Alta Historical Society

Fireside Archive

The Alta Historical Society (AHS) will again host our popular series of Fireside Chats this winter. These interesting and entertaining programs focus on Alta’s skiing, mining and political history, and will be presented by some of Alta’s most remarkable personalities and visitors. Fireside Chats will be held most weeks throughout the ski season at various lodges in Alta during après ski hours.

REI, a supporter of the Alta Fireside Chats, will host several Chats this winter at their store on 33rd South in Salt Lake City. We already have a few events scheduled; please check back for additional dates for and locations for the 2013 events.

The public is welcome and events are free. We hope you join us! The presentations are 45 minutes to 1 hour long including a question and answer period.

We have a speaker each week and continually update the calender as dates for our speakers and locations are finalized.

Posters are put up in Alta a week before each event as a reminder. For talks up at Alta, table tents are put out the day of the talk in all the day lodges also as a reminder.

Charles Keller, "Alta 1939", Wedneday Jan 16th, 3:30PM at Alta Lodge Deck Room, Alta, Utah.

Charles Keller is retired engineer and avid historian. He is the author of "The Lady in the Ore Bucket". The title of his talk is "Alta 1939" About Alta's transition from a mining town to a ski town. A number of things happened that impacted the mining and skiing industries, as well as the topography of the area, each reaching back into history for their roots.

Alta String Band, Ray Conrad and Alta Chorus-Brian Jones and the Uinta Serende Presents "Alta Music Now and Then" 4:30PM Saturday, January 19th, Goldminers Daughter Lodge , Alta Utah.

Come hear Alta songs from way back to today present by a unique string band, Brian Jones, former head of the Alta Historical Society, Alta ski instructor, professional geologist and accomplished musician, brings together a unique group of musicians to play songs about Alta.

	Joe Prokop, "The Alta Experience: Celebrating It's 75th Anniversary", 3:30pm Saturday, January 26th, Goldminers Daughter Lodge , Alta Utah. Joe Prokop, award winning KUED producer will be talking about Alta 75 years as a ski resort and its unique personalities that help to make it one of the best ski areas in the world. An avid sportsman and award winning KUED producer. Known for his documentaries of the intermountain west, he will be talking about Alta 75 year history as a ski resort and its unique personalities that help to make it one of the best ski areas in the world. He produced the documentary “The Alta Experience” which has been shown on KUED over the past few years. His presentation highlights the intrepid personalities who helped create Alta. Norwegian immigrant and ski jump champion Alf Engen, who recommended Alta as an ideal site for a ski resort to the U.S. Forest Service, and George Watson, one of the last remaining silver miners, who helped bring about the development of the resort. The one-hour program chronicles the generations who have carved fresh lines in Alta's famous untracked snow: people like early ski champion Suzy Harris Rytting, Alta Ski area general manger Onno Wieringa, ski school instructor Nic Nichol, historian Alexis Kelner and author Alan Engen help bring to life The Alta Experience.
	Joe Prokop, "The Alta Experience: Celebrating It's 75th Anniversary", 7:00pm Wednesday, January 30th, REI, 3300 South Salt Lake City, Utah. Joe Prokop, award winning KUED producer will be talking about Alta 75 years as a ski resort and its unique personalities that help to make it one of the best ski areas in the world. An avid sportsman and award winning KUED producer. Known for his documentaries of the intermountain west, he will be talking about Alta 75 year history as a ski resort and its unique personalities that help to make it one of the best ski areas in the world. He produced the documentary “The Alta Experience” which has been shown on KUED over the past few years. His presentation highlights the intrepid personalities who helped create Alta. Norwegian immigrant and ski jump champion Alf Engen, who recommended Alta as an ideal site for a ski resort to the U.S. Forest Service, and George Watson, one of the last remaining silver miners, who helped bring about the development of the resort. The one-hour program chronicles the generations who have carved fresh lines in Alta's famous untracked snow: people like early ski champion Suzy Harris Rytting, Alta Ski area general manger Onno Wieringa, ski school instructor Nic Nichol, historian Alexis Kelner and author Alan Engen help bring to life The Alta Experience.
	Alta Ski Patrol and Their Avalanche Dogs: February 9th, 3:30PM, Goldminer's Daughter, Alta, Utah Alta Ski Patrol will talk about avalanche safety and the role that Alta’s avalanche dogs have in their program. Meet these special dogs, learn how they are trained and see how the relationships develop between the dogs and their handlers. This is a wonderful opportunity for all to meet some of the Alta Ski Patrol and their canine companions who are dedicated to making the ski experience at Alta a wonderful one.
	Wesley Sine, My Rememberances of Skiing with Alf: February 15th, 3:30PM, Snowpine Lodge, Alta, Utah Wesley Sine and his sister, Betty Lou, are long time skiers who frequented the beautiful Alta mountainsides. Beginning in the mid to late 1940s, their parents would drive them up to Alta on weekends so that they could take lessons with the legendary Alf Engen. With Alf's coaching, they both became excellent skiers and champions in ski racing. Betty Lou became good enough to be the best female ski racer in the Intermountain region and was captain of the University of Utah Women's Ski Team during the late 1950s-early 60s. Westley was a member of the Intermountain Junior National Ski Team and a member of the University of Utah mens ski team during the 1950s. Wesley has said on a number of occasions that what he would like to do now is contribute, where possible, in ways to give back for the many wonderful experiences he has received while skiing at Alta.
	Alexis Kelner, History of Save Our Canyons: Thursday, February 28th, 7:00PM, REI, 3300 South, Salt Lake City, Utah Alexis one of the founders of Save Our Canyons is a noted ski historian and one of the modern pioneers of backcountry skiing in Utah. He is an avid conservationist committed to protecting the beautiful mountains of Utah. He has a keen knowledge of the Wasatch and brings us a unique perspective of skiing in Utah and its interesting history. Among his many interesting pursuits, Alexis is on the board of Save Our Canyon and has also been an active board member of the Wasatch Mountain Club. He is the author of Skiing in Utah, a History and co-author with David Hanscom of the backcountry skiing guides Wasatch I, Wasatch II and Wasatch III. Save Our Canyons was founded in 1972 in response to the threat of urbanization of the Wasatch Mountains just outside of Salt Lake City. They were instrumental in getting wilderness designation of the Lone Peak, Twin Peaks, and Mt. Olympus wilderness areas in the Wasatch. In there work to preserve the natural wonders of the Wasatch mountains they have worked with the Sierra Club, the Wasatch Mountain Club, the Great Salt Lake Audubon Society, the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, the Utah Wilderness Coalition, the High Uintas Preservation Council and many other environmental and mountain recreation organizations.
	Daniel "Howie" Howlett, Avalanche Department, Alta Ski Patrol, Alta's Forecasting and Mitigation Program : Saturday, March 3rd, 3:30PM, Rustler Lodge, Alta, Utah. The Alta Ski Patrol has a unique story and heritage in avalanche work in the United States. Come join us in their presentation about their avalanche program at Alta. It is a wonderful opportunity to learn about all the work that they do for us so that we can all enjoy the slopes. The history of Alta’s avalanche forecasting and mitigation program is featured in the 09/10 Winter Edition of the Alta Powder News available online at www.AltaHistory.org.
	Nic Nichol, Supervisor Alf Engen Ski School, "ODE TO ALF ENGEN, AN AMERICAN SKIING LEGEND": Saturday March9th, 3:30 pm, Snowpine Lodge, Alta, Utah. Presented by Nic Nichol. Nic Nichol, a supervisor at Alta's Alf Engen Ski School and board member of the Alta Historical Society, will share childhood stories and memories of the American ski legend, Alf Engen. Nic's father was Mark Nichol, who was a ski instructor at Alta in 1948 along with his 4 brothers. Through his childhood experience and adult life at Alta, Nic has first hand experience as a friend and ski instructor working under Alf.
	Shannon Corey & Josh Spiker, Alta Lift Operators, "History of Alta's Chairlifts": March 21st, 3:30PM, Goldminers Daughter Lodge Alta, Utah . This year is the 75th anniversary of the Alta chairlift. Come hear Alta Lift Operators Shannon Corey and Josh Spiker speak about the history of the people and equipment that have kept skiers moving up the mountain for 75 years. Learn about pre-public operations, original fixed grip and modern high speed detachable lifts, and the art of moving thousands of people safely around Alta each year.
	Daniel "Howie" Howlett, Avalanche Department, Alta Ski Patrol, researchers Cale Fallgatter and Prof. Tim Garrett U of U, Looking Inside the Greatest Snow on Earth: March 21st, 7:00PM, REI, 3300 South, Salt Lake City, Utah Alta and the U of U have made some incredible strides with new camera technology capable of capturing individual snow flakes in 3D as they fall. In the last year they have garnered international attention. Join Howie Howlett, Asst. Director of Alta's Avalanche Department , researchers Cale Fallgatter and Professor Tim Garrett from the University of Utah Department of Atmospheric Sciences, to learn about this special camera for automatically photographing individual snowflakes in free fall, from three different angles, while simultaneously measuring their velocity. This exciting research project is a cooperative effort with support from the Alta Ski Area and the National Science Foundation.