In April 1846, a party of 87 pioneers (including 39 children) left Illinois for California by wagon train. The settlers, led by George and Jacob Donner, quickly encountered problems; they quarreled incessantly, and their untested route proved more difficult than anticipated. As a result, the Donner party was delayed by weeks, and only in late October did it reach the Sierra Nevada, a mountain range lying more than 7,000 feet above sea level in northern California. Because of the tragedy that followed, the pass leading through the Sierras now bears the name Donner Pass.

The Donner party found that the mountain pass had been blocked by a snowstorm. The settlers were forced to encamp with limited shelter and food. They used rocks, logs, and animal skins to build cover, and were forced to eat mice, their animals, and even their shoes. Facing starvation, the pioneers ultimately devoured the corpses of their dead companions.

In late December, a group of the snowbound settlers attempted to break through the Sierras on snowshoes. Although several died, seven lived and alerted rescue workers. Four relief parties from Sutter’s Fort (present-day Sacramento) reached the camp between February 22 and April 22, 1847. Only 47 members of the party survived the tragedy at Donner Pass.

PostScript: Twenty-three years after tragedy befell the wagoneering Donner party, the first transcontinental railroad was completed. Its route went through Donner Pass. The pass, now a national historical landmark, today is traversed by rail and highway, and connects Reno with San Francisco.