Mormon History, 1846

[Donner Party] The Donner party had a large, well equipped wagon train rolling toward California in . It crossed the plains without difficulty, but as it neared Fort Bridger a dispute arose. They had read Lansford Hastings' book, The Emigrants Guide to Oregon and California which suggested a shorter route and advertised that Hastings would guide those interested himself. The route- which headed west from Fort Bridger through the Wasatch Mountains, around the southern end of the Great Salt Lake, across the Salt Desert and on to the Humboldt River-was untested by wagons. Still, many were inclined to take it. 1846

[source: Utah History Encyclopedia: Donner Party, http://www.media.utah.edu/UHE/d/DONNER.html]