After a magnificent visit to point REYES lighthouse, we took a chance of driving the very lengthy and precarious Mount vision Road. We were well rewarded for the dread of driving that road.
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Saturday, September 26, 2026
Day 19
Long before it is time to retire for the day, as soon as Annie sees me setting up the vehicle for the night, she leaps into her little bed. That’s a sign that she has resigned to what she thinks is our new mode of living.
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Day 19, Saturday, September 26, point REYES lighthouse
Over 26 years I have passed by the road to the spectacular place at least six times, hoping one day to make it here. I finally did today. Absolutely spectacular. Because of my mobility issue, they let me drive the grenadier the last half mile up to the overlook. For better or for worse, and he had to stay in the grenadier, but she was rewarded for it
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Friday, September 25, 2026
Day 18, Friday, September 25, Samuel P Taylor State Park, California
September 25 — From Donner Lake to Samuel P. Taylor State Park
Annie and I left the Donner Lake area this morning and continued westward toward California’s settlements—the same general direction taken by the survivors and rescuers 180 years ago.
Before departing, I continued experimenting with the refrigerator and EcoFlow. Despite being without power for approximately twelve hours, the refrigerator had risen only from 34° to 37°, demonstrating how well it retains the cold when left closed. Once connected in the Grenadier, the refrigerator returned to 34°, while the EcoFlow slowly climbed to 9%. I also decided that frozen water bottles would provide useful backup refrigeration whenever electrical power becomes uncertain.
Traffic on Interstate 80 briefly came to a complete stop. The delay turned out to be only about ten minutes, apparently caused by lane work and a line of trucks waiting for a brake inspection. After so many days traveling through open country and imagining life along the emigrant trail, even that short encounter with modern congestion seemed unpleasant.
The principal historical stop of the day was Johnson’s Ranch near Wheatland. This was where the exhausted survivors of the Donner Party finally reached safety and where relief parties were organized to rescue those still trapped in the Sierra Nevada.
The Johnson’s Ranch memorial was excellent. An attendant named Austin at a Wheatland grocery store also told me about another emigrant-trail memorial nearby. With some supplemental directions from Chip, I found that monument as well. It commemorates the departure of the first rescue party from Johnson’s Ranch on February 5, 1847. Standing there made the entire Donner story seem remarkably interconnected—almost like Wagner’s Ring, with people, places and events introduced earlier returning later with greater significance.
After Johnson’s Ranch, I encountered another stretch of slow traffic while returning toward Interstate 80. The sudden return to congestion and urban California reminded me of Richard Collier in Somewhere in Time, abruptly pulled from the quieter and more appealing world of the past back into modern life.
In Sacramento, Annie and I stopped at Sutter’s Fort. Because I could not take her inside, we walked around the exterior for a few minutes and had someone take our picture. Even without entering, it was an appropriate final historical stop. Sutter’s Fort represented civilization and safety to the emigrants, and it was the destination the Donner Party had struggled so desperately to reach.
From Sacramento, we continued west and ended the day at Samuel P. Taylor State Park. In a single day, we had traveled from the site of the Donner Party’s imprisonment in the Sierra, through the place where its survivors first found help, and finally to Sutter’s Fort—the hoped-for destination at the end of their journey.
Although we drove for more than eight hours today, we arrived at this lovely park just as usual daylight was disappearing. Unfortunately, I got off to a late start. However, Annie probably appreciates the fact that I did not pitch the tent tonight because it’s obvious that she enjoys sleeping in the Grenadier more as for the park itself, it is in a redwood forest. I had forgotten why I considered this the best part that I’ve ever stayed in. It is absolutely superb. It is like being in a rainforest, only surrounded by redwoods. It is no wonder that it is difficult to get a reservation here. Although I had only intended to stay for two days, I just may stay for three.
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Day 18, 3975 miles,Sutters Fort, the end of the line
408 pm This was the hoped for destination of everyone in the Donner Park, but only some of them make it. What a relief it must have been for those who did. Now we did farther west to the Samuel P Taylor State Park
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Day 18, September 25, Johnson’s ranch, Wheatland, California
I am sure that this location I am parked at right now was a site for sore eyes 180 some years ago for at least one member of the Donner party. In fact, I would say it was a site for far more than sore eyes. To understand what I mean, Google or ChatGPT the significance of Johnson’s Ranch to the Donner party story. Now we had 50 miles farther west to the end of the road at Sutters Fort
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Thursday, September 24, 2026
Day 17, Annie in the tent at Donner Lake
She has considerably more room in the tent than she does in the Grenadier, but she insists on occupying my bed. but I tricked her and it worked.
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Days 16 and 17 summary
In the morning, I consult with ChatGPT to plan an itinerary for the day. During the day, I communicate frequently with him about just everything under the sun, dealing with the trip as well as other things. At the end of the day, I asked him to prepare a summary of the day activities. Some of them might post the blog, so I don’t.
Here is a summary of the activities over the last two days.
Wednesday, September 23
- Left the Rye Patch campsite.
- Visited the Humboldt River crossing and camping area, where the sign indicated that the Humboldt Trail—and the Donner Party—crossed the river.
- Stopped at the Trinity Rest Area exhibits concerning the Humboldt Sink and the Forty Mile Desert.
- Visited the Emigrant–Donner Camp, or Donner Party Park, in Reno.
- Continued west on Interstate 80 to Donner Memorial State Park.
- Met Frances at the campground and secured excellent campsite number 4.
Thursday, September 24
- Returned the incompatible EcoFlow solar panels at the Truckee UPS Store.
- Located and visited the George and Jacob Donner families’ winter campsite at Alder Creek—one of the major highlights of the entire trip.
- Rediscovered the Alder Creek campground where you and Donna had previously stayed and found it open, despite the erroneous closure notice.
- Visited the Donner Memorial State Park museum and purchased several books concerning the Donner daughters and the expedition.
- Visited the Pioneer Monument at the former Breen cabin site.
- Attempted to visit the Murphy cabin boulder, but Annie was prohibited from the Nature Trail; downloaded photographs instead, having visited the site in 2018.
- Walked along Donner Lake and studied the steep approach toward Donner Pass that the emigrants attempted to cross.
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Day 17, Thursday, sept 24, Donner Memorial Park, California
This was truly the end of the line for many in the Donner party. The statue is the height of the snow that had accumulated that winter in 1840. The gesture of the man in the statue is how they spent every day, looking towards the pass for rescue to come. For many, including the Donner adults, it never came tomorrow we had to the West Coast for a respite.
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Day 16 and 17
Wednesday, September 23
- Left the Rye Patch campsite.
- Visited the Humboldt River crossing and camping area, where the sign indicated that the Humboldt Trail—and the Donner Party—crossed the river.
- Stopped at the Trinity Rest Area exhibits concerning the Humboldt Sink and the Forty Mile Desert.
- Visited the Emigrant–Donner Camp, or Donner Party Park, in Reno.
- Continued west on Interstate 80 to Donner Memorial State Park.
- Met Frances at the campground and secured excellent campsite number 4.
Thursday, September 24
- Returned the incompatible EcoFlow solar panels at the Truckee UPS Store.
- Located and visited the George and Jacob Donner families’ winter campsite at Alder Creek—one of the major highlights of the entire trip.
- Rediscovered the Alder Creek campground where you and Donna had previously stayed and found it open, despite the erroneous closure notice.
- Visited the Donner Memorial State Park museum and purchased several books concerning the Donner daughters and the expedition.
- Visited the Pioneer Monument at the former Breen cabin site.
- Attempted to visit the Murphy cabin boulder, but Annie was prohibited from the Nature Trail; downloaded photographs instead, having visited the site in 2018.
- Walked along Donner Lake and studied the steep approach toward Donner Pass that the emigrants attempted to cross.
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Day 17, end of the road for the Donners for me and Annie in truckee california
After More than 4000 miles of driving through some of the most spectacular scenery in the world, camping in 16 marvelous campsites, traveling over hundreds of miles of precarious dirt roads, we reached the end of the line where the donners camped before they met their tragic end . Now we have to figure out where to go next and then figure out how to get home.
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Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Day 16, we have arrived, Donner Memorial Park, California
After driving more than 4000 miles, through 13 states and some of the most spectacular views in the world, and camping in 16 absolutely magnificent campgrounds, or bivouacs, and meeting many spectacular people, we have arrived at the end of the line for most of the Donner party. I will write more about what we went through, where we are, and what our plans are from here in the next couple of days. I will be staying two days in this magnificent park, and then two more days in the Samuel B Taylor campground among the redwoods on the West Coast for two days after that, so for the first time, I will be pitching the tent and having some time to reflect and write. As for tonight, thanks to Frances, the highly cooperative attendant here , we have been providedthe best campsite for the best price. For that, she was awarded the very last OTR patch that I have. As for Annie, she has earned her spurs, and the trip is far from half over
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Day 15, Jim SNYDER’S grave
My guess is that when Snyder died he had some food in his pocket because Annie went right for the gravesite
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Day 25, camp at rye patch State Park never
We arrived when it was pitch black last night and could not find our way around. But Jim, a local citizen was like a deus ex machina in directing us to the best site in the whole camp.
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Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Day 15, at the gravesite of John Snyder near Golconda, Nevada
September 22, 2026 — Elko to Rye Patch I began the day in Elko by attending to the practical necessities of a long road trip: washing the car, doing laundry at Jet Coin Laundry, buying fuel, and stopping at Walmart for supplies. Then Annie and I headed west on Interstate 80, continuing our attempt to follow the route of the Donner Party across Nevada. At Carlin, I tried to follow old U.S. 40 through Carlin Canyon. The road and tunnel arrangement proved confusing, and a dead end eventually forced me to turn around. From there I continued west toward Beowawe and left the interstate at Exit 261 in search of Gravelly Ford, one of the important California Trail crossings of the Humboldt River. That search became an adventure of its own. Incorrect coordinates initially led me to an empty location. I encountered railroad tracks, confusing dirt roads, and eventually a gated private road. Nearly an hour of precious daylight disappeared before corrected directions finally brought me into the historic Gravelly Ford area. I then continued through Golconda and followed State Route 789 and a dirt road toward Iron Point. There I reached the remote area associated with the death and burial of John Snyder—sometimes rendered Schneider—one of the most important historical objectives of this journey. The exact burial location may never be known with certainty, but simply reaching that lonely landscape and standing where the incident occurred was a major accomplishment. With daylight disappearing, I headed toward Rye Patch State Recreation Area. After dark, with virtually no signage to guide me, I became completely lost among the campground roads. Then an extraordinary stroke of luck occurred. Jim from Rye Patch happened to pass by in his Toyota Land Cruiser. He stopped, realized I needed help, and personally led Annie and me to one of the finest campsites in the entire park. We pulled into the campsite at 7:30, just as darkness settled over the landscape. After a day filled with wrong turns, bad coordinates, railroad tracks, dirt roads, historical discoveries, and rapidly fading daylight, everything somehow came together at exactly the right moment. I ended the day at a magnificent campsite, closer to tomorrow’s destination, and profoundly grateful for Jim’s perfectly timed appearance. Sent from my iPhone
Day 15, John Snyder grave
That had to be the roughest roads that I have been. I made one false turn and had to turn backThank God it had not rainrd here, the road would’ve been in passable. I am probably the first person to actually visit this site since that article appeared. All of the characteristics of the area described in the journals of the Donner party members, so I am confident that this is the spot. there is a marker here so that the man is not lying here was for eternity Now, I hope I can find my way back. Let’s see go straight go straight go straight turn left. There were several different forks in the road and I had to figure out which one to take. I only made one mistake and had to backtrack.
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Day 15, Tuesday, September 22. GOLGONDA Nevada.
I am about to enter the high desert on this dirt road, as difficult at times. 5.6 miles I will arrive at the supposed grave site John SNYDER you can read about him on the Donner party story and figure out why I need to see that grade. I must drink a lot of water before I go there. It’s very hot. Perhaps just as hot as tempers on that fateful day in 1846, 180 years ago. Just as some scientists were able to track down his grave about 10 years ago using canine burial dogs, I have my own dog Annie to help me locate the grave site. I guarantee you, if Snyder had any food in his pocket when he was very, annie will find it.
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Monday, September 21, 2026
Day 14 crossing the Overland pass
Here is the summary of what I had to go through to travel perhaps no more than 60 or 70 miles over rough dirt and gravel roads through the mountain range in order to cross the Overland pass, which is the same pass that the donners crossed 180 years ago. Garmin and Google maps were totally useless for this effort, probably clash many of the roads were dirt and not on any map or had any names. Twice I was given one signals, and after I determined that I was going in the wrong direction by using a Compass, I had to turn around and backtrack in order to get on track to hit to the campsite where I am now. I can see why people have actually died by using garmin. There was virtually no one on the road for all those miles, but fortunately, a couple days, and there was Internet if I went down the wrong path and didn’t turn around.
- US‑93 South from Wells
- NV‑229 West through Secret Pass
- NV‑767/County Road 788 South along Ruby Valley Road
- Overnight at South Ruby Campground
- Continued south on Ruby Valley Road/White Pine County Road 3
- First false alarm: Google failed to identify the turn onto Overland Pass Road/NF‑112. I passed it, realized Google had made a mistake, turned around and returned to the proper road.
- Followed NF‑112/White Pine County Road 6 across Overland Pass
- Continued onto Big Wash Road and then Huntington Road
- Second false alarm: Garmin and Google Maps both directed me to turn left and travel south on Huntington Road toward South Fork. I realized they were sending me in the wrong direction, turned around and headed north toward Jiggs.
- Reached pavement at NV‑228
- Followed NV‑228 north through Jiggs
- Turned west onto South Fork Road
- Arrived at South Fork State Recreation Area, site 16—the same campsite Don and I occupied in 201
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Day 13 outline of the day
Here is today’s chronological outline
- Grantsville Reservoir Campground — broke camp and resumed the Donner Party route.
- Aragonite and Hastings Pass Road — followed the historic Hastings Cutoff into the Cedar Mountains.
- Hastings Pass summit — reached the spectacular summit, photographed the surrounding country, and then retraced the route to I‑80.
- Bonneville Salt Flats westbound rest area — viewed the salt flats and stopped so Annie could walk.
- Wendover and West Wendover — crossed from Utah into Nevada; Garmin repeatedly attempted to send us south on Alternate US‑93 before we corrected the route.
- I‑80 west to Exit 389/Pilot Peak — turned north onto Pilot Road.
- Pilot Peak and the Hastings Cutoff interpretive kiosk — viewed the landmark that guided the Donner Party across the salt desert.
- Pilot Valley and Pilot Road — drove south along the approximate Hastings Cutoff toward Donner Spring.
- Approach toward Donner Spring — turned around after roughly ten miles because the spring is on private property, the county-road routing was uncertain, and continuing would have jeopardized tonight’s camp arrival.
- Return to I‑80 west — abandoned the original plan to camp immediately at South Fork.
- South Ruby Campground — selected as tonight’s destination because it positions us on the eastern side of the Ruby Mountains for tomorrow’s historically correct crossing of Overland Pass.
Donner Spring itself was not reached, but I saw Pilot Peak, Pilot Valley, and the terrain through which the emigrants approached it.
As the day was drawing to close, I asked Chip to find me a campsite that would take us very close to the overland pass, that we would cross on day 14. He found self Ruby Lake camp, 100 some miles distant, mostly over unmarked dirt, and gravel roads. But the trek there was well worth it. The campsite was extraordinary.
Oh, Saturday, September 19, leaving Echo State Park Utah
Breakfast on the beach at Echo State Park Utah
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