winter snows cut off all communications.” While “Snowshoe Thompson” contemplated this challenge he carved 10’ long wooden skis and practiced with a long balance pole. When he felt competent he decided to respond to the ad and offer his services as a mail carrier, in spite of warnings about men before him who had tried and not made it. When he left Placerville on his first trip in January 1856, someone yelled, “Good luck, Snowshoe Thompson;” hence, the name stuck. Born Jon Torsteinson-Rue in Norway in 1827, Snowshoe was the 14th and youngest child born to his parents.

Despite his nickname, he didn’t use the snowshoes that were used by the indigenous people of the area, but rather would travel with the 10’ skis and pole, generally held with both hands at once. (He knew this form of cross-country skiing from his native Norway.) Thompson typically made the eastward trip in 3 days, and the return trip in 2. He carried no blanket and no gun; he claimed he was never lost even in blizzards. Although Snowshoe delivered mail for 20 years, he was never paid for his service. Snowshoe Thompson died of appendicitis which developed into pneumonia in May 1876 at the age of 49, leaving a wife and son.