In mid-April 1846, several related and associated families—including the Reeds and Donners—set out from Springfield, Illinois, aiming to reach California by wagon. Their departure reflected a larger wave of overland emigration in the 1840s. The timing was meant to beat winter snows in the Sierra Nevada.
By May 10–12, 1846, the group reached Independence, Missouri, a common jumping-off point for the Oregon and California trails. There they bought supplies, repaired equipment, and prepared for the long stretch across the Plains and Rockies. Leaving Independence marked their entry into the main overland trail system.
In July 1846, the larger wagon train split, and a portion including the Donner and Reed wagons turned toward Fort Bridger and the proposed "Hastings Cutoff." The cutoff promised a shorter route to California, but it was newer and less proven for wagons. This choice set up delays that later proved critical.
On October 5, 1846, a dispute on the trail escalated, and James F. Reed fatally stabbed teamster John Snyder. The emigrants held an informal hearing and decided Reed must leave the wagon party. Reed’s banishment removed an experienced organizer and left his family behind as conditions worsened.
In late October 1846, heavy snowstorms hit the Sierra Nevada earlier than many emigrants expected. The leading groups reached the Truckee Lake area (later called Donner Lake) at the end of October, while the Donner families were delayed farther east near Alder Creek after a wagon accident. The storms helped trap the party before they could cross the pass.
As the pass became impassable, most emigrants built or occupied rough cabins near Truckee Lake, while the Donner families camped farther east at Alder Creek. Food supplies were limited, and many of the remaining oxen—an emergency source of meat—were lost during periods of continuous snow. The separation into two camps made coordination and survival harder.
On November 20, 1846, Patrick Breen began keeping a diary at the lake camp. His short, dated entries became the main contemporary written record of daily conditions, including weather, health, and deaths. The diary also helps establish a clear sequence for the winter’s crisis.
On December 15, 1846, Baylis Williams, a Reed family employee, died at the lake camp, with malnutrition and illness contributing to his decline. His death marked the beginning of a rapid increase in mortality. As food ran out and shelter remained poor, the camp’s situation shifted from hardship to survival emergency.
On December 16, 1846, a group of 17 emigrants set out on improvised snowshoes to cross the mountains and seek help. Later known as the "Forlorn Hope," the group carried only a few days of rations and faced deep snow and cold. The attempt reflected how desperate conditions had become at both the lake and Alder Creek camps.
On February 19, 1847, the first rescuers reached surviving members of the wagon party in the Sierra Nevada. The relief effort brought food and began evacuating those strong enough to travel. It also confirmed to California settlements the scale of deaths and the extreme measures taken to survive.
By early March 1847, a second relief party reached the camps and began moving additional survivors toward safety. On March 1, Patrick Breen wrote his last diary entry, noting new arrivals with provisions and plans to leave soon. Relief parties increasingly faced hard choices: evacuate the living while storms and exhaustion continued to threaten both rescuers and emigrants.
On April 29, 1847, Lewis Keseberg—the last surviving member at the camps—arrived at Sutter’s Fort after the final rescue effort. With this, the immediate ordeal ended, and survivors could begin recovery and testimony about what happened. The Donner Party disaster became a lasting warning about route decisions, timing, and the risks of overland travel into the Sierra Nevada.
Donner Party and Overland Emigrant Disasters (1846–1847)