We had a relaxing drive through the Sierra Nevada Mountains from Sacramento despite climbing from just above sea level to Donner Pass,
particularly as the approach from the west was far less steeper than if we’d been heading toward California from Nevada.
To reach California from the East, pioneer emigrants had to get their wagons over the sierras. In 1844 the Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party followed the Truckee River into the mountains. At the head of what is now called Donner Lake,
Today, a popular and elite resort area
they found a low notch in the mountains and became the first overland emigrants to use the pass.
However, the pass was named after a later group of California-bound emigrants. In early November 1846 the
found the route blocked by snow and was forced to spend the winter on the east side of the mountains. Of the 81 emigrants, only 45 survived to reach California, some of them resorting to cannibalism to survive.
The dangers of this area were no limited to the 19th century. On January 13, 1952, 222 passengers and crew aboard a train became stranded about 17 miles west of Donner Pass at Yuba Pass, the Southern Pacific Railroad’s passenger train City of San Francisco was enroute westbound through the gap when a blizzard dumped so much snow the train was unable to move forward or reverse. The passengers and crew were stranded for three days until the nearby highway could be plowed sufficiently for a caravan of automobiles to carry them the few miles to Nyack Lodge.
Although the only view was toward a rocky ridge to the north,
we stopped at the summit where we saw a device which used to ubiquitous everywhere and is now almost antiquated.
As we began the 40 mile descent into Reno, the evergreens
gave way to fewer trees and more visible rock outcroppings
and eventually to a nearly barren landscape.
Along the way, we passed a small, solitary cattle ranch,
an operating mine and sluice,
a plaque recognizing the work of thousands of Chinese immigrants who help construct the first transcontinental railroad through the mountains,
several mountain streams,
and an old wooden trestle
one branch leading to an old mine.
Meantime, we were certainly glad that we were not heading westbound.
Throughout the drive, I’d periodically spot an “old” car or truck, some on dollies, heading in the opposite direction.
However, when we arrived at our Sparks RV Park, I discovered Debbie had not only seen, but tried to photograph some 200 such vehicles!
A station wagon, small travel trailer with a matching boat on top
It wasn’t until we reached our campground in Sparks, just a couple of miles east of Reno, that we discovered these “really cool” vintage cars and trucks were in Reno for Hot August Nights, the largest classic car and nostalgic event in the country. Thousands of visitors flock to Reno to pay tribute to the exquisitely powerful automobiles and electrifying music of the 50's (our teenage generation), 60's and early 70's. The world's premier classic car event, Hot August Nights showcases more than 6,000 vehicles from this golden era of design with events all over Reno and Sparks.
More than a few of these cars were owned by RVers still at the campground we’re staying at for the next two nights.
