October 31, 1846 On this day in 1846, the Donner Party could go no further. The majority of the group of 81 American immigrants passed Truckee Lake (Donner Lake today) with about 8 inches of snow on the ground that fell the night before. They were 3 miles east of the summit of the Sierras when the snow fall became higher than the axles on their wagons. Some tried to go on further without wagons but there was already so much snow that the established trail was no longer visible, let alone be able to walk farther west in those conditions. The group retreated to the eastern side of Truckee Lake. At the lake, the immigrants found a cabin. This cabin was built 2 years prior by members of the Murphy-Stephens-Townsend Party for Moses Schallenberger when he stayed behind the winter of 1844 to guard the wagons as the rest of the group traveled on without them as there was no established wagon trail at that time. The Donner Party decided to wait out what they thought was a short storm and the...