Pioneer Day Countdown: July 19, 1847 (Monday)

The Donner Party:

Remember, the Pioneers were following in the exact footsteps of the Donner Party who travelled a year prior. In 1846, the Donner Party had attempted to make a shortcut through the mountains, through Utah, to California. They did this because of advice form Lansford W. Hastings, who told the Donner Party the route would save more than 200 miles. He neglected to mention, however, the rugged mountains, the lack of grass, and lack of water west of the Salt Lake Valley.

Lansford W. Hastings

Hastings later sent a note to the Donner party that Big Mountain (the route the pioneers would take) was a shortcut through the Wasatch Range. However, the route was neither shorter nor safer. It turned out to be a nightmare! Due to arguments, fighting, and rough travel, it took the Donner Party 16 days just to travel 36 miles through the mountains after leaving Henefer, UT.

Donner Hill

The final day to the Salt Lake Valley for the Donner Party, was extreme, tough, and "back-breaking". They took a climb over renowned Donner Hill, a terrible route that could have been avoided by cutting a road near the mouth of Emigration Canyon (which the pioneers did with about 4 hours of work).


This extra effort left the Donner Party exhausted, delayed, behind schedule, and short of supplies. Early winter storms hit while they were in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and nearly half of them died to cold, starvation, and cannibalism.

The Mormon Pioneers on July 19, 1847:

When the Mormons left Henefer, they covered the same 36 miles the Donner Party had walked, but only in 4 days.

As discussed yesterday, Brigham Young remained behind with a small party, because he was still recovering from mountain fever. The main body pushed ahead.

The main company set out over "a road very rough on account of loose rocks and cobblestones," William Clayton said. They entered Main Canyon, and climbed a ridge known as Hogsback Summit, with a zig-zag trail on the other side (very dangerous for wagons). For example, the wheels of George A. Smith's wagon collapsed going down hill.

View from Hogsback Summit.

The view from Hogsback didn't help the comfort the Saints. Mountains seemed to get higher in the distance In all directions, pointed peaks were all that could be seen. Wilford Woodruff called the terrain "the worst road we have had on the journey."

They moved down the Hogsback Summit into Dixie Hollow, and then onward into East Canyon. They set up camp near the present-site of East Canyon Reservoir (see post yesterday).

Brigham Young's party was miles behind, and moving very slowly. The Prophet "stood the morning's ride quite well," Woodruff noted, "but was quite weary in the evening."

The Advance Party:

Under the direction of Orson Pratt, this party was a day ahead of the main company, continually improving the road for wagon conditions. Today, they caught the first glimpse of the Valley. Orson Pratt and John Brown climbed Big Mountain on foot, and saw the Valley through an opening in the canyons.

"A light blue sky seemed to be sinking into a plain of gold," Pratt wrote.







Source: Kimball and Knight. 111 Days to Zion. Deseret News. Salt Lake City, 1978