Alf Engen
Encyclopedia
Alf Engen was a Norwegian-American skier
and skiing school owner/teacher. Alf Engen set several ski jumping
world records during the 1930s.
municipality in Buskerud
county, Norway
, the first son of Trond and Martha Oen Engen. He had two younger brothers, Sverre
(1911-2001) and Corey
(1916-2006), both of whom were also accomplished skiers. As the first-born son of a famous skiing father, Engen was naturally reared to ski. After his father died of the Spanish flu
in 1918 when Alf was 9, his mother moved Alf and his younger brothers the short distance to the small town of Steinberg
. In 1929 at age 20, Alf and his brother Sverre
(age 18) emigrated to the U.S., first settling in Chicago, then relocating to Salt Lake City, Utah
in 1931. Their widowed mother Martha and younger brother Corey
(age 17) joined them in 1933.
when he arrived in the U.S.
, he quickly mastered alpine skiing
and is credited for developing the technique of powder skiing, honed at the Alta Ski Area
. The following years he won numerous American and international titles. In 1940, Engen finished first in the National Four-way in Seattle, Washington. Engen was also the recipient of numerous awards including the All-American Ski Trophy, 1937, Americanism Award in 1940, Helm's Hall of Fame Award in 1954; and Skier's Hall of Fame Award in 1956.
He helped establish the ski school at Alta
, and assisted in the creation of thirty other ski resorts in the western United States. The three Engen brothers helped to popularize skiing in the West, primarily in Utah
and Idaho
. Alf's son Alan carries on the family tradition at Alta. Alf Engen died in 1997, at the age of 88. His two younger brothers both lived to the age of 90.
, four miles north of Park City, Utah
. It contains more than 300 trophies, medals, uniforms, scrapbooks, skis, boots, photos, films and other collectables that span some 70 years in the career of the Engen family. The museum's educational component gives school children a skiing-based foundation to study subjects such as the water cycle, physics and Utah's colorful history.
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
and skiing school owner/teacher. Alf Engen set several ski jumping
Ski jumping
Ski jumping is a sport in which skiers go down a take-off ramp, jump and attempt to land as far as possible down the hill below. In addition to the length of the jump, judges give points for style. The skis used for ski jumping are wide and long...
world records during the 1930s.
Background
Alf Engen was born in the town of Mjøndalen, in Nedre EikerNedre Eiker
Nedre Eiker is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Eiker. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Mjøndalen. The old municipality of Eiker was divided into Nedre Eiker and Øvre Eiker on 1 July 1885.-Name:The Old Norse form of...
municipality in Buskerud
Buskerud
is a county in Norway, bordering Akershus, Oslo, Oppland, Sogn og Fjordane, Hordaland, Telemark, and Vestfold. The county administration is located in Drammen.-Geography:...
county, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, the first son of Trond and Martha Oen Engen. He had two younger brothers, Sverre
Sverre Engen
Sverre Engen was a Norwegian-American skier, ski coach, ski area manager, and film-maker. -Biography:Sverre Engen was born in the town of Mjøndalen, in Buskerud county, Norway, the second son of Trond and Martha Oen Engen...
(1911-2001) and Corey
Corey Engen
Corey Engen was the captain of the U.S. Nordic ski team at the 1948 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland. He was the youngest of the three Engen brothers that pioneered and popularized alpine skiing in the intermountain west, primarily in Utah and Idaho.-Biography:Corey was a ski jumper...
(1916-2006), both of whom were also accomplished skiers. As the first-born son of a famous skiing father, Engen was naturally reared to ski. After his father died of the Spanish flu
Spanish flu
The 1918 flu pandemic was an influenza pandemic, and the first of the two pandemics involving H1N1 influenza virus . It was an unusually severe and deadly pandemic that spread across the world. Historical and epidemiological data are inadequate to identify the geographic origin...
in 1918 when Alf was 9, his mother moved Alf and his younger brothers the short distance to the small town of Steinberg
Steinberg, Norway
Steinberg is a small village of no more than a few hundred people in Nedre Eiker municipality, Buskerud county, in the Eastern region of Norway. The village lies next to the municipal centre and town of Mjøndalen. The boundaries are few between Mjøndalen and Steinberg although the E134 highway does...
. In 1929 at age 20, Alf and his brother Sverre
Sverre Engen
Sverre Engen was a Norwegian-American skier, ski coach, ski area manager, and film-maker. -Biography:Sverre Engen was born in the town of Mjøndalen, in Buskerud county, Norway, the second son of Trond and Martha Oen Engen...
(age 18) emigrated to the U.S., first settling in Chicago, then relocating to Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
in 1931. Their widowed mother Martha and younger brother Corey
Corey Engen
Corey Engen was the captain of the U.S. Nordic ski team at the 1948 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland. He was the youngest of the three Engen brothers that pioneered and popularized alpine skiing in the intermountain west, primarily in Utah and Idaho.-Biography:Corey was a ski jumper...
(age 17) joined them in 1933.
Career
Alf Engen quickly gained a reputation for his world class skiing skills. Although a ski jumperSki jumping
Ski jumping is a sport in which skiers go down a take-off ramp, jump and attempt to land as far as possible down the hill below. In addition to the length of the jump, judges give points for style. The skis used for ski jumping are wide and long...
when he arrived in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, he quickly mastered alpine skiing
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
and is credited for developing the technique of powder skiing, honed at the Alta Ski Area
Alta Ski Area
Alta is a ski area located in the Wasatch Mountains, just east of Salt Lake City, Utah. With a skiable area of 2200 acres , beginning at a base elevation of 8530 ft and rising to 10,550 ft for a vertical gain of 2020 ft . Alta is one of the oldest ski resorts in the country,...
. The following years he won numerous American and international titles. In 1940, Engen finished first in the National Four-way in Seattle, Washington. Engen was also the recipient of numerous awards including the All-American Ski Trophy, 1937, Americanism Award in 1940, Helm's Hall of Fame Award in 1954; and Skier's Hall of Fame Award in 1956.
He helped establish the ski school at Alta
Alta Ski Area
Alta is a ski area located in the Wasatch Mountains, just east of Salt Lake City, Utah. With a skiable area of 2200 acres , beginning at a base elevation of 8530 ft and rising to 10,550 ft for a vertical gain of 2020 ft . Alta is one of the oldest ski resorts in the country,...
, and assisted in the creation of thirty other ski resorts in the western United States. The three Engen brothers helped to popularize skiing in the West, primarily in Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
and Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. Alf's son Alan carries on the family tradition at Alta. Alf Engen died in 1997, at the age of 88. His two younger brothers both lived to the age of 90.
Alf Engen Ski Museum
The Alf Engen Ski Museum is located in the Joe Quinney Winter Sports Center at Utah Olympic ParkUtah Olympic Park
The Utah Olympic Park is a winter sports park built for the 2002 Winter Olympics, and is located east of Salt Lake City near Park City, Utah, United States. During the 2002 games the park hosted the bobsleigh, skeleton, luge, ski jumping, and nordic combined events. It still serves a training...
, four miles north of Park City, Utah
Park City, Utah
Park City is a town in Summit and Wasatch counties in the U.S. state of Utah. It is considered to be part of the Wasatch Back. The city is southeast of downtown Salt Lake City and from Salt Lake City's east edge of Sugar House along Interstate 80. The population was 7,558 at the 2010 census...
. It contains more than 300 trophies, medals, uniforms, scrapbooks, skis, boots, photos, films and other collectables that span some 70 years in the career of the Engen family. The museum's educational component gives school children a skiing-based foundation to study subjects such as the water cycle, physics and Utah's colorful history.
External links
- Alf Engen Ski Museum Park City, UtahPark City, UtahPark City is a town in Summit and Wasatch counties in the U.S. state of Utah. It is considered to be part of the Wasatch Back. The city is southeast of downtown Salt Lake City and from Salt Lake City's east edge of Sugar House along Interstate 80. The population was 7,558 at the 2010 census...
- Alf Engen Scrapbooks University of Utah's Marriott Library: Special Collections
- Alta Historical Society Early history of Alta