American Experience: Heavy snow traps travelers George and Jacob Donner, James Frazier Reed and their families in the High Sierras in winter 1846.

This is a historic story of survival and endurance.

Your unlikely to glean many specific survival tips from the show other than: follow the advice of people who have made the trip before; don't try out new 'shortcuts' when time is getting tight; don't assume you can 'make up time on the trail' or that nature will 'cut you a break'.

Some of the biggest lessons are rather subtle. One has to do with group dynamics and how people select and follow leaders even when those leaders may not know what they are doing. How this can cause delays and indecision and then a rush to action that can end tragically.

But also it has to be noted that there is a social aspect to survival. The groups that stayed tight and stuck together, a family in this case, fared the best.

One thing I find poignant is that long before the dying started the group was doomed. Their fate had been decided months before.

It's on at 9PM on my local PBS station. Check your listings for your local PBS station. It is also likely to be rebroadcast, one of the benefits of having to fill the digital broadcast time.

Edited for grammar.