This is the story of the Donner party who left their home in Illinois to relocate to California in the 1840s. Due to a decision to take an alternate trail and a number of mishaps that delayed them along the way, they arrived in the Sierra Mountains later than planned. It seemed that the party could not catch a break throughout the entire excursion, as the snow came the earliest that it had in 30 years and with such a heavy amount, that it stranded the party in the mountains.