How the Donner Party Worked

Josh and Chuck dive into the tragic tale of the Donner Party, the infamous group of pioneers who became stranded in the Sierra Nevada mountains during the brutal winter of 1846-1847. They explore how a fateful decision to take an untested shortcut called the Hastings Cut-off led to one of the most harrowing survival stories in American history, complete with starvation, desperate rescue attempts, and the controversial question of whether cannibalism really occurred. The hosts examine the evidence, debunk some common myths about the disaster, and reveal how this catastrophe temporarily discouraged westward migration to California.