Thank you. I am a descendant of Mary Graves. I found this very informative, unexpectedly emotional. Thank you for the time and research, and respect you have shown for the survivors and of course the deceased.

@octatrails

5 ай бұрын

Thanks for this comment and great to hear of your story!

"We became consumed with the people themselves." I couldn't help but note the irony of that statement.

@SofaKingShit

Жыл бұрын

A thing that was clearly eating away at the researchers.

@SophieJackson1993

6 ай бұрын

Boom boom tschhh. 🥁

This is amazing. I was born in 1961 and learning about the Donner / Forlorn Hope was mandatory in middle school. At least three weeks and a book report, discussion, and a film. But it was always surreal, in that one can't imagine the brutality of the Sierra Nevada mountains, without being there, or seeing this kind of footage. The SN range is utterly unforgiving of mistakes or incompetence. Obviously, even experienced trekers, using modern gear, were challenged by the terrain and weather. This gives me a new appreciation, some 50 years on, and my first real understanding of what I learned as a kid, which was good, but insufficient to really grasp how bad it was for these pioneers. It's a true miracle any of them survived, and a testament and tribute to the toughness of pioneers, a toughness which we have sorely lost in modern society.

Amazing story of perseverance, determination, and hope. I can’t imagine what those people went through.

@octatrails

6 ай бұрын

Thanks for the comment and for watching the channel

Amazing,and to show how many alive today can be traced back to this group.They made an amazing difference !

@octatrails

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the comment and watching the video!

I live in the East near Philadelphia, PA. Due to the heavy snows of early March 2024 in the Donner Pass area, for the first time I saw how intense the weather can become and so quickly. I found myself being overtaken by the story of the Donner/Reed party and have spent the last several days actually learning as much of the fact/truth as I can. I had always known the basics of the story, but in many of the television accounts they always fixated and sensationalized the cannibalism aspect which always left me wanting to know more about the exact events. After reading several much more in depth accounts and watching videos like this and the 1992 Ric Burns (brother of Ken burns) documentary I have become almost obsessed with the whole story from Independence Missouri all the way to the final outcome. While becoming stranded is obviously the most extreme and tragic aspect, understanding the incredible mistake taking Hastings cutoff and the trouble they found was very enlightening. Most of all becoming better acquainted with the trials and tribulations of all those making the trek no matter what path was taken is truly humbling to a first world 21st century man.

@octatrails

3 ай бұрын

Thank you for your wonderful comment!

@AudioAtmos

3 ай бұрын

@@octatrails You’re very welcome.

@AlyxCoe

3 ай бұрын

Hastings was a terrible person, a charlatan and would-be king of California. A deluded megalomaniac. Tragic that they ignored his advice. Jim Bridger shares responsibility in this matter also, he promoted that road to make $ at Fort Bridger.

@BurgerTaco

3 ай бұрын

@@octatrails what was the outcome of the ax head you found

@octatrails

3 ай бұрын

@@BurgerTaco It was left where it was found, which is where it belongs for eternity.

I've driven my 18 wheeler over Donner pass in the winter. can't imagine anyone taking wagons over in summer, let alone winter

@AlyxCoe

3 ай бұрын

That was Lansford Hastings' scam. He touted his Cutoff to the Donner/Reed party and others, but had never traveled it with wagons.

Fascinating video! It's difficult to find videos that can provide the scale of what those folks went through, especially ones that are as in-depth as this one. Bravo!

@octatrails

Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

@SentientDMT

Жыл бұрын

Roanoke Tales just did a really good video about the Donner party. Also there's an audiobook version of "The Indifferent Stars Above" which was rotten by one of the survivors, here on KZread.

Thank you for taking the time to put together this informative project. One part of this story that haunts me is how little we know about Luis and Salvador. The only two who according to the survivors that didn’t partake in consuming other victims for their sustenance, and also the only two who were actually murdered and consumed themselves. They may very well be the reason why forlorn hope survived and made it into the valley below. Being Miwok, one also wonders whether they had a choice in being up there to begin with, or were simply order to do so.

@octatrails

Жыл бұрын

You're most welcome and thank you for your watch time and insightful comments. We can certainly only wonder...

@AlyxCoe

3 ай бұрын

The story of Luis and Salvador is a tragedy in and of itself.

i have been waiting for a video like this. unreal. this is incredible. i can only hope to find someone to take me out to these spots (and hopefully come back)

@octatrails

11 ай бұрын

Join the Oregon-California Trails Association. Our local chapter has lots of people who could take you to these spots. More info at www.octa-trails.org.

its fascinating human story .it's so tragic but fascinating .im from switzerland and i only heard of the donner party in some movies as a side joke. then 2 years ago i looked into the donner party story and i cant stop reading or listening about them. i wanna write so much about this story here but i leave it with just thank you 4 your great work you all did .

@octatrails

2 ай бұрын

We're glad you joined us from Europe! We hope you're subscribed to our channel so we can keep bringing you great content.

Thank you guys, so much.

Wow! This is so amazing! I am very curious about the Donner Relief Expedition too! Looking forward to seeing it!

Excellent presentation! I have researched the actual route of the Donner Party, primarily Hastings Cutoff, but until now, was unable to find documentation regarding the Forlorn Hope's route. Good show and cheers to you all for your efforts and commitment toward providing "the rest of the story."

@octatrails

Жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

Absolutely amazing!

@octatrails

Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed this!

Amazing tale of determination

@octatrails

3 ай бұрын

We agree!

I just can’t imagine the horror and how I would have managed only for one day!!!

@octatrails

Жыл бұрын

Agreed. Taking a poll. Are you subscribed to the OCTA KZread Channel?

Very interesting video and it really captures the distances and some of the difficulties. I find it incomprehensible that they could have survived given the circumstances the distances. Had they not made it out I wonder if anyone would have survived that winter. That four rescue parties managed to make the trek back to the lake is itself an amazing accomplishment. Thanks very much for putting together this video of your search for the route of the forlorn hope.❤

This is fascinating. The Donner story still breaks my heart.

@octatrails

8 ай бұрын

Absolutely.

I was getting board until I found your video. Thanks!

@octatrails

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching

Awesome work. Look forward to the forensics on that axe head 🙏🏻

fascinating what a amazing trek thanks for video honoring them.had alot of emotions on this.

@octatrails

10 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

For all that snowfall it's a very arid area. Soo different from the East.

Thanks

@octatrails

9 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching!

my god it's totally incredible to found the items of axe in the desert of trees or this litterally immense forest my god incredible , i m french and i m fascinate literally by this story of donner party. 37:57 It seems so impossible to me when taking into account the state of fatigue and "hunger," resulting in a lack of physical strength and energy. How does one traverse the slopes of mountains through the forest and those steep ridges with no more strength? I am in doubt, is this the right path?

@octatrails

5 ай бұрын

Yes, this is an amazing story well told by Bob and Tim.

very cool project what an experience. thanks for sharing this effort.

@octatrails

Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

The weather just made it impossible, it would've been tough with modern snowmobiles nevermind snowshoes

Unbelievable will of survival, I wonder if these people made any of the original clothing or shoes like the original people wore.

I really don't understand the majority of the video footage that was taken. Most of the footage feels like it was done on a holiday hiking trip without much context. As an example, the "steep" hike up the side of the mountain doesn't show a shot of what was at the top or an aerial shot to give the viewer a sense of where this all takes place. The other thing that bothered me was there's really no explanation of why routes were taken or how they came to the conclusion that the yellow map line was indeed the Forlorn Hope route.

@grantgrow

3 ай бұрын

Even though the route may never be known, the presenters mentioned that they tried to eliminate places that were not practical for people trying to head to the valley (about 10:00 into the presentation)

Stuka Whirlwind Corsair

Mexico

The high sierras

A presence huh .

What a lame party

darn im lost no photo of the axe what did i miss u have the axe head? I want to be on that expedition of relief! MAN THE BLIZZARD OF THE LAST 20 YEARS IS OCCURRING RIGHT NOW THAT WOULD BE UN FREAKING BELIEVABLE IF YOU GUYS ARE IN THIS OR JUST MISSED IT! whats happening right now in the SN is exactly what they faced all those years ago,