Tahoetopia

Truckee

How Skiing Began at Tahoe--Part 2 of 2

An enthusiastic skier since his childhood in Canada, Berry moved to Reno with his wife and family in 1928 to see the West. He found work as a linotype operator at the Nevada State Journal.

First Tow
"My second day out here in December I traveled to Truckee and the ski area at Hilltop," Berry recalled. "I rented a pair of skis made of pine that had a single strap you stuck your booted foot through.

How Skiing Began at Tahoe--Part 1 of 2

In 1852 a miner named William Wier was killed by a winter avalanche near Pilot Peak in the Sierra Buttes near the town of Laporte, California (in Plumas County). Wier had no skis when he died, while he was working on the mountainside.

Wier's and other deaths proved to miners that skis,
originally known as "snowshoes," were needed to survive working in the mountains in winter. The avalanche of 1852 was the turning point.

Skis become popular

THANKSGIVING 1846: The Donner Party

Franklin Graves and Charles Stanton were the only men in the company who knew about snowshoes. Now that they knew the miles of snow everyone would have to travel over on the west side of the pass, the men started to make snowshoes for the next attempt.

Donner Party Tracker: Over Pass, Then Retreat - November 21, 1846

One hundred and sixty-plus years ago this week, the members of the Donner Party were hunkered down in their two survival encampments, one at Truckee Lake (now Donner Lake) and one in the Alder Creek Valley.

Donner Party Tracker: Building Shelters - Early November 1846

One hundred and sixty-three years ago this week, members of the Donner Party were busy building shelters at both Donner Lake and in the Alder Creek Valley north of present-day Truckee.

Donner Party Tracker: Stopped - End of October 1846

One hundred and sixty-plus years ago this week, the lead wagons in the Donner Party reached the east end of Truckee Lake (later re-named Donner Lake).

Donner Party Tracker: Foul Play - Mid-October 1846

One hundred and sixty-three years ago this week, members of the Donner Party had reached the Truckee River and were heading west toward the Sierra crest separating them from Sutter's Fort in mid-California at present-day Sacramento.

Donner Party Tracker: Coming Apart - October 13, 1846

One hundred and sixty-plus years ago this week, members of the Donner Party were hustling along the Humboldt River in Nevada in their desperate rush to reach California before winter overtook them.

Donner Party Tracker: Donner Party is Caboose on 1846 Wagon Train

Some interested readers may think the Donner Party was an independent group of pioneers who pushed their way west more or less alone until they were stopped by snow near what is today, Truckee.

200 Descendants Gather at Donner Lake to Celebrate, July 2006

The pride of the extended Donner family was evident in this year's reunion banner: "Their Courage is Our Legacy: 160 years ago they came to this valley and struggled to survive...Today we return to honor them." Every ten years the descendants get together at Donner Lake to celebrate their family history.

New Museum

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