Snowshoe Thompson, born John Albert Thompson (originally Jon Torsteinson-Rue) on April 30, 1827, in Tinn, Norway, became a legendary figure in the American West, best known for delivering mail across the treacherous Sierra Nevada mountains during the mid-19th century. He earned his nickname for his use of long wooden skis to traverse the snowy, dangerous routes of the Sierra, bridging communities in California and Nevada.