Sierra State Parks speaker event with women who retraced steps of Donner Party

The Sierra State Parks Foundation is hosting an engaging virtual Sierra Speaker Series on February 20, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. with two women who recently retraced the path of the Donner Party

Elke Reimer and Jennifer Hemmen were members of the Forlorn Hope team that completed their expedition in December 2020. This modern Forlorn Hope Expedition honored and retraced the path 17 Donner Party emigrants took as they set out on in a desperate attempt to cross the mountains to Sacramento, 100 miles away, to seek help in December 1946.

“As an ultrarunner and someone who has done expeditions my entire life, this story taught me a lot about human reserve. And it taught me no matter how tough a situation I’m in or ask my children to be in, that we can do it” says Jennifer Hemmen of her Forlorn Hope Expedition.

State Park Interpreter Jeremy Lin will interview Elke Reimer and Jennifer Hemmen on their training, how their ultramarathon experience prepared them for this expedition and what’s next for the them. The interview will be on the Sierra State Parks Foundation Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/SierraSPF). The recording will also be available the following week on The Sierra State Parks Foundation YouTube Page (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb6NWp9Y-72LUHOGBZM0HEw).

For more information about the Sierra Speaker Series and other events sponsored by the Sierra State Parks Foundation, visit www.SierraStateParks.org.

The Sierra State Parks Foundation believes the Lake Tahoe and Donner area California State Parks are unique treasures worthy of its support. The Foundation fund projects and programming that connects people with the rich natural resource and cultural heritage. Because of SSPF’s work and advocacy, the valuable state parks will continue to be places of inspiration and education for generations to come.