Expeditions team retraces steps of Snowshoe Thompson's mail route in 1856

The Auburn State Theatre invites the public to come meet the History Expeditions Team – comprised of local endurance athletes – as they share stories and video of their newest adventure and participate in a Q&A at 7 p.m. Friday, March 15, at the Odd Fellows Lodge #7 in Auburn, 1226-1/2 Lincoln Way. To honor John "Snowshoe" Thompson, pioneering mailman of the Sierra, the History Expeditions Team was scheduled to set out March 6 on a never-before-attempted 100-mile trek across the Sierra Nevada mountains from Placerville to Genoa, Nevada. This route retraces Thompson's inaugural 1856 mail route, where the legendary mailman weathered huge snowdrifts on massive 25-pound skis, carrying his 100-pound load of mail and ore. This event is a fundraiser for the History Expedition's publication of TEVIS - The Places We Ride - Celebrating Seven Decades of American Endurance Riding History. History Expeditions co-founders Bob Crowley and Tim Twietmeyer, veteran ultra-distance trail runners and amateur historians, accompanied by Jennifer Hemmen, a versatile ultra-distance and adventure athlete; Elke Reimer, a veteran ultra-distance runner, backpacker and trail steward; and Hal Hall, an accomplished endurance equestrian rider and historian, will trek and ski the rugged Sierra terrain, following Thompson's mail route. Deep snow and frigid temperatures will require much of the journey be done in snowshoes, skis and wilderness arctic gear. Progressing 10 to 35 miles per day, the hikers will set camp each evening near likely spots where Thompson would have rested. Track the expedition's progress on historyexp.org. It is expected the team will complete the expedition in five days. The route will take them along the South Fork of the American River, over the Sierra at Echo Lake (7,539 feet), down into the Tahoe Basin and along the Upper Truckee River, over Luther Pass (7,740), down to Hope Valley, Woodfords and along the eastern base of the Sierra to Genoa. Doors open at 6 p.m. Admission is $15 general. Purchase tickets at AuburnStateTheatre.org or 530-885-0156.