Donner - Reed Tragedy by Ted Davidson
Canyon
of the South Fork of the Humboldt River (September 26, 1846)
The party neared
the western end of the 300 foot deep canyon of the South Fork which
cuts through the barren mountains.
At
the western end of the canyon, looking NW at the Humboldt River bottom,
with the Independence Mountains beyond.
The End of Hastings Cutoff (September 26, 1846)
The East Fork of
the Humboldt River joins its namesake. The disastrous Hasting's Cutoff
finally ended as the party rejoined the California-Oregon Trail. The
main trail followed the meandering river to the southwest. [Picture
taken eight miles SW of Elko, Nevada]
Humboldt Sink (October 14, 1846)
Behind Reed, the party struggled along the trail [parallel and between Interstate 80 and the vast sink] heading to the large marsh on the near side of the flat, barren, mile-long natural dike which formed the southwestern end of the sink. (center of photo, below the gap near the end of the Humboldt Range).
Truckee
Lake (October 14, 1846)
Reed and his teamster
first saw the lake from its eastern end. Further west is the snow-free
crest of the Sierra Nevada where it dips for the pass (center horizon).
Note: Jim Reed and his teamster crossed
the Sierra before snow flew. However, from this point west, the trail
was covered by snow by the time the other members of the party left
Truckee Meadows with the wagons.
Trail to [Donner] Pass (October
14, 1846)
Far ahead of the
party which was nearing the dike at the Humboldt Sink, Reed and his
teamster (near starvation and pulling Reed's half-dead horse) moved
along the north shore of Truckee Lake [now called Donner Lake] and followed
the far-from-straight trail from the west end of the lake to the pass
[now called Donner Pass]. Truckee Lake is a half mile east, beyond the
left edge of photo. Large slightly-tilting forested bowl (center); craggy
peak (center top) [now called Donner Peak]; the pass (arrow right).
The first of those with the wagons did not see Truckee Lake or the pass
until November 1st or after; at that time a foot or more of snow had
fallen at the lake, with much more at the pass.
