Competitor & Innovator
Pete Karns was born and raised skiing in Jackson Hole. At age 10, he began alpine ski racing for the Jackson Hole Ski & Snowboard Club. In high school, Karns took on nordic jumping and cross country skiing in addition to alpine racing. In college, he skied for the University of Utah where he competed in the 4-way combined (Skimeister), which included downhill, slalom, cross country, and jumping. He won several collegiate competitions and was named NCAA All America. After college, Karns changed his sport to biathlon and won National Championship titles in 1970 and 1972. He competed in the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan, and placed 14th in the 20K Biathlon race. Karns was also a member of the US Biathlon Relay team that placed 6th, the best US finish ever in biathlon in the Olympics. He was the coach of the US Biathlon Team from 1973-76, including the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria. Pete Karns has humbly and happily been involved in several Olympics as well as Jackson Hole Ski & Snowboard activities for over half a century.
