Premier Utah skier, historian makes retirement official

ALTA — The decision didn't come easily. Skiing, after all, was as important to Alan Engen as sleep. But retirement, he knew, was certain and he wanted it to come on his terms.

And it has. He announced his plans last fall. It became official last Sunday with the official closing of Alta for the 2010-11 ski season ... as planned.

For the first time, for the better part of the 72-year history of the resort, an Engen will no longer be involved in the day-to-day activities at the resort.

Sverre Engen, Alan's uncle, founded the ski school at Alta in 1945. Alf Engen, Alan's father, replaced him as director and built the Alf Engen Ski School in 1948. Alan became director in 1992 and moved up to director of skiing in 1998.

As the son of a skiing legend, it was a given that Alan would be involved in skiing. To what degree was the question. The answer would be very involved.

Alf Engen was recognized by many as the father of modern skiing. He was a world champion ski jumper, as well as a champion in alpine and cross country skiing, and built what came to be recognized as one of the most progressive ski schools in the country.

Under his father's direction Alan would step into skis at age 2, make his first ski jumps at age 4 and by age 9 would be skiing competitively. By age 12 he was an instructor in the Deseret News Ski School, a program his father helped introduce 63 years ago.

"Guess he felt I couldn't do much harm teaching beginners. By the time I was able to become a ski instructor at Alta I'd had quite a few years of teaching experience," Alan Engen recalled.

He would go on to become a member of the Junior National Ski Team and win championship titles in giant slalom, slalom and ski jumping. He was also a member of the University of Utah ski team from 1959 to 1962 and was named collegiate All-America in 1960.

In later years he won many more titles in jumping and in masters races.

It was not skiing, however, that remains one of Alan's most vivid memories at Alta. It was an avalanche that hit the Alta Lodge while the Engen family slept. It crashed through windows at the lodge and buried Alan while he slept. Alf was able to free himself and dig his family out.

"Luckily, the snow took a drape along with it that covered me and protected me from the broken glass or I would have been cut to ribbons. In digging me out dad was lacerated badly," recalled Alan, who was 12 at the time.