A picture is nothing but
a bridge between
the soul of the artist
and that of the spectator.
...Eugene Delacroix
This is a view of Truckee's historical Rainbow Bridge, also known as the Donner Summit Bridge. The iconic arch style bridge, completed in 1926, sits along a scenic section of Donner Pass Road, also known as Old Highway US Route 40. The bridge is the first of its kind, built with both a grade and curve. Next to the bridge is an overlook of beautiful Donner Lake below. On the left hand side of the bridge, you can see a man that either just climbed up the face of the granite wall or is getting ready to rappel down.
The route Old Highway 40 follows is the same that was attempted by the Donner Party in the fateful winter of 1846-1847. Of the 87 members of the Donner Party, 48 survived the ordeal. It is one of the most fascinating tragedies in California history in the entire record of American westward migration.
In 2007, a 250 pound bear was crossing the Rainbow Bridge when cars spooked him, causing the bear to jump over the railing. The bear was dangling over the edge with an 80 foot drop. It was able to pull itself up onto a concrete girder beneath the bridge where it remained for 24 hours. Volunteers strung a net beneath the bridge and an animal control officer shot the bear with a tranquilizer dart. The bear was pushed into the net and lowered to the granite strewn ravine. It wandered back into the wilderness after it woke up. I am glad it had a happy ending for the bear. There is an article below on the bear and also the Donner Party.
Ian