Tahoetopia

Truckee

SUICIDE MISSION: The Donner Party--February 7, 1847

One hundred and sixty-three years ago this week, the members of the Donner Party were in the deep throes of starvation and slowly dying.

U.S. - MEXICO WAR: The Donner Party--January, 1847

One hundred and sixty-three years ago this week, in late January, 1847, nearly 60 remaining members of the Donner Party were still trapped near Donner Lake and the Mexican-American War in northern California was winding down.

Hunger & 7 Survivors: The Donner Party--January 26, 1847

One hundred and sixty-three years ago this week, the members of the Donner Party were desperately low on food supplies, and were beginning to eat nearly anything.

FADING FAST: The Donner Party--January 19, 1847

One hundred and sixty-three years ago this week, some trapped and distressed Donner Party members may have wondered what happened to James Reed.

FORLORN HOPE: The Donner Party--January 12, 1847

One hundred and sixty-plus years ago this week the sixty-some members of the desperate Donner Party were counting on the snowshoers who had left for the Pass and Sutter's Fort on December 16. The “Forlorn Hope” group, as it was known, had been gone for three weeks, but no rescuers had arrived back from California.

ESCAPE ATTEMPT: The Donner Party--Early January 1847

One hundred and sixty-plus years ago this week, the members of the Donner Party were doing their best to keep their hopes and themselves alive.

Donner Party Tracker: Christmas - December 25, 1846

One hundred and sixty-plus years ago this week, the members of the Donner Party were hunkered down in their snowbound shelters and doing their best to survive over Christmas.

Donner Party Tracker: Forlorn Hope - December 16, 1846

One hundred and sixty-three years ago this week, the members of the Donner Party, now beginning to succumb to their exhaustion and hunger, were placing all their hopes on the efforts of a small group of them who would to try to reach safety in the Sacramento Valley.

MURDER CONFESSION: The Donner Party--Mid-December 1846

Confession at Alder Creek Site
The 27 people trapped at this site, five miles from Donner Lake, were miserable. The makeshift tents leaked and the pioneers' clothes were often wet. The people ate the last of their beef and had begun to hunt rabbits and mice for food.

STORM: The Donner Party--December 9, 1846

For the emigrants trapped at the Donner Lake and Alder Creek encampments, the severe storm at the end of November had roared into December. It would be the first of three major storm periods during the month. On December 2 the snowfall let up a bit. That night the skies were partly cloudy, which led Patrick Breen to assume that the storm was over.

Storm Follows Storm

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