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Alf Engen ski video collection, 1938-2004

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Engen, Alf, 1909-1997
Title
Alf Engen ski video collection
Dates
1938-2004 (inclusive)
Quantity
17 16mm film
65 vhs
39 u-matic
14 betacam
Collection Number
A0391
Summary
The Alf Engen ski video collection (1938-2004) contains footage that reveals the evolution of the sport of skiing and of ski facilities and resorts, including news reports and interviews featuring Engen and footage Engen competeing in National Championship events, instructing ski school, and skiing with family and friends. Alf Engen was an internationally recognized Nordic and Alpine skier instrumental in the development of the ski industry in Utah and the American West.
Repository
University of Utah Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library
University of Utah
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City, UT
84112-0860

Telephone: 8015818863
special@library.utah.edu
Access Restrictions

Audio-visual materials can be fragile and require specialized equipment to play back. For this reason, access to audio-visual materials is provided through digital copies, and it might take longer to provide access to items that are not yet digitized. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law, condition of the material, or by donor.

Languages
English
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Biographical Note

Alf Engen (1909-1997) was born in Mjondallen, Norway, the oldest of three boys. Engen's father died when he was only nine years old, but he had already implemented the joy of skiing into the hearts of his sons, Alf, Sverre and Corey (Kaare). The boys learned to ski jump at a young age and became well known for thier Nordic ability in their homeland.

In 1929 Engen immigrated to the United States with his younger brother, Sverre. They Initialy settled in Chicago where they joined the American-Norwegian Athletic Club. He and several club members traveled to Westby, Wisconsin to participate in a ski jumping meet. With his first jump in the Westby Nordic event, Engen broke the world's record for distance ski jumping and was invited to tour the North American Nordic circuit with professional jumpers.

In 1931 he settled in Salt Lake City, Utah. His youngest brother, Corey, and their mother immigrated to the United States in 1933 and the three Engen Brothers travled the United States as professional jumpers, breaking Nordic records and gaining recognition everywhere they went.

In 1937, Engen married Evelyn Pack, regained his amateur standing, and ranked among the top Nordic skiers in the world. He helped in planning and developing around thirty ski areas in Utah, Nevada, Idaho, and Wyoming while working for the United States Forest Service as a winter sports advisor. In 1938 he was invited to represent the Sun Valley Ski Club in Nordic jumping. While living in Idaho, he taught himself how to Alpine ski and spent time off the slopes preforming in several movies and newreels. In 1940, he finished first in the National Four-way in Seattle, Washington.

Engen assisted with the operation and ski lessons at Alta and Snow Basin Ski Schools during the 1945-46 ski season and later returned to Utah to direct the Alta Ski School, the Little Mountain Ski School, and the Deseret News Free Ski School after coaching the United States Olympic Ski Team in 1948. He received the Skier's Hall of Fame Award in 1956.

Alf Engen died in 1997 at the age of 88.

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Content Description

The Alf Engen ski video collection (1938-2004) contains footage that reveals the evolution of the sport of skiing and of ski facilities and resorts, including news reports and interviews featuring Engen and footage Engen competeing in National Championship events, instructing ski school, and skiing with family and friends.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The materials are arranged by format type.

Related Materials

See also the Alf Engen scrapbooks (Accn 1006), Corey Engen scrapbooks (Accn 1401), the Ski Museum records (Accn 518) and the Alan K. Engen ski video collection (A0402) and papers (Accn 1601).

Processing Note

Processed by Elizabeth Shuput in 2005.

Related Materials

Forms part of the Ski and Snow Sport Archives.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

  • Description: Engen family skiing
    Silent, color

    16mm (photographic film size). VHS. U-Matic (TM). Betacam (TM)
    Dates: 1950-1960
    Container: Reel 1
  • Description: Engen family skiing
    Silent, color

    16mm (photographic film size). VHS. U-Matic (TM)
    Dates: 1960s
    Container: Reel 2
  • Description: Alta ski jumps
    Sound, color

    16mm (photographic film size). VHS. U-Matic (TM). Betacam (TM)
    Dates: 1969
    Container: Reel 3
  • Description: North American Ski Instructors conference
    Sound, color

    16mm (photographic film size). VHS. U-Matic (TM). Betacam (TM)
    Dates: 1970
    Container: Reel 4
  • Description: Sports Club: Alf Engen skiing
    Sound, black and white

    16mm (photographic film size). VHS. U-Matic (TM). Betacam (TM)

    Engen demonstrates basic ski technique and maneuvering tricks.

    Dates: 1976
    Container: Reel 5
  • Description: National Four-Way Championship
    Silent, color

    16mm (photographic film size). VHS. U-Matic (TM). Betacam (TM)
    Dates: 1940
    Container: Reel 6
  • Description: Ski gulls
    Sound, black and white

    16mm (photographic film size). VHS. U-Matic (TM). Betacam (TM)

    Early skiing.

    Dates: undated
    Container: Reel 7
  • Description: Ultra powder
    Sound, color

    16mm (photographic film size). VHS. Betacam (TM)

    Alf Engen and others skiing untracked powder.

    Dates: undated
    Container: Reel 8
  • Description: Summer skiing at Mt. Baldy, California
    Sound, black and white

    16mm (photographic film size). VHS. U-Matic (TM). Betacam (TM)
    Dates: 1959
    Container: Reel 9
  • Description: Peruvian Lodge film
    Sound, color

    16mm (photographic film size). VHS. U-Matic (TM). Betacam (TM)

    Promotional film for the Alta Peruvian lodge narrated by American ski legends Lowell Thomas, Alf Engen, Alan Engen, Stein Erickson, Buddy Wagner, and Junior Bounous.

    Dates: 1960
    Container: Reel 10
  • Description: Peruvian Lodge film
    Silent, color

    16mm (photographic film size). VHS. U-Matic (TM). Betacam (TM)
    Dates: 1970
    Container: Reel 11
  • Description: Alf and Alan Engen skiing
    Sound, color

    16mm (photographic film size). VHS. U-Matic (TM). Betacam (TM)

    Alf Engen skiing with his son Alan Engen.

    Dates: 1950s
    Container: Reel 12
  • Description: Old Sun Valley
    Silent, color

    16mm (photographic film size). VHS. U-Matic (TM). Betacam (TM)

    Various people skiing and at Sun Valley Resort in Idaho as well as races held at the resort.

    Dates: 1950-1960
    Container: Reel 13
  • Description: National Jumping Championship
    Silent, color

    16mm (photographic film size). VHS. U-Matic (TM). Betacam (TM)
    Dates: 1938
    Container: Reel 14
  • Description: Alf and Alan skiing at Alta
    Silent, color

    16mm (photographic film size). VHS. U-Matic (TM). Betacam (TM)

    Alf Engen skiing with his son, Alan Engen at the Alta Ski Resort in Utah's Wasatch Mountains.

    Dates: undated
    Container: Reel 15
  • Description: Alf Engen Ski School
    Sound, black and white

    16mm (photographic film size). VHS. U-Matic (TM). Betacam (TM)
    Dates: undated
    Container: Reel 16
  • Description: Snow trails
    Sound, black and white

    16mm (photographic film size). VHS. U-Matic (TM)
    Dates: 1940-1950
    Container: Reel 17
  • Description: White ecstacy: the ski chase

    U-Matic (TM)
    Dates: undated
    Container: Cassette 18
  • Description: Dr. Quakenbush skis the headwall

    U-Matic (TM)
    Dates: undated
    Container: Cassette 19
  • Description: Skiing with Alf Engen and family

    U-Matic (TM)
    Dates: undated
    Container: Cassette 20
  • Description: Alta: the first fifty years

    U-Matic (TM)
    Dates: undated
    Container: Cassette 21
  • Description: Legends of American skiing 1849-1940

    U-Matic (TM)
    Dates: undated
    Container: Cassette 22
  • Description: National Broadcasting Company (NBC): Alf Engen and Mike Lenard

    U-Matic (TM)
    Dates: 1984
    Container: Cassette 23
  • Description: National Broadcasting Company (NBC): Alf Engen

    U-Matic (TM). VHS

    This news story, focused on Alf Engen, examines his career as an athlete and ski instructor, then shifts to Engen's experience with injuries. The segment also shows Engen skiing at age 85.

    Dates: 1992
    Container: Cassette 24
  • Description: Larry Warren interview: Alf Engen at Bear Hollow

    U-Matic (TM). VHS. Betacam (TM)
    Dates: undated
    Container: Cassette 25
  • Description: Keith West interview: Alf Engen at Alan Engen's home

    U-Matic (TM)
    Dates: undated
    Container: Cassette 26
  • Description: Ski riders of the Wasatch

    U-Matic (TM)
    Dates: undated
    Container: Cassette 27
  • Description: Skiing the American way

    U-Matic (TM)
    Dates: undated
    Container: Cassette 28
  • Description: Eighth Interski

    U-Matic (TM)
    Dates: undated
    Container: Cassette 29
  • Description: Mike Lenard interview: Alf Engen

    U-Matic (TM). VHS. Betacam (TM)
    Dates: 1992
    Container: Cassette 30
  • Description: Alta's 50th anniversary Gelande

    U-Matic (TM)
    Dates: undated
    Container: Cassette 31
  • Description: Alan Engen footage

    U-Matic (TM)
    Dates: undated
    Container: Cassette 32
  • Description: The white badge

    U-Matic (TM)
    Dates: undated
    Container: Cassette 33
  • Description: Sixth Interski

    U-Matic (TM)
    Dates: undated
    Container: Cassette 34
  • Description: National Ski Academy (NSA) certification directors meeting

    U-Matic (TM)
    Dates: 1959
    Container: Cassette 35
  • Description: Playtime Journey newsreel: First Deseret News Ski School, Ecker Hill ski jumping

    U-Matic (TM). VHS
    Dates: undated
    Container: Cassette 36
  • Description: For the love of skiing: a snapshot of early Alta ski history

    VHS. Betacam (TM)
    Dates: undated
    Container: Cassette 37
  • Description: Alf Engen: an American ski legend

    VHS

    The annals of ski jumping and powder snow come to life in this eighteen minute snapshot of skiing pioneer, Alf Engen. Narrated by his son, Alan Engen, this presentation shows Alf, America's 20th century "Renaissance Skier" as: Former World Ski Jumping Champion, winner of 16 U.S National Skiing Championship Titles, U.S. Olympic Team Coach, "Father of the powder skiing technique", Ski Area designer, and instructor to hundreds of thousands of skiers.

    Special Collections holds limited edition #1/100 of this movie as well as autographed 3/4" videocassettes and 16mm films.

    Dates: undated
    Container: Cassette 38
  • Description: Alta photo and video: Alf Engen Ski School awards, Alta Peruvian Lodge banquet

    VHS

    Emeritus awards: Wally Mears and Bob "Pepi" Smith

    Hall of fame: Evelyn Engen.

    Dates: 1994 April 17
    Container: Cassette 39
  • Description: Construction of the Joe Quinney Winter Sports Center and Alf Engen Ski Museum

    VHS
    Dates: undated
    Container: Cassette 40
  • Description: Wolfgang Lert ski memories

    VHS
    Dates: undated
    Container: Cassette 41
  • Description: Rasmussen art unveiling

    VHS
    Dates: 2004 January 23
    Container: Cassette 42
  • Description: Park City, Ski

    Betacam (TM)

    The Park City film contains footage of old Park City and various interviews pertaining to the future development of the area.

    The Ski film contains footage of early development of Park City Ski Area. It also contains footage of ski racing.

    Dates: undated
    Container: Cassette 43

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Skis and skiing--United States--History--Sources
  • Skis and skiing--Utah--History--Sources

Personal Names

  • Engen, Alan K.
  • Engen, Sverre

Corporate Names

  • Alf Engen Ski School
  • Deseret News Ski School

Geographical Names

  • Alta (Utah)

Form or Genre Terms

  • Moving images

Finding aid prepared by Elizabeth Shuput.
2005 (last modified: 2026)

CC0

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