John W. Lundin – Lawyer, Historian, Author

John grew up in Seattle and spent his professional career practicing law, initially in Washington D.C. and then in Seattle. He was a lawyer in the Office of the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, a trial lawyer for the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, an Assistant U.S. Attorney, and in private practice for many years specializing in trial work and criminal defense in federal court. He received the highest ratings from his peer group and was ranked by U.S. News & World Report as having one of the best regional law firms in criminal defense, general and white collar. John also has a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning, worked in the areas of land use and environmental law, served on boards of non-profit corporations, and was the long time legal counsel for the Seattle Audubon Society.

John considers himself to be “on sabbatical” from the law as he pursues his interest in history and writing, splitting his time between Seattle and Sun Valley, Idaho. He has participated in sports his whole life and is a life-long skier and a long-time sailor and rower.

John is a proud product of the West where his family members were early settlers and pioneers, drawn initially by hard rock mining. He has done in-depth research into his family’s history for books he is writing, and has written extensively about early skiing history. A number of John’s history essays are available on HistoryLink.org, the on-line encyclopedia of Washington history, Central Washington’s website site for local authors, The Community Library in Ketchum, Idaho, and other locations.

John and his family spend summers exploring the mountains around Sun Valley. His wife, Jane E. Lundin, is a wildflower expert who has published a book about wildflowers in Idaho with A. Scott Earle, Idaho Mountain Wildflowers; a laminated Idaho wildflower field guide with A. Scott Earle, 265 Images of Northern Rocky Mountain Wildflowers; and a laminated Washington wildflower field guide, Mountain Wildflowers of Washington : 265 Images. They can be purchased from many bookstores or at Amazon.

My Bestsellers

John W. Lundin at the Washington State
Ski and Snowboard Museum,
where he was a founding member
and is a board member.
John W. Lundin in the mountains outside of Sun Valley, Idaho.
Crew of Earl of Mar, Santa Cruz 50, in the 1988 Victoria to Maui Race.
John Peavey, John W. Lundin and Ivan Swaner,
north of Ketchum, Idaho, next to arborglyph
carved by Basque shepherds.
Trailing of the Sheep Festival, 2015.
Jason Lundin, Captain in the
Renton Washington Fire Department,
greets President Biden, 2020.”
Seattle’s Garfield H.S. Hall of Fame (inducted, 2023).

Three Skade awards given by the International Ski History Association (ISHA) for outstanding works on ski history -
Early Skiing On Snoqualmie Pass; Skiing Sun Valley: A History From Union Pacific To The Holdings;
Ski Jumping In Washington State: A Nordic Tradition; and Sun Valley, Ketchum and
The Wood River Valley (honorable mention).

Harold S. Hirsch Award for Excellence in Snowsports Journalism
given by the North American Snowsports Journalists' Association (NASJA) every three years to the
best winter snowsports publication - Skiing Sun Valley: A History From Union Pacific To The Holdings.

Two Western Ski Heritage prizes from the Far West Ski Association (FWSA) in recognition of the best effort
in the prior 2 years that communicates the contributions of snowsports to the community at large -
Skiing Sun Valley: A History From Union Pacific To The Holdings; and John’s multi-year
“Work to Preserve Ski Jumping History, Expressing Norwegian Identity, and its Role in the. Development of
Skiing in America.”

Sun Valley Sun award from the Ancient Skiers in recognition of John’s multi-year
to preserve Sun Valley history.
Todd Wilson, two time U.S. Olympian in Nordic Combined - 1988 & 1992; Program Director, Steamboat Springs Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined Programs.
Billy Kidd, two time U.S. Olympian - 1964 (silver medal in slalom) & 1968; winner of multiple World Cup Races; 1970 World Cup Champion & 1970 Pro Ski Tour Champion. Director of Skiing, Steamboat Springs Resort.
Phil Mahre, two time U.S. Olympian - 1980 (silver in slalom) & 1984 (gold in slalom); winner of 27 World Cup races; three time World Cup Champion, 1981 - 1983.
Watch Entire Lecture

Lecture by John W. Lundin at
The Community Library in
Ketchum, Idaho, March 2024,
HEMINGWAY & SKIING:
From The Alps To Sun Valley,
Skiing Was Part of His Coming of Age
Read Full Article

Download Full Article
North American Snowsports Journalists
Association Board of Directors.
North American Snowsports Journalists
Association Board of Directors.
John W. Lundin gives his book,
"Ski Jumping in Washington State: A Nordic Tradition",
to Åslaug Midtdal, director of the Holmenkollen Ski Museum
in Oslo, Norway. They discussed establishing a
formal relationship between the Washington State Ski
and Snowboard Museum and the Oslo museum,
and coordinating exhibits in the future.
John W. Lundin receives the Sun Valley Sun award
from the Ancient Skiers Assoc.,
January 2024, in recognition of his multi-year work
to preserve the history of Sun Valley.
John is in seat 7
(the second from the front)
of this Octet, a rowing shell set up for
sculling with two oars per rower,
rather than sweep rowing with one oar.
John rowed for years out of the
Pocock Rowing Center in Seattle.
John with Joe Jay Jalbert, Park City 2024.
Jalbert is an ex-ski racer and a filmmaker.
He did the skiing for Robert Redford in Downhill Racer,
and has made a number of ski films since then,
including a tribute to Billy Kidd for the
Colorado Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame in 2024