Bill was born in Cascade, Idaho.  At the age of 8 he began skiing and won his first race in the seventh grade.  He was Idaho Junior Slalom and All Around Junior Champion.  Proceeding to the University of Idaho in 1941 on a full skiing scholarship, he became a member of the College All American Ski Team and won the National Intercollegiate cross-country and Nordic Championships, and placed in the upper half of the downhill skiers at the Sun Valley meet.

          He entered military service in 1942.  Colorado became home for Bill when he was transferred to Camp Hale to serve with the famed 10th Mountain Division. 

          During recuperation from injuries received in the line of duty, he organized the first of the annual Junior Nationals, coached three Junior National Championship Teams, and was invited to participate in the 1948 Olympic team, but could not compete due to injuries.  In 1952 he again missed participation because of injuries received in the line of duty. 

          Bill spent several years at Dartmouth organizing and maintaining a winter warfare R.O.T.C. program and in 1966 he retired from the army with the rank of Senior Sergeant Major.  That same year, Pete Seibert and Bob Parker invited him to Vail to serve as the Mountain Manager, and his reputation for slope maintenance is legendary.