Snowshoe Thompson ~ A Great Man and Two Great Events!!

Pictured in the upper right is Nina MacLeod who started the Snowshoe Thompson event 17 yrs ago in Hope Valley. Now together with “Friends of Snowshoe Thompson” also participated in Norway’s 28th tour in March.  Between 1856 and 1876, Snowshoe Thompson delivered mail between Placerville, California and Genoa, Nevada. Despite his nickname, he did not make use of the snowshoes, but rather would travel with ten-foot skis. Thompson typically made the eastward trip in three days, and the return trip in two days and did not carry a blanket or a gun. My favorite story is that when he would get cold he would just dance a jig on a rock. Hard to believe someone could do this job even with today’s luxury clothing ~ truly a great man!