A native of Salt Lake City, Alan entered Scouting at age 11 and shortly after was selected to be on the cover of both Boys’ Life Magazine (January 1952 issue) and Skiing merit badge booklet. He received Scouting’s highest rank, that of Eagle, at age thirteen.
Alan Engen was named one of the “Legends of Utah skiing” in 1988. He was also inducted into the Utah Sports Hall of Fame in 1991; the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame in 2004; and the University of Utah Crimson Club Athletes Hall of Fame in 2006. In 2007, Alan was given Utah “Best of State” honors as a professional athlete in sports and recreation and in 2009 he was inducted into the Intermountain Ski Hall of Fame. His competitive ski career is extensive at the national and international level. He competed in all skiing disciplines (Alpine and Nordic), winning numerous championships in Junior, Senior, and Masters competition. He was an All-American skier in college for the University of Utah and was a member of the United States CISM Ski Team during the middle 1960’s. He was also a six time winner of the United States Ski Association-Intermountain Masters series title in the 1980’s.
Alan is a recognized Utah ski historian and the author of the award winning book, For the Love of Skiing – A Visual History (1998) and co-author of the book FIRST TRACKS – A Century of Skiing in Utah (2001). He is Chairman Emeritus of the Alf Engen Ski Museum Foundation; Chairman Emeritus of the Alta Historical Society; a former member of the board of directors for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and Museum; and a charter advisory member of the University of Utah J. Willard Marriott Library, Utah Ski Archives.