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California
Donner and his third wife, Tamsen, decided to move to California. They followed the Oregon Trail along with around 100 more people. -
The Shortcut
The party met a man named Lansford Hasting that told them that there was a quicker way to California via the Hastings Cutoff. This route supposedly cut off 300 miles. -
Sierra Nevada
The members were in serious trouble because they knew they had a small chance of crossing the Sierra Nevada in time before the winter. -
The Snow Starts
By the time they reached the sierra nevada, it had already started snowing earlier than usual. They suffered a broken axle and they were trapped. They set up camp at Alder Creek six miles away from the main group. -
Starvation
It was clear to the party at this point that they would starve if they stayed in the camp. They couldn't find any coyotes, bears, or deer. -
Cannibalism
The group realized that the only way that they were going to survive was to resort to cannibalism.The first person that they ate was Patrick Dolan and on December 26, they started cooking his arms and legs. -
Murder
There was talk in the camp about killing the wto indian guides, Luis and Salvador. -
Rescue
The commanding officers of Sutters Fort offered to pay $3 a day to anyone willing to form a relief party. 7 people agreed to this led by Daniel Tucker. -
2nd Relief Party
The relief party found members from another camp and rescued them. It was on Feb 7 when they decided to go to Donner Lake to rescue the Donner Party. -
Donner Lake
The rescue party finally reaches the camp and finds the members of the Donner Party in horrible conditions. Most of the members died, including George Donner himself who is believed to have died later on the 13 of March 1847. The only survivors of this tragedy were his daughters Elitha, Leanna, Frances, Georgina, and Eliza.
