2 ms·
Reading the Wikipedia article on the Donner party[0], it seems like what happened was less so an unfortunate accident and more so the norm for human survival in
by DiscourseFan 2y ago
Reading the Wikipedia article on the Donner party[0], it seems like what happened was less so an unfortunate accident and more so the norm for human survival in more perilous environments, which we generally aren't exposed to anymore.
[0]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donner_Party# https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donner_Party#
- dmbche 2y agoUnfortunate accident because they were not supposed to be at the pass, there were well travelled safe routes to California, but the party were told of a "shortcut" that was untravelled and dangerous. They got stranded far from civilisation, with no chance of having someone stumble on them or know to send help. Shouldn't have happened and they got help from some indigenous people that have been surviving there for quite a bit, I reckon - which tells me that people could survive then in those conditions.
- rob74 2y agoNitpick: when the Donner Party got snowed in, they were already back on a well travelled route, their problem was just that taking the supposed "shortcut" (the "Hastings cutoff" - map: https://www.historynet.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/donner-party-map-3.jpg https://www.historynet.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/donner...) delayed them so much that they weren't able to pass the Sierra Nevada while the weather still allowed it. The reason no one stumbled upon them was that no one was foolish enough to attempt crossing the mountains at that time of the year anymore (and, if they had attempted it, they would have ended up in the same situation as the Donner Party).
- wbl 2y agoThe previous winter someone had overwintered no problem because they gathered wood early and knew how to fish.