A bunch of teenagers hang out in a house during one snowy weekend.  It’s just too bad that the house is located near Donner Pass, the infamous Colorado location where George Donner ate several people while trapped by a blizzard.  Legend has it that Old Man Donner is still out there, his spirit tracking down others dumb enough to get lost in the snow and eating them.  And even if Old Man Donner doesn’t get them, what about the escaped criminal who is currently missing somewhere in the Colorado wilderness?

As far as the types of film are concerned, Donner Pass is okay.  There is one creative kill, the film does feature an unexpected twist or two, and probably enough gore to keep the gorehounds happy.  For those of us looking for something more than just gore, Donner Pass suffers from a lack of sympathetic characters.  Other than Kaylee (played by Desiree Hall), all of the characters are either wimpy or just alcoholic jerks.  There are some atmospheric night shots of the blizzard and the house is a great location but, since you don’t care about any of the characters it’s hard to get invested in the film.  The Donner Party is one of those true stories that is so creepy that its true horror defies even the bloodiest of films.