Snowshoe Thompson
You have found the medallion for Snowshoe Thompson, a local hero turned legend. Snowshoe Thompson was born in Norway in 1827. He came to America with his mother when he was ten years old. He arrived in Placerville in 1851 and mined for a short time.
Between 1856 and 1876 he delivered mail between Placerville and Genoa, Nevada and later Virginia City, Nevada. His early trips were done over the Sierra as he learned to travel in the winter in Norway, on ten-foot-long skis and a single sturdy pole generally held in both hands at once. He typically made the eastern trip in three days and the return trip in two days. He carried no blanket and no gun and claimed he was never lost in blizzards. Thompson usually traveled the old Johnson Cutoff Road that followed the Highway 50 corridor.
To find the next miner from Snowshoe Thompson’s medallion…
Walk down Main Street toward the bell tower looking for brick. It may be a bit of a walk, but this miner can be found near the Round Tent Store sign. Look down and you will have better luck. If you have gone past the bell tower you have gone too far.
For more information on this scavenger hunt, please visit the Welcome Page.
