Snowshoe Thompson’s Cave

John “Snowshoe” Thompson

Snowshoe Thompson is known as the “Viking of the Sierras” and the father of skiing in the Sierras.

Snowshoe was born in Norway on April 30, 1827, with the name Jon Torsteinsson Rue. He later changed his name to John Albert Thompson. In 1837 when John was ten, his family immigrated to Missouri.

In 1851 John drove a herd of dairy cows to California. He settled in Placerville, California, mined for a brief period, then purchased a ranch in Sacramento Valley. Snowshoe then homesteaded a 160-acre ranch in Diamond Valley, California, at the south end of Carson Valley. Legend says he found a gold vein visible from his house, but searchers have never located the mine.

Mail delivery over the Sierras

Between 1856 and 1876, Snowshoe Thompson delivered mail across the Sierras from Placerville, California, to Genoa, Nevada. He later added trips to Virginia City, Nevada.

A round trip took Snowshoe Thompson five days of travel, two days of skiing going west, and three days for the return trip. He made the round trip two to four times a month on a consistent schedule. Snowshoe carried not only mail but also clothing, books, tools, medicine, and supplies like cookware. His pack could weigh up to 100 pounds a trip.

Despite the name “Snowshoe,” he used cross-country skis and a single pole. He skied with no blanket or gun due to their weight.

Snowshoe delivered the first silver ore mined from the Comstock Lode in Virginia City. He was also known for rescuing injured settlers by obtaining medication.

Snowshoe may have frequented the Genoa Bar, “Nevada’s Oldest Thirst Parlor.” It is still a fun place to hang out and enjoy a drink and live music.

Snowshoe married Agnes Singleton in 1866. They had one child, Arthur Thomas, in 1867; for his son’s first birthday, he made Arthur his first set of skis. After that, Snowshoe taught his son and community members how to ski.

Cave System

Snowshoe Thompson had a series of caves he would use during bad weather. This cave is in Alpine County, not far from his ranch in Diamond Valley. The cave is surprisingly large. Soot from past fires still marks the ceiling.

No pay

Snowshoe delivered mail for 20 years without pay. In 1871 Snowshoe was a delegate to the state Republican convention in Sacramento, California. A resolution was sent to Washington, DC, to reimburse him for his postal service. Despite the resolution and Snowshoe traveling to Washington, DC in 1872, he never received payment for mail delivery.

Genoa Cemetery

John Snowshoe Thompson died on May 15, 1876, of an infection from a ruptured appendix. He is buried in the Genoa Cemetery.

Following his death, Snowshoe’s wife married into the Scossa ranching family. The Scossa family still ranches in Carson Valley and are friends of ours.

It took Snowshoe’s widow Agnes nine years to be able to erect the beautiful marble headstone on his grave.

Note the lack of a “P” in Snowshoe’s last name. There is debate as to the reason for the misspelling. Some think the engraver made a spelling error. Another group claims Snowshoe’s widow had limited writing ability and made a mistake in her order. A third group says Snowshoe used both variations of the name. We will likely never know the reason, but it is an interesting historical side note. Official documents, including Snowshoe’s Certificate of Citizenship and personal letters he wrote, clearly have his name spelled Thompson.

Following Agnes’s death in 1915, the grave site fell into disrepair. In 1924 a local girl took it upon herself to clean and maintain the grave. Later the care was taken up by other local children. After a rumored attempt to steal Snowshoe’s headstone, the children raised funds to have the grave set in concrete.

The Snowshoe Thompson statue in Genoa at Mormon Station was dedicated in 2001. The Snowshoe Thompson Ski and Snowshoe Celebration occur annually in Lake Tahoe.

Snowshoe Thompson’s Cave

Snowshoe Thompson’s Alpine County cave lies on the Carson Route of the Emigrant Trail. Pioneers used this trail as an alternative to the higher altitude Donner Pass. Over 150 years later, you can still see the wagon road and markings the wagons left on the rocks.

Today it is an easy hike to visit Snowshoe Thompson’s Cave. The trailhead is off Highway 88, between Woodfords and Wylder resorts. The hike is 0.7 miles out and back.

It makes a nice day combined with Hope Valley, Markleeville Cave, or hiking in Alpine County. I was fortunate to visit the cave with a friend and historian, Stephen, and his wife, Patty. Hubby and I rounded out our day with a trip to Silver Mountain City Ghost Town at the base of Ebbetts Pass.

A few weeks later, I led a hike for the kids with my friend Jen. In the same morning, we had snow and wildflowers. One of the flowers was growing out of the granite top of Snowshoe’s Cave!

I also found a rock by the cave marked by an emigrant 171 years ago! A pioneer wrote the name and date in axle grease. It is almost impossible to see unless the rock is shadowed.

Geocache

In May, I led two trips for Trails West following the Carson River Route, and we stopped at the Genoa Cemetery. One of the attendees noticed this geocache at Snowshoe Thompson’s grave. The mail truck has to be one of the most fitting geocaches ever.

---

References

• Carson Valley Historical Society. Snowshoe Thompson. 1991. Pages 1-36.
• Fey, Marshall. Emigrant Trails: The Long Road to California, A history and Guide to the Emigrant Routes from Central Nevada to Crossing the Sierra. Nevada Publication, 2019. Pages 157-158.
• Miluck, Nancy C. Nevada This is our Land: A survey from Prehistory to Present. Dragon Enterprises, 1994. Pages 41-42.
• Snow Brains: The Most Legendary Skier in California History? | “Snowshoe Thompson”
• Snowshoe Thompson: The Story…Snowshoe Thompson “Viking of the Sierra”
• Tortorich, Frank Jr. Gold Rush Trail: A guide to the Carson River Route of the Emigrant Trail. Wagon Wheel Tours, 1998. Pages 14-22.
• Travel Notes and Beyond: The Legend of Snowshoe Thompson, Lake Tahoe’s First Mailman
• Visit Carson Valley: “Snowshoe” Thompson – The Mailman of the Sierra
• Wikipedia: Snowshoe Thompson

Follow me on social media:

• 
• 
• 
•