Snowshoe Thompson
About this location:
Located at Carson Pass (elevation 8,573 feet) along Highway
88, which is 25 miles by road southeast of South Lake Tahoe, and 60
miles by road from Jackson.
The following is a brief life
story of this famous man of the Sierras.
Snowshoe
Thompson: "Viking of the Sierra"
When
John A. Thompson responded to an ad in the Sacramento Union :
"People Lost to the World; Uncle Sam Needs a Mail Carrier", he had
no idea he was to become a living legend. Snowshoe Thompson, one of
the most intriguing heroes in California's history. From 1856 to
1876 he made legendary 90 mile treks over snowdrifts up to 50 feet
high and through blizzards with up to 80 mile per hour winds, to
deliver mail to those living in isolation. His mail sack often
weighed up to 100 pounds: carrying not only mail, but medicine,
emergency supplies, clothing, books, tools, pots and pans. He was
the sole link between California and the Atlantic states during the
long winter months. As a young child in the Telemark region of
Norway, ski shaped snow-shoes (called ski-skates) were as common as
ordinary shoes. A crowd formed in Placerville for his first mail
run in January, 1856. Few had faith that he would make it over the
7,500 foot passes on his homemade 10 foot long, 25 pound oak skis.
But one optimistic voice in the crowd called out: "Good luck,
Snowshoe Thompson" and he set out to become a legendary postman and
father of California skiing.
Two
to four times a month for twenty winters, regardless of weather,
Snowshoe Thompson set out at the appointed hour. His mail run took
3 days from Placerville to Mormon Station, Utah (Nevada's first
town, later called Genoa when Nevada became a state), and two days
on the return trip. The people of the pioneer settlement knew when
to expect his arrival.
Snowshoe Thompson died of appendicitis which developed into
pneumonia on May 15, 1876. His son, Arthur, died two years later of
diphtheria, and was buried next to his father at the cemetery in
Genoa.
To verify you have found the
cache:
This is a virtual cache that has an information plaque
about the famous Snowshoe Thompson.
To validate that you have visited this cache email me the
words in parenthesis just under the name of Snowshoe Thompson. You
may also post a photo on your log of the
monument.
Cache adopted and updated in March 2008 by
SNSpencer.
The original owner of this cache is no longer an active player in
the game and was gracious enough to allow me to take over the
maintenance of this hide. I have adopted five vista area
Virtual Caches around the perimeter of Lake Tahoe and three in the
Carson Pass/Kirkwood area. Loving Lake Tahoe and other
adjacent areas as he did, the original creator,
TahoeBerne, chose these scenic areas to have you
stop, look, and breathe in the beauty. I wholeheartedly agree
with his opinion of these areas and his reasons for wanting to
share them with you.
Although a "hidden" cache may be more challenging to locate,
TahoeBerne had the following reasons for making
these Virtual Caches:
-
Many Traditional hidden caches are
stolen.
-
You can visit them in all four seasons, pending
any road closures due to snow, which are only temporary
anyway.
-
They are easier to find, if that is your
desire.
-
They all are located in what I feel are the most
scenic locations.
Virtual Caches in the
area that I
adopted from
TahoeBerne:
California Side of Tahoe
(Clockwise around lake)
Lakeview For You
The Kings Beach
Nevada Side of Tahoe
(Clockwise around lake)
Ponderosa Ranch Relic
Memorial Point Scenic
Overlook
Logan Shoals Vista
Not around the Lake
Caples Lake Resort
Kit Karson Kache
Snowshoe Thompson
There are plenty
of other Virtual Caches to visit along the way maintained by other
players.
Keep Tahoe Blue!!
Remember, Practice "Cache In Trash Out"
While out geocaching, bring a bag with you to
pick up trash along the way.
Visit the Cache In Trash Out page to learn
more about CITO.
CITO Logo use granted
3/28/08 by Groundspeak BTG-708616