Dick Pownall was an original Vail ski instructor and a member of Vail Ski Patrol for many years. He built a cabin under Chair 1 in the early days of Vail Village. Pownall also had a climbing school in the Gore Range in the 1960s and 1970s. In their retirement years, Dick and Mary Pownall avidly volunteered during World Cup ski events in North America and in Europe.
Dick Pownall figures mightily in the history of alpinism and technical climbing. He was a member of the 1963 American Mount Everest Expedition (AMEE). He climbed extensively in North America and the Dolomites of Europe, as well as in the Armenian Highlands and in the Himalayas. Pownall was also an early guide for Exum Guide Service in Grand Teton National Park area.
