Photos

California's Donner Lake is named after the infamous Donner Party snowbound here in 1846. California bound wagon travellers the Donners and the Reeds joined a large wagon train led by William H. Russell. Upon reaching the Little Sandy River in Wyoming, The Donner group made their first big mistake by deciding to take a short-cut recommended by promoter Lansford Hastings. Unfortunately Hastings had never explored his short cut trail and it was purely fictional. This group was led by George Donner with a train of 23 wagons and 87 people.

Immediately the Donner Party endured great hardships crossing the arid Wasatch Mountains then the Great Salt Lake Desert. The shortcut had taken them three weeks longer than the normal route. Then traveling along the Humboldt River they were once again slowed down. By the time they reached the east side of California's Sierra Nevada it was the end of October.

A snowstorm blocked their way over the Sierra pass route. Low on supplies and wornout, they camped at the east end of what is now named Donner Lake.

Their ordeals were to become overwhelming with the inability to cross the mountains in the deep snow. Fifteen of the party made crude snowshoes and set out for Sutter's Fort in Sacramento to get help. When they ran out of food they resorted to cannibalism eating their fallen comrades. Finally two men and five women made it to the fort.

When rescuers made it to Donner Lake they also found survivors had resorted to cannibalism. Of the original 87 pioneers, 39 died and 48 survived.

Today you can visit the Donner Party Museum just off Highway 80.

PS: This shot is a scan of a slide film image, and not as resolute as possible, nor color accuracy.