as an international liaison.

#239 Earl and Gladdis Miller Interviewed by Joe Arave 1989

The Millers recall the history of organized skiing at Snow Basin between the 1930s and the 1950s. Earl Miller (b. 1917) worked at Snow Basin as a ski instructor in the early 1940s, and became the ski school director in the mid 1950s. Miller and his wife Gladdis continued to operate the ski school until their retirement in 1987. The Millers also owned the U.S. Forest Service concession permit for the ski school--held independently from the lift operations permit--making Snow Basin ski school only one of two ski schools operating in such manner at the time.

#240 Mel Dalebout Interviewed by Joe Arave 1989

Since the early 1960s, Mel Dalebout (b. 1930) has custom manufactured the only ski boot produced in the United States. Dalebout has been recognized for creating his innovative boot design, and his ability to make boots for people with hard-to-fit feet. He discusses his skiing career as well as the development and marketing of the Daleboot.

#243 Margo Walters McDonald Interviewed by Joe Arave 1990

Margo Walters McDonald (b. 1942) began skiing and racing at a very young age. A successful skier as a youth, she later became a member of the 1964 women's Olympic ski team. She recalls her introduction to skiing, her racing career, various people involved in skiing, and the benefits she received as a result of her Olympic experience.

#253 Luella Seeholzer Interviewed by Joe Arave 1990

The Seeholzer family built and operates Beaver Mountain Ski Area near Logan, Utah. Luella Seeholzer (b. 1903) recalls skiing adventures with her husband, and the beginnings of Beaver Mountain. Seeholzer also tells stories about being a family involved with skiing, and provides additional comments on family businesses, hiring instructors and ski patrols.

#254 Lou Lorenz Interviewed by Joe Arave 1990

Lou Lorenz (b. 1924) has been teaching skiing for many years. He taught skiing at Little Mountain, served as director of the first ski school at the Solitude Ski Area, and continues to teach at Park City Ski Area. He discusses his personal background, his skiing background, and his work experiences including his business, the Greater Salt Lake Ski School.

#255 Jim Gaddis Interviewed by Joe Arave 1989, 1990

During the 1960s Jim Gaddis (b. 1940) was one of Utah's most well-known ski competitors. Gaddis was an all-American collegiate skier and was considered as a choice for the 1964 Olympic team. He also founded Gaddis Training Organization to coach and train young skiers in the Salt Lake area. In this interview he discusses his ski history and activities surrounding his organization.

#258 Brad Barber Interviewed by Joe Arave 1990

Working as the Director of Demographic and Economic Analysis for the Utah Office of Planning and Budget, Barber (b. 1950) recalls his involvement in the first and second bids made for the Utah Winter Olympics. He also discusses his chairmanship of the Utah Winter Games organization during the late 1980s.

#263 Otto Carpenter Interviewed by Joe Arave 1989

Otto Carpenter (b. 1915) and his family moved to Park City from the Heber Valley when he was a youth. Carpenter recalls skiing in Summit County during the 1920s and the 1930s. He also discusses Snow Park Ski Area which he established with his business partner Bob Burns. Snow Park was in operation from the 1940s through the 1960s, and is the site of modern day Deer Valley ski resort.

#264 Bill Lash Interviewed by Joe Arave 1990

Bill Lash (b. 1928) was a founder and past president of the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA). He has contributed to books on skiing and is the author of American Ski Technique. He recalls his work with Claude Jones, skiing in Utah and Idaho, and his continued involvement with PSIA.

#265 Vicki Varela Interviewed by Joe Arave 1990

Vicki Varela, a staff member of the Utah Board of Regents, recalls her involvement with volunteers and promoting Utah's Olympic Bid during the public referendum in the 1980s.

#270 Ray and Ava Stewart Interviewed by Joe Arave 1989

Ray and Ava Stewart recall establishing and operating Timp Haven ski area on their homestead in the Mt. Timpanogos area. The interview includes the Stewarts’ recollections of the tow they purchased from Rasmussen Ranch, working with Stewart’s brother at the ski area, selling Timp Haven to Robert Redford, and Timp Haven’s evolution into Sundance Ski Resort.

#274 Dick Movitz Interviewed by Joe Arave 1990

Dick Movitz (b.1925) was a prominent ski racer in the 1940s and 1950s and was a member of the 1948 Olympic Ski Team. He recalls skiing for the Army during World War II, and discusses his continued involvement with the sport after his active racing years.

#278 Junior Bounous Interviewed by Joe Arave 1989

Junior Bounous (b. 1925) began nordic and alpine skiing in the Provo Canyon area, and helped build the Timp Haven Ski Area. He was instrumental in the development of early ski instruction in the intermountain area and worked through the years as an instructor and director at Alta, Sugar Bowl Timp Haven/Sundance, and Snowbird.

#281 Harold and Helen Goodro Interviewed by Joe Arave 1988

Harold (b. 1916) and Helen (b. 1920) Goodro recall their early interests in skiing, working with the University of Utah Ski Team, and Goodro’s fifty years of ski patrol experience both as Alta’s first ski patroller and Ski Patrol Director.

#282 “K” (Jesse Kimball) Smith Interviewed by Joe Arave
and Greg Thompson 1989

K. Smith (b. 1916) recalls skiing as a youth in the in the foothills of Salt Lake City and his involvement with the development of skiing at Brighton, including operating the first rope tow. He also talks about his ownership and development of the Brighton Ski School. In addition, Smith discusses his ski experiences as member of the 10th Mountain Division in World War II and ski experiences in Japan. Smith has been inducted into the Professional Ski Instructors of America Hall of Fame.

#323 Marvin Melville Interviewed by Joe Arave 1990

Melville (b. 1935) began skiing at an early age and raced in his junior and senior high school years. He later skied for the University of Utah and was also a member of the 1956 and 1960 Olympic ski teams. He continued his professional involvement with the sport coaching at the University of Utah and for the 1964 Olympic Ski Team. In this interview, Melville recalls his early ski days and his extensive involvement with the sport.

#324 Adrien Segil Interviewed by Joe Arave 1990

Adrien Segil (b.1911) began skiing at the age of thirty along with his sister Emily and herhusband, Chick Morton. He taught skiing at the Deseret News Ski School for Alf Engen, and continued to teach part time at Alta for many years. In this interview, Segil tells of his involvement with skiing, the ski certification process, and the people with whom he associated.

#347 Ralph Johnston Interviewed by Joe Arave 1991

Ralph Johnston (b.1908) served as the official historian for the Snow Basin Ski Patrol. In this interview he recalls his many years of skiing and Wasatch Mountain Club activities.

#355 Suzy Harris Rytting Interviewed by Joe Arave 1990

Suzy Harris Rytting (b. 1930) discusses her experiences as a member of the US Olympic Ski Teams in 1948 and 1952, and provides insight to the difficulties women had as competitive athletes during the 1950s. She also talks about her involvement with skiing in Utah, and presents her views on Utah as a site for the Olympic games.

#357 Tom Welch Interviewed by Joe Arave
and Greg Thompson 1991

As Chairman of the Winter Olympic Bid Committee, Tom Welch (b.1944) discusses the Utah Olympic Bid efforts made for 1994 and 2002, the people involved in the efforts, the strategies developed to win the bid, and the resulting statewide benefits.

#358 Kent Hoopengarner Interviewed by Joe Arave 1992

Kent Hoopengarner was the CEO for Snowbird Ski Area and has been with Snowbird since 1971. He discusses his skiing experiences; his boyhood in Glenwood Springs and Aspen, Colorado; attending high school in Napa, California; working at Alta and in Jackson Wyoming; and his association with Snowbird’s development and Ted Johnson. Included are Hoopengarner’s thoughts on the potential and limitations of Little Cottonwood Canyon as a destination ski area, as well as his recollections of a trip to Teheran, Iran made in the mid-1970s.

#374 Dean Roberts Interviewed by Joe Arave 1989

Dean Roberts (b. 1931) grew up skiing in the Ogden area at Snow Basin and is the director of the ski school at Solitude Ski Area. Roberts recalls moving to Ogden in 1944, skiing at Snow Basin, working with Earl and Gladdis Miller, his early racing experiences, teaching for K. Smith at Brighton Ski Area, and later teaching and directing the ski school at Solitude.

#375 Phil Jones Interviewed by Joe Arave
and Greg Thompson 1990

Phil Jones (b. 1939) began skiing as toddler at Magic Mountain Ski Area, Idaho, which was built by his father in the 1940s. Jones worked for Junior Bounous as a ski instructor at Sugar Bowl Ski Area in California, and ljoined the ski school in Park City in 1964. He is currently the president and general manager of Park City Ski Area. In this series of interviews, Jones shares his personal recollections and provides his observations on skiing as both a recreational sport and a business enterprise.

#382 Richard Bird Interviewed by Joe Arave 1991

Richard Bird (b. 1929) spent more than 20 years with the USDA Forest Service as an inspector of ski lifts. Through his work with the US Forest Service, many of the standards and criteria for safe operation of ski lifts and trams have been established. In this interview he discusses his work, with an emphasis on the Utah resorts Snowbird and Solitude, and he describes the evolution of ski lift technology.

#383 Paul and Betty Dinwoodey Interviewed by Joe Arave 1989

Paul Dinwoodey (b. 1909) a prominent Salt Lake City furniture merchant, is joined with his wife Betty in recalling their ski adventures and their friendship with K. Smith and others in the 1930s and 1940s. The Dinwoodey’s toured regularly with the Wasatch Mountain Club in the Park City and Brighton areas. They discuss ski facilities, friends, clothing, equipment and the general atmosphere of skiing in the early 1940s.

#386 Hans Brogle Interviewed by Joe Arave 1988

Hans Brogle (b.1930) recalls a lifelong involvement in skiing dating from his boyhood in Berchtesgaden, Germany. He discusses his immigration to the United States after World War II, his employment at the Timberline Lodge in Oregon, and his move to Alta in 1953, where he was employed until his retirement in 1986. Brogle describes Alta’s ski trail planning and development as well as the day-to-day operation of the ski area.

#387 Cal McPhie Interviewed by Joe Arave 1991

Cal McPhie (b. 1923) was an Alta employee trained by Fred Speyer in the operation of ski lifts. He bought Little Mountain in 1950 and was involved in the development of several small ski areas. McPhie recalls the eighteen years he owned and operated Little Mountain. He introduced such innovations as lights for night skiing, using a snow packer, grooming slopes, and planting long crested wheat to protect the slopes in the summertime. He also discusses his plans for a multiple-use facility at Gargoza which he managed from 1968 to 1972.

#389 Bob Chambers Interviewed by Joe Arave 1990

Bob Chambers (b. 1930) discusses his life-long involvement with skiing; his childhood in Jackson, Wyoming; his family’s move to Ogden in 1941 and skiing at Snow Basin; the ski team at Ogden High School; his two years as a member of the U.S. Army 10th Mountain Troops during the Korean War; collegiate skiing competition and his ski scholarship to the University of Wyoming; and owning and operating Alpine Sports ski shop in Ogden since the 1960s.

#392 Zane Doyle Interviewed by Joe Arave 1989

Zane Doyle (b. 1916) talks about his 45 years of owning, developing and operating the Brighton Ski Area as a family business focusing initially on beginner and local skiers. He describes working with the U. S. Forest Service to improve trails, his relationship with K. Smith and others involved with skiing at Brighton, his association with the Riblet Company, and the evolution of ski lift technology and installation from the 1940s.

#396 Chuck Panter Interviewed by Joe Arave 1990

Chuck Panter (b. 1935) began working at Powder Mountain Ski Area after its opening in 1971, and soon became Powder Mountain's Mountain Manager. He discusses his involvement with skiing, and the establishment and development of Powder Mountain.

#404 Jack Walker Interviewed by Joe Arave 1991

ack Walker (b.1915) was a ski jumper in the era of Ecker Hill during the heyday of ski jumping. In these interviews he discusses his ski experiences as young person, skiing with the 10th Mountain Division, ski racing and jumping history, and the many individuals involved in Utah skiing.

#406 Richard Nebeker Interviewed by Joe Arave 1995

Richard Nebeker (b. 1924) recalls his early days of skiing, skiing for the University of Utah, skiing at Alta, and his experiences as a soldier and ski instructor for the Army.

#409 Mel Fletcher Interviewed by Joe Arave 1989, 1990

Mel Fletcher (b.1918) recalls his youth in Park City, his early skiing and ski jumping experiences, and discusses ski instruction. Fletcher also comments Snow Park, and on his role as director of the ski patrol at Park City Ski Area during the 1960s and early 1970s.

#411 Robert Wheaton Interviewed by Joe Arave 1995

Robert Wheaton (b. 1952) talks about his early skiing activities in Michigan and Utah, ski instruction in general, and his work at both Park City and Deer Valley ski areas. He also discusses ski area maintenance and snow-making systems.

#416 Ray Nye Interviewed by Joe Arave 1990

Ray Nye (b.1920) served as the director of the ski patrol at Snow Basin for many years, and was involved with early patrol work at Beaver Mountain. Nye was also the only ski patrolman from Utah to work the 1960 Olympic winter games in Squaw Valley California. In this interview, Nye recalls many adventures and activities associated with his lengthy skiing and ski patrol career.

#423 Pat Miller Interviewed by Joe Arave 1990

Pat Miller (b. 1948) has been the coach of the ski program at the University of Utah since 1975, coaching the team to several national titles. He discusses skiing, coaching and competition at the University, and also recalls his personal ski history and his experiences while on the army biathlon team. Miller was an All-American Nordic skier in 1970.

#426 George Judd Preston Interviewed by Joe Arave 1996

George Judd Preston (b. 1932) recalls his early ski adventures, his experiences with the USAF Strategic Air Command, his ski patrol work at Beaver Mountain, and skiing with family and friends.

#430 Alan Engen Interviewed by Joe Arave 1996

Alan Engen (b. 1940), well-known Utah ski personality and author of For the Love of Skiing: A Visual History, talks about his father, Alf, and uncles, Sverre and Corey, as well as his own ski adventures and other ski-related topics.