After seven days in Utah -- the longest in any state -- the Odyski headed eastward to Colorada. But before saying farewell to Utah, the Ski Bum visited the Alf Engen Ski Museum, in Park City, and nearby Soldier Hollow, the site of the 2002 Olympic cross-country and biathlon competition.

A manequin of a slalom racer hangs from the ceiling at the Alf Engen Ski Museum in Park City, Utah.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

A manequin depicting a freestyle skier hangs from the ceiling at the Alf Engen Ski Museum. The photo is not upside down; this is the way freestylers are.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

Alf Engen was a Norwegian immigrant who was one of Utah's most influential skiers. In addition to his prowess as an athelete -- he set numerous jumping records at nearby Ecker Hill -- he helped established half a dozen ski resorts and ran the school at Alta for many years.

Many consider him to be the father of Utah powder skiing, something that obviously fit his position at Alta, which is known far and wide as Utah's powderhounds' paradise.

I met Connie Nelson, the Engen Museum's personable executive director, and she repeatedly proclaimed, "I've got the best job in the world!"

Connie Nelson, executive director of the Alf Engen Ski Museum, poses in front of the display case devoted to the awards and honors amassed by the institution's namesake.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

Among Alf Engen's lifetime honors was this ski boot award, given by the G.H. Bass Company, of Wilton, Maine, for outstanding achievements in the 1939-1940 season. The Bass company was a leading manufacturer of ski boots in the middle of the 20th century.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

Connie and I discussed a number of issues relating to ski museums. As many Ski Bum readers know, I am one of the directors of the Ski Museum of Maine, which has a fund-raiser coming up February 16 at Sugarloaf.

The Ski Bum poses in front of the statues of Alf Engen and Joe Quinney, two of Utah's most influential skiers. The sculptures stand at the entryway to the Alf Engen Ski Museum in Park City, Utah.
CONNIE NELSON PHOTO

After saying goodbye to Connie, then strolling along Main Street in Park City, I continued to Soldier Hollow, where I casually toured for a couple of hours.

Two skiers make their way across the bleak and snowy landscape of Soldier Hollow yesterday. This area, which is now open to public skiing, was site of the 2002 cross-country and bialthlon events at the Salt Lake City Olympic Winter Games.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

A high school racing team trains yesterday at Soldier Hollow, site of the 2002 cross-country and biathlon events of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Winter Games.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

As an New England skier who is used to gliding through woods with occasional distant views, I was amazed by Soldier Hollow's wide-open terrain, with continuing vistas that extend for miles across a starkly beautiful desert-scape.

Unfortunately, this bleak beauty comes at a price: The wind swept across the area all yesterday and drifting snow continually filled the tracks -- making the experience far less than ideal.

E-mail this entry to a friend