upper waypoint

The Real Story of the Donner Party

Save ArticleSave Article
Failed to save article

Please try again

A creek running through a forest where trees are covered in snow.
Fresh Winter Snow near where the Donner Party saga unfolded.  (Ron and Patty Thomas/Getty Images)

You probably know the broad strokes of the Donner Party Saga: In 1846, a group of migrants traveling to California got stuck in a surprise October snow storm. After exhausting all their resources, they turn to cannibalism to survive.

It’s a grisly tale … but the way it’s often told is incomplete.

In this Bay Curious podcast episode, we’ll delve into the details many leave behind, and explore what happened to the Donner Party survivors after they escaped the snowy Sierra. This notorious disaster struck deep at the heart of everything California held dear — and came to represent everything it wanted to forget.


Sponsored

This story originally aired on Bay Curious in 2020 in two parts. This version has been re-cut and condensed into one part.

We’re re-airing it because on Feb. 23 we’re hosting a live event at KQED’s headquarters called Endless Winter: Inside the Donner Party Disaster. It will be an atmospheric night of immersive storytelling that takes audiences deep inside the Donner Party saga step-by-step and casts this disaster in a new light.

lower waypoint
next waypoint