Donner Lake from Donner Pass in the Sierra Nevadas in Northern California in winter, a venerable winter wonderland, beautifully ‘painted’ with snow on the tall pines. The tale of the Donner Party for whom the lake and pass are named is not a tale of a wonderland rather it is more akin to a gruesome & tragic nightmare. It is recognized as the worst disaster of overland migration to California. The doomed Donner Party started their migration west from Illinois in May instead of April 1846, used a shortcut that wasn’t, and when they arrived at the Sierra Nevadas in November a unfortunate & horrendous early season blizzard covered the Sierra’s with two feet of snow. The snow and ice made it impassable this the majority of the Donner party hunkered down in dilapidated tents & cabins, the 15 stronger ones set out on foot to try seek rescue the effort that became known as the ‘Forlorn Hope’. There was little or no food as starvation set in. Cannibalism eventually became the route for survival for about half of the survivors. In the case of the ‘Forlorn Hope’ group survival included cannibalism and murder. - [ ] #developportdev @gothamtomato @developphotonewsletter @omsystem.cameras #excellent_america #omsystem @bheventspace @bhphoto @adorama @tamracphoto @tiffencompany @visitcalifornia @benrousa @placercounty #donnerlake #donnerpass (at Donner Summit, CA) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChXbLvtp7Of/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
