New book by area author tracks origins of skiing from Snoqualmie Pass

Seattle attorney and author John W. Lundin has recently released a new book, “Early Skiing on Snoqualmie Pass.” In it, he recounts the early days of skiing when Snoqualmie Pass was the epicenter of the sport.

Ski jumping tournaments attracted world-class competitors to Cle Elum, Beaver Lake on the Summit and the Milwaukee Ski Bowl. The Mountaineers’ 20-mile race from Snoqualmie to Stampede Pass, dubbed “the world’s longest and hardest race,” was a pinnacle of cross-country skiing. Alpine skiing began in private ski clubs and expanded in 1934 with the country’s first municipal ski area, known as the Seattle Municipal Ski Park. And the sport peaked when the Milwaukee Ski Bowl at Hyak opened in 1938.

Lundin learned to ski on Snoqualmie Pass using wooden skis, leather boots and cable bindings and riding rope tows. He was a member of Sahalie Ski Club, which began on Snoqualmie Pass in 1931, and has homes in Seattle and Sun Valley, Idaho.