Malcom 'Moki Mac' Ellingson was a prominent figure in Utah's river running community in the mid twentieth century. Boy Scout leader and river guide, Ellingson earned his nickname from his knowledge about the Moqui, prehistoric inhabitants of the Colorado Plateau and its river canyons. Ellingson partnered with Albert Quist in the early years of his river expedition company. Today Quist's children operate Moki Mac River Expeditions, named in his honor.
The Malcom 'Moki Mac' Ellingson river running video collection (circa 1914, 1956-1963) consists of home movies of river trips in southern Utah and the vicinity, most frequently in the Glen Canyon area of the Colorado River. Several films contain footage of Native American towns and customs. The earliest film in the collection is a 16mm copy of a 35mm nitrate, intertitled film of boat trips on the Colorado River circa 1914. The collection also includes some films of Ellingson's family and other life scenes. Item titles based largely on Ellingson's own labels. All materials have been digitized and are available to view on DVD.
Materials are arranged chronologically by format.
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.
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.
Permission to publish material from the Malcom 'Moki Mac' Ellingson river running video collection must be obtained from the Special Collections Multimedia Archivist.
Donate by Robert Quist in 2010.
Processed by Molly Creel in 2010.
Forms part of the River Running Archives.
River rafting in redrock country; man and boy in cowboy hats with guitar in city park; canoeing in forested area.
Canoeing (washed out); parade; cliff at Stanton.
Woman in red hat; dirt road from vehicle while driving, probably in Southern Utah.
Canoes (very dark); flying in airplane.
Flying in airplane: shots of Utah National Guard hangar; shots from airplane taking off, in flight.
Shots out windows of airplane in flight.
Men on rafting trip; scenery as seen from boat.
Parade with Native American dancers, possibly in Gallup, New Mexico.
Grand Canyon dwelling, camoes on river (possibly Green River).
Explosion on bank; boy scouts on river trip.
Canoes on Weber River; little boy at home.
Jones Hole, Columbine Hole, scenery (Green River).
Girls in Mickey Mouse hats play on trampoline, in neighborhood; little boy.
Mountains, river (possibly Yampa River); Sam.
Canoes, rapids; red rock river trip.
Cliff, Rainbow Bridge; swim.
Boy scouts river trip – begins on Lewis Bros. Stages bus.
River rafting; Native Americans on reservation and river.
Boy scouts, ten men; San Juan, big hole (river).
Native American boat, canoe on Weber River.
Good shots of 'Moki Mac' himself.
Colorado River, Native American ruins, people climbing on sandstone.
Native Americans in community, on river trip.
Colorado river trip with intertitles.
Colorado river trip with intertitles. Same as reel 30.