The Ski Archives of the J. Willard Marriott Library held their annual Ski Affair and presented two awards to pioneers in the field of skiing. This year’s award recipients are the Wasatch Mountain Club, which received the History-Maker Award, and Alan K. Engen, who received the S.J. Quinney Award.
History-Maker Award
The Wasatch Mountain Club was founded in May of 1920 with the purpose of “providing an education and activity group for those who enjoyed hiking, ski touring, river running and mountain climbing.” The club currently has a conservation program aimed at canyon and foothill areas to the east of Salt Lake City.
The Marriott Library has several items from the club in special collections, including their constitution, financial records, membership lists, and newsletters all the way back to their founding date. In addition, there is also a map that was published by the University of Utah Press that is stored in the archives.
S.J. Quinney Award
In addition, Engen co-wrote the book “First Tracks: A Century of Skiing in Utah“ with Gregory C. Thompson, the associate dean for the library’s Special Collections. The book aims to “capture the rich legacy of skiing in Utah’s indomitable Wasatch Mountain Range through upbeat informative text and fascinating vintage and recent photographs.”
