Cannibalism in the Sierras

Donner Lake, was the scene of one of the most thrilling, heart-rending tragedies ever recorded in all of California's history. Interwoven with the very name of the lake is a tale of destitution, loneliness, and utter despair, which borders on the incredible. It was a story which became repeated in many a miner's cabin, by many a hunter's campfire, and in many a frontiersman's home, and everywhere it was listened to with bated breath.
The pioneers of a new country are deserving of a niche in the country's history. The famed Donner Party was in a peculiar sense, pioneer martyrs of California. These hearty souls set out for California before the discovery of gold, before the highway was built across the continent, while untold dangers still lurked by the wayside, and unnumbered foes awaited these emigrants. No one but the bravest, adventurous, energetic and courageous, would undertake such a dangerous journey.