Why was lansford Hastings to blame for the donner party?

Answer 1

Not entirely. His description of the route across Utah and into California was not accurate, misstating distances and availability of water. However, Hastings himself successfully crossed the same route. Other factors, especially the weather, were equally as important in the tragedy. Had the party gotten over the Sierra Nevada Mountains before the first heavy snow, they would have made it safely to California.

I disagree. Lansford Hastings recommended the route to California before he actually tried it. When he finally did try it himself, he did it on horseback, not with oxen and covered wagons. Oxen and covered wagons traveled at a much slower pace...duh... especially when navigating through forested valleys and salt deserts. Timing was everything when you needed to cross the Sierra Nevada Mountains before the snow came, and Lansford Hasting's "times" were seriously inaccurate due to a fact he should have compensated for. His wrong ideas cost other people their lives. why?

Answer 2

The leadership of the Donner party was to blame for the tragedy that ensued and not Lansford Hastings. History tells us that Hastings "discouraged" the Party from a break from the traditional Oregon Trail. The leadership though, I'm sure was anxious to start their new lives in Ca. opted for the seemingly easier unproven "bypass" instead of the longer northern route. The Donner Party leadership, however did not account for water or grazing lands for livestock, the difficulty of trail blazing, and the timing of the journey witch was the most tale telling factor of the expedition. It was a roll dice that was taken to save time and resources. Though the Siera Nevada