SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — The U.S. Forest Service’s Taylor Creek Visitor Center on Emerald Bay Road in South Lake Tahoe has announced a new addition to their Lake of the Sky Amphitheater evening programs schedule for the whole family.

From 7-8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5, John “Snowshoe” Thompson will visit “Lake Valley.”

Since 1856, after 14 winters heroically carrying winter mail back and forth 90 miles over the snowy Sierra between isolated Genoa and Placerville, Snowshoe has become well known in the Lake Tahoe region as the celebrated Norwegian “Mailman of the Sierra.”

In 1869 he finally answered the challenge from the “LaPorte boys” to take them on during that winter’s high stakes Longboard Races in Plumas County, California.

You’ll hear the “Father of Skiing in California” give his personal account of the debacle while being supported and defended by the Alpine Enterprise newspaper.

Historic character re-enactor, Steve Hale of Comstock Characters, returns to the Lake of the Sky Amphitheater in first person and costume to bring you this rarely heard fascinating 153-year-old story of our legendary local Lake Tahoe pioneer.

Mr. Hale says the Amphitheater’s comfortable family friendly setting as the sun is going down and its inquisitive Tahoe audiences makes it one of his favorites for presenting inspiring historic Tahoe characters live on stage.

Pre-packaged items will be for sale and public restrooms will be available.

For more information call the Taylor Creek Visitor Center at 530-543-2674 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.