Some wagons were left at Donner Lake.
Starting in about 1846, the Joseph Aram party found an alternate route on the south side of Donner Lake.
The film was photographed on location at Donner Lake outside Truckee, California, in mid-winter.
The route down the eastern Sierras was done on the south side of Donner Lake with a series of switchbacks carved into the mountain.
I hurried along, and came upon the Donner Lake quite suddenly, to be completely smitten by its beauty.
West of Truckee, 3-mile-long Donner Lake is a busy recreational hub.
The party returned, broken in spirit and supplies, to the edge of Donner Lake.
Struggling into Nevada, they became snowbound near Donner Lake.
Donner Lake holds some of the biggest Lake Trout in the state.