Honoring the 'Mailman of the Sierra'

Thursday marked the 25th anniversary of Nevada Appeal Photographer Rick Gunn’s 90-mile solo trek from Placerville to Genoa in honor of Snowshoe Thompson.

There wasn’t a lot of snow on the 1999 trek, which meant Gunn’s had to walk much of the route.

“I’m still tired,” he said on Thursday.

Gunn made his trek Jan. 13-18, according to a story appearing in the Jan. 27, 1999, edition of The Record-Courier.

On Sunday, historian David Woodruff will be talking about the Mailman of the Sierra who carried mail on his back across the Sierra during winter.

Minden Mill Distilling will be presenting a 55-minute Chautauqua performance of Thompson and his wife Agnes by Woodruff and his wife. The program is free, but seating is limited and advance reservations are required. To make reservations, click on this link click here

Minden Mill Distilling is located at 1601 Water St, Minden.

Thompson is credited for carrying type for the Territorial Enterprise when it first published in Genoa.

His May 16, 1876, death at age 49 was reported in the May 19, 1876, edition of The Carson Valley News, The Record-Courier’s predecessor.

“His great physical power, fleetness, endurance and punctuality in that style of travelling has long rendered his name renowned, and his soubriquet, ‘Snowshoe Thompson had become as familiar to the people of the Coast as a household word,” The News reported.

A large procession of friends in carriages and horseback accompanied the arrival of his remains from his Diamond Valley Ranch in Alpine County.

“Many of our citizens proceeded up the Valley and met the procession.”

A group is planning to conduct a Snowshoe Thompson Expedition March 6-10.

The expedition plans to retrace Thompson’s original route from Placerville to Genoa on Jan. 3, 1856. The group plans to find the original route and plot the path in Thompson’s honor.

“History Expeditions was founded to discover trails and tales lost to time and honor inspiring historic heroes,” according to organizer Bob Crowley. “Five members will trek the 100 miles from Placerville to Genoa over five days, on foot, snowshoes and skis, retracing Thompson’s steps and staying true to what we have re-searched to believe his actual route.”

The expedition plans to arrive in downtown Genoa on March 10 and will walk to the Genoa Cemetery to visit Thompson’s grave before celebrating at the Genoa Bar, an establishment Thompson likely patronized.  For more information, Crowley asked that people join the group’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/groups/371977447411728