Donner Pass

It's time for my final Lake Tahoe post and my hiking companion decided to get in on the blogging.  Sequoia is waiting patiently for his hiking adventure.

I am hiking in the Donner Pass area near Truckee, California.  Now, the Donner Pass area was named for the Donner party of immigrants that got stuck on this pass in the winter of 1846.  Some of you may know what the Donner party was most famously known for others may not.  According to the internet (and some history books)  the party of immigrants lead by Mr. Donner was stranded during the winter of 1846 they ran out of food.  They got hungry, were desperate, and resulted in cannibalism to make it through the winter.  Apparently, this is not the foundation of a well rounded diet and many of the party members who did not die from exposure to the winter died of malnutrition. Half of the Donner party made it to the California valley that next year, the other half did not. 

I will be hiking in an area called Judah Mountain where the Donner party of scores of other immigrants passed through.  Right now the weather is great. 

Lot's of ski resorts up here. Truckee is at about 6,000 feet so there are lots of places to ski. I am standing on a section of the actual immigrant trail.  Cool. 

Nearing the top of the mountain.  Elevation about 8,000 feet. 

Donner lake in the background.  This was where the Donner party camped during that fateful winter years ago. 

Now that I am off the mountain time to explore some sights.  This is rainbow bridge.  The forest service built this road (and bridge) to facilitate the sale of lumber.   

The railroad also crosses nearby on it's way east.  J and B, I did see lots of trains passing through.

Finally made it to the other side of the pass.  It was a great trip to Tahoe and Truckee, California.  Good food (it's improved since the Donner's went through), nice hikes, and it any of my stuffie pals decide to make it out this way let me know, I would be happy to tag along.