Sierra State Parks FoundationSierra Speaker Series: The Donner Party: Weathering the Storm

Weather and snowpack conditions during the winter of 1846-47 are critical to understanding the narrative of the Donner tragedy. Periods of heavy snow overwhelmed starving pioneers in the mountains while Pacific rainstorms flooded lowlands and stymied rescue efforts. This unique analysis looks at real-time weather observations from American warships, eyewitness accounts from on-the-ground personnel, as well as reliable statements from an array of contemporary sources.