Ayja Bounous grew up at the base of Little Cottonwood Canyon in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah, where the rhythmic pulse of the seasons was as much a part of life as breathing.
It was not until her adult years, however, that she realized how her whole world revolved around Wasatch snow—from the places she loved, to the activities that she enjoyed doing, to the relationships in her life.
She earned a Master's in Environmental Humanities from the University of Utah. In lieu of a desk job, she requires at least 40 hours a week spent outside to keep her happy.
In addition to her traversing through the cottonwoods, Ayja has penned two books. Her first acclaimed book Shaped By Snow: Defending the Future of Winter was published in 2019 and explores the impact of climate change and the diminishing snowpack on Utah’s Wasatch mountain range and the greater American West both from a ecological and economic perspective, but also in regard to emotional and psychological health, as she realizes how deeply her personal relationships are tied to mountains. Her new book Junior Bounous and the Joys of Skiing: A Biography is about her beloved grandfather, Junior. Along with helping to invent powder skiing and being named to the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame, Junior recently became the oldest person to ever heli-ski—at 95 years old.
