He skied over the mountains and through blizzards with only bits of beef jerky to sustain him and no gun for protection.

Snow-Shoe Thompson was once described as the "hardiest and mightiest man that ever shook a leg over the California uplands." However, it turns out that there were two events that put fear in his heart. Ironically, neither of the experiences was related to weather or snow.

Wolves
Although Snow-Shoe traveled the Sierra backcountry for more than two decades, he never once encountered a grizzly bear, but he always reasoned that he could easily ski away if he had to. It was a close call with wolves that he always mentioned when asked about dangerous animals.

Snow-shoe: "I was never frightened but once during all my travels in the mountains. That was in the winter of 1857. I was crossing Hope Valley (south of Lake Tahoe). I came to a place where six great wolves--big timber wolves--were at work in the snow, digging out the carcass of some animal. They were great, gaunt, shaggy fellows."

As a young boy growing up in Norway, Thompson had heard many stories about the ferocity of wolves, and he feared them more than any other wild animal. Snow-Shoe was confident he could safely ski away from a grizzly, but he knew that the lightly built wolves could "skim over the snow like birds."

As Thompson slowly approached the wolves, they left the carcass and, in single file, came out a distance of about 25 yards toward him. The wolves all crouched down with "every eye and every sharp nose" turned at him. Thompson later said that we he looked at the wolves lined up, he got cold chills and had a queer feeling about the roots of his hair. But what frightened him most was the confidence they displayed. Snow-Shoe dared not show his fear so he held his breath and kept skiing past them. The dominant wolf suddenly let forth a loud, eerie howl and the others joined in, but Thompson did not panic and the wolves did not pursue him.

Pyramid Lake Indian War
Thompson's other near-death experience occurred near Pyramid Lake (terminus of the Truckee River). In May 1860, tensions between the white settlers and the local Paiute Indian Tribe led to the little-known Pyramid Lake Indian War. Then 105 poorly-organized pioneers rashly invaded the ancestral Paiute homeland; the natives routed them. Seventy-five setters were killed and several more were wounded. By contrast, the Indians suffered only light casualties.

Snow-Shoe was in the thick of the battle when his horse was shot out from beneath him. He was one of the fastest men alive on skis, but now his life depended on the outcome of a foot-race with Indian warriors. Thompson later said, "I pledge you my word that more than once I wished that all the valley was buried in snow and I was mounted on my snowshoes."

As Thompson ran for the safety of the foliage along the Truckee River, he felt hot breath over his shoulder. Expecting hand-to-hand combat with a Paiute brave, he wheeled about quickly. His elbow struck the nose of a rider less horse, saddled and bridled. He leaped onto the animal and escaped with his life. For the rest of his days, Snow-Show Thompson believed that the horse had been heaven-sent.

Photos are from the author.

Editor's Note: Mark McLaughlin is a Tahoe Historian who can be reached at mark@thestormking.com.