Donner summit historical society june, 2016 issue 94 page 1. Summit camp pg 1 margie powell hike pg 7 donner pk. The completion of the second track over donner summit saw several miles of snowsheds removed and not replaced, but the new line included 7 new tunnels. The donner party hike is a weekend of fun interpretive hikes and talks sept. Now they were alone, stumbling over rubble, feeling their way to the worksite. Dec 15, 2017 the donner pass segment was finally completed in august 1867. The tunnel, between littleborough and walsden near todmorden, was bored beneath the pennines, a natural obstruction. History, nature, and modern evidence of human visitors are all rolled into one here. The nowabandoned tunnels were built for the transcontinental railroad on the route where the. Donner pass summit tunnels, californiaabandoned train link. The donner summit tunnels built by chinese workers. Donner summit tunnel archives little mountain publishing. Read about its history and use today by union pacific. Abandoned and mostly covered with ice and snow, the donner pass tunnels were the doorway for the first train that entered california.
Chris mcnamara and company at supertopo have put out an excellent book on climbing around the southern section of lake tahoe. The milestones achieved with chinese labor at donner pass is the most visible and dramatic monument to their work between sacramento and promontory, utah. Those many stories maybe made some readers wish that history was not so far away that it could. Blue book 1908ads 1915 721 1 over donner summit 1 814 bridge at big bend 11 719. Jack duncan, author of a book on old highway 40, comments that the road. Donner summit 18651869 archives little mountain publishing. To reach the abandoned train tunnels by car, take us i. To reach california from the east, pioneers had to get their wagons over the sierra nevada mountain range. On 1 march 1841, summit tunnel was opened by sir john frederick sigismund smith. Progress on its construction was slower than anticipated, largely because excavation was more difficult than anticipated. In 1844, the stephenstownsendmurphy party followed the truckee river up into the. A harsh mountain environment near lake tahoe where railroad construction crews work 247 blasting tunnels through granite outcroppings and laying track.
The original railroad tunnels at the summit of the sierra nevada mountains, as they appear today. The summit on this original route was known as donner summit for 80 years until 1926. Hike through these abandoned railroad tunnels at donner pass. Donner pass summit tunnels, californiaabandoned train. This tunnel required chinese laborers to work around the clock for 15 months to complete the digging, boring and excavation by hand. The crew of 25 was working just above the mouth of tunnel 11, two and onehalf miles east of donner summit, one of a series on the transcontinental line through the high sierras. Eder has a long history of derailments, avalanches, injuries, arson, death and romance. The tunnel was completed in august 1867, and the first train passed through it on june 18th, 1868. Donner pass is a mountain pass in the northern sierra nevada, located above donner lake about nine miles 14 km west of truckee, california.
Ski news 1930s 1 1214 california stage ad 1860s 14 512 camp summit tunnel hart 1866 3 712 calif. To reach the abandoned train tunnels by car, take us i80 to the soda springs exit. One display showed a cutaway of how the famous summit tunnel. The sps venerable donner pass was actually completed by predecessor central pacific. To reach california from the east, pioneer emigrants had to get their wagons over the sierra. Author lisaredfern posted on march 11, 2019 may 25, 2020 categories crossings east, donner summit tunnel, personal monsters, work in progress tags chinese new year, donner summit 18651869, donner summit history, jaingshui, nian, snow at donner pass leave a comment on crossings cast of characters. A series of nowabandoned tunnels were completed in august 1867, and the first train passed through it in 1868. It was built inches at a time with the crews making 14 inches of progress a day through the solid granite of donner summit. Ov92, which identified the sierra nevada railroad tunnel numbers, snowsheds, mileposts and the eder community.
Come to clair tappaan lodge for a presentation about the story of tunnel 6, otherwise known as the chinese tunnel. The final train ran through the tunnels in 1993 when service started going through a new 10,322foot tunnel to the south under mount judah. Winter storms drop between eighteen to twenty feet of snow. Unforgettable winter storms truckeedonner historical society. The 1,659foot donner tunnel was the first railroad line to traverse the sierra nevada range.
This 1,659foot tunnel was the first railroad line to traverse the sierra nevada range. Judah you can walk the many miles of tunnels and cliffs blasted out by chinese labor in the 1860s. These tunnels are an import part of lake tahoes history. While there are a few different ways to access this hike, we started about halfway up donner pass road at a turnoff 100 yards from the donner summit bridge. Donner summit historical society april 1, 2019 issue 128 page 1. Aug 24, 2015 continue to the end of the tunnel that comes out in the parking area across from donner ski ranch. Crossings east archives little mountain publishing. Bolins panic attack at the tunnel s mouth made them late for their shift. Tdhs website editor noticed a map in a 1981 book by history west called the overland route.
Donner summit gets an average of 34 feet of snowfall each winter. Theodore judah and the blazing of the first transcontinental. Oct, 2018 the tunnel was completed in august 1867, and the first train passed through it on june 18th, 1868. Chinese construction of the railroad, and early motoring adventures over donner pass. Their nearly lost history is being revived and donner pass is. Take a unique walk back in time traversing the history of us transportation and california emigration. Far fewer have taken the norden exit onto the old donner pass roadhistoric. Summit tunnel in england is one of the worlds oldest railway tunnels. When built, summit tunnel was the longest railway tunnel in the world. The person responsible for this was theodore judah, chief engineer of the central pacific railroad and a man with a vision. Donner pass summit tunnels truckee, california atlas. The longest and most difficult tunnel was tunnel six, summit tunnel, under donner pass. Following a route first surveyed and proposed by cprrs original chief engineer, theodore d.
Work began on this tunnel 6 in late 1865 and the first train passed. Hiking the historic donner pass train tunnels in truckee, ca. Eder is the location where the two tracks came tog. Donner pass is a 7,056foothigh 2,151 m mountain pass in the northern sierra nevada, above donner lake about 9 miles 14 km west of truckee, california. Clement, was the cprr engineer in charge of the design, location, and construction at donner summit in the 1860s who digitally composited 25. Summit tunnel at donner pass, central pacific railroad, 1999. The sierra nevadas were finally conquered by the central pacific railroad, after almost five years of sustained construction effort by its mainly chinese crew about 10,000 strong, with the successful completion at donner pass of its 1,659foot 506 m tunnel no. Discover donner pass summit tunnels in truckee, california. The last train passed through in 1993 when the route was changed to a new location. Much of the original route remains in use, but at donner pass, the roadbed, tunnels, and china wall, while still owned by.
Nov 20, 2016 the abandoned train tunnels at donner summit are hands down one of the coolest places to explore. Tunnel 6 the building donner summit historical society. Oct 21, 2020 the donner pass summit tunnels were in use until 1993, when union pacific decided that a longer, taller tunnel would be more reliable and suitable to modern railcars. Jul 08, 2019 most readers have crossed donner pass on interstate 80 dozens of times while heading to reno and destinations east. Judah 18261863, the construction of the four tunnels, several miles of snowsheds and two chinese walls clarification needed necessary to breach donner summit constituted the most difficult engineering and construction challenge of the original sacramentoogden cprr route. It has a steep approach from the east and a gradual approach from the west. For more hikes around donner summit bursting with area history and scenic. Summit tunnel was designed by thomas longridge gooch, assisted by barnard dickinson.
Donner summit indian springs rainbow trippy rock truckee river canyon. Turn right on the road and go down about 3040 yards and then cross the road and explore the area south of the road. The whole railroad up here operates under wooden tunnels, snow sheds. Contemporary and histoic articles relating to donner summit and the building of the. Beacon tunnel 6 78 1019 beacon donner pk 6 119 beacon hill lodge ad 52 9 917 beans hist. The first passenger train ran through the tunnels in june 1868, from sacramento to lakes crossing presentday reno. Theodore judah and the local landmarks of the central pacific. Had the workers been able to walk directly through the rocks into tunnel 6. The sunday walking tour portion of the donner party hikes begins at the alder creek site that is believed to be the site of the donner family cabin. May 26, 2016 donner summit petroglyphs marker getting to the petroglyphs is rather easy. Snowshed tunnel for the railroad high up the mountain picture of. The current rail line runs a bit south of the old donner pass summit tunnels, through the aptly named judah mountain. Summit camp was the camp just outside tunnel 6 at the very top of the line.
Park at the china wall marker parking area directions for this parking area are below, walk west a few hundred yards along donner pass rd. Theodore judah and the local landmarks of the central. Sep 03, 20 the original transcontinental tunnels and snow sheds over donner summit were abandoned in 1993 for the tunnel under mt. In considering the development history of the west, we feel its pretty certain that. Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book online for the dates you. Like the sierra nevada mountains themselves, the pass has a steep approach from the east and a gradual approach from the west. Last year, i blogged about the gordon changs wonderful book. In one furious storm, lasting from january 10 to january 17, donner summit recorded 154 inches of snow. Bolins panic attack at the tunnels mouth made them late for their shift. Choose from seven unique hikes on saturday, followed by lunch, music and a historical talk that ties all the hikes to the history. Tdhs website editor noticed a map in a 1981 book by history west. If you are interested in walking through local history this is the book for you. It was primarily built by chinese workers and was hand. Continue walking west in the parking lot and then go left up the dirt road to old donner summit rd.
Aug 15, 2018 donner summit tunnel ghost story a shrill scream, erupting suddenly in the darkness, sent prickles scuttling up their spines. The west portal of the summit tunnel appears in the lower right corner of each image. Regarding the tunnel history, check out ghosts of gold mountain by gordon chang, a recentlywritten book by a stanford history professor as. It was constructed between 1838 and 1841 by the manchester and leeds railway company to provide a direct line between leeds and manchester. Hike abandoned train tunnels covered in graffiti at donner summit. The 10,322foot tunnel 41 at the summit was holed through in august 1925, and the second track was in use by september of that year.
Hike abandoned train tunnels covered in graffiti at donner. His dream to connect the central pacific, via tunnels under the sierra nevada mountain range, with the central and eastern part of the continent made this. It is seen here in 1999 shortly after it was taken out of service and the tracks were removed after years of continuous use. Honoring the work of giants at donner pass moonshine ink. It is 800 feet south of the second donner summit on old highway 40, which was used from 1926 to 1964. Donner summit tunnel ghost story a shrill scream, erupting suddenly in the darkness, sent prickles scuttling up their spines. It is said that bierstadt added in the railroad tunnel to the right in the painting as an accommodation. The chinese laborers worked three eight hour shifts from august 1866 until the first train rolled through it on november 30, 1867.
Chinese laborers constructed the tunnels with picks and black powder for central pacific railroad in the 1860s as part of the countrys first transcontinental railroad, which still passes through historic truckee. South lake tahoe climbing 2004, mcnamara chris mcnamara 2004 supertopo isbn. Unfortunately, judah did not live to see this happen. Donner route accidents and other incidents placer sierra.
Russell, shows the grade covered by wooden snow sheds. Donner pass summit tunnels truckee, california atlas obscura. Surprisingly, in a daily alta california newspaper piece dated january 26, 1873, p. Snow had piled up to a depth of 60 feet or more above the tunnel mouth and the men were clearing it away when a large mass broke away and struck some of the workers as. Walking through the old, abandoned, quarter mile long, granitewalled summit tunnel and the enormous concrete snow sheds atop donner summit is an amazing experience and a truly unique glimpse into northern california history. Looking toward donner summit from above summit tunnel 1 looking toward donner summit from above summit tunnel 2. Tunnel 6 was dug from four directions and each mini tunnel had to meet up with the others. Unforgettable winter storms truckeedonner historical. After two years of digging, the tunnels did all meet, almost exactly. Tunnel 6 was the longest by far of the 15 tunnels the cprr bored in the quest to conquer the sierra nevada mountains. Cprrsp donner route timeline placer sierra railroad. The donner summit area off of old highway 40 is a spectacular region rich with important historical and cultural sites, stunning views, diverse wilderness, and abundant recreational opportunities. The first transcontinental railroad was quite an ambitious project and this video highlights what was almost certainly the largest obstacle to the completion.
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