Road family went down was closed by gate.

[BlueHUMMERH2]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/12/11/gri...gon/index.html

MERLIN, Oregon (CNN) -- We came to Oregon to retrace the path James Kim and his family took the day they got stranded in the Rogue River wilderness.

When we finally reached the spot where the Kim's car stopped after a long, winding journey, our traveling companions -- Sgt. Joel Heller, Josephine County Sheriff's office, and John James, owner of the Black Bar Lodge -- both had the same exact thought: Why did the Kims continue down such a desolate path when they so clearly did not know where they were going?

Though it is heart wrenching to question the decisions made by a man who died trying to save his family, it is hard not to wonder.

Three times, we passed large yellow signs warning that snow may completely block the roadway.

Eventually, we came to a fork in the road where a tiny sign -- almost invisible unless you actually stop the car and focus on it -- pointed the way to the Oregon Coast. The sign pointed left. The Kims drove right.

This was obviously the wrong direction. It was one lane, no guardrail, no markings, no "winding road ahead" signs, no speed limit signs, no nothing.

During our daylight journey, the road was so hazardous, so covered with snow and ice that a CNN satellite truck operator refused to continue, fearing the truck could go over the side.

The pavement began to break up, then turn to gravel, and finally to dirt.

This was an old logging road used only in summer by lodge owners hauling supplies. In winter, it was not generally in use.

In fact, beginning November 1 a gate usually blocked the road. Somebody must have broken the lock and left the gate open. Had it been shut and locked, the Kims could not have gone down the road at all.

But they did. Twenty miles down that desolate road, James and Kati Kim and their two young daughters found themselves stranded in the snowy wilderness.

By the time we came to the spot they stopped, our four-wheel-drive vehicle was being battered on both sides by overhanging branches and bushes.

This is where the Kims stayed for nine days, and the spot from which James Kim set off on foot on a journey into the Oregon wilderness that resulted in his death.

[Hmmm2]

Quoting the CNN story from above .. "
When we finally reached the spot where the Kim's car stopped after a long, winding journey, our traveling companions -- Sgt. Joel Heller, Josephine County Sheriff's office, and John James, owner of the Black Bar Lodge -- both had the same exact thought: Why did the Kims continue down such a desolate path when they so clearly did not know where they were going?

Though it is heart wrenching to question the decisions made by a man who died trying to save his family, it is hard not to wonder.

Three times, we passed large yellow signs warning that snow may completely block the roadway. " Yes, you have to wonder .. and dissect, WHY they chose to take a desolate path, especially with a very young child and a baby? You DO have to wonder, WHAT were they thinking? They HAD to know it couldn't have been a direct path to anywheres but a disaster. You're right, Paragon and Mrs.ssippi, these are the ways we learn .. ESPECIALLY of things NOT to do. I feel sorry for the family, but, you would think that between two grown adults, one of them would have had the sense to say, "WAIT!!!! What are we doing?!" Too late now. But, the rest of us know (or have known) what NOT to do.

[ROX]

Originally Posted by BlueHUMMERH2

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/12/11/gri...gon/index.html

MERLIN, Oregon (CNN) -- We came to Oregon to retrace the path James Kim and his family took the day they got stranded in the Rogue River wilderness.

Why did the Kims continue down such a desolate path when they so clearly did not know where they were going?

This was an old logging road used only in summer by lodge owners hauling supplies. In winter, it was not generally in use.

In fact, beginning November 1 a gate usually blocked the road. Somebody must have broken the lock and left the gate open. Had it been shut and locked, the Kims could not have gone down the road at all.

This is the part where CNN starts to blame someone else.

Originally Posted by PARAGON

For all we really know, he walked 2 miles and fell down a crevasse.

LMAO! And I think a cougar in the area took his shoes and left footprints all over the Mtn Side to make it LOOK like he walked 16 miles. yep

[DRTYFN]

Three times, we passed large yellow signs warning that snow may completely block the roadway.

Those big yellow warning signs are so ambiguous.

[PARAGON]

Originally Posted by H2 Rocks

LMAO! And I think a cougar in the area took his shoes and left footprints all over the Mtn Side to make it LOOK like he walked 16 miles. yep

considering the car was snowed in and he left in snow, it rained, etc etc. I want to know where these numbers keep popping up on how far he travelled.

If he walked 16 miles, why was he only a few miles from the car?

[PARAGON]

Originally Posted by H2 Rocks

LMAO! And I think a cougar in the area took his shoes and left footprints all over the Mtn Side to make it LOOK like he walked 16 miles. yep

I think you are giving them too much credit. I don't think they have a clue where he went or how far.

A San Francisco man who was stranded with his family in the snowy wilderness walked more than 16 miles in search of help before he died -- six more than originally thought, a search official said Saturday.
James Kim, 35, his wife and their two daughters were about seven miles from a fishing lodge stocked with food, not the one mile as authorities earlier thought, said Phil Turnbull, a fire chief in Josephine County.
A mapping error led to the incorrect figures, but did not affect the search for Kim, Turnbull said.

[PARAGON]

WTF, there is wikipedia stuff for this?

Apparently they didn't know where the car was because some dude couldn't read a map.

He walked 10 miles down the road and then went into the canyon and backtracked 5 miles

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_K...te_controversy

[KenP]

This could have been averted if they'd owned a Hummer.

[GLBLWARMR]

I guess the moral of this story is "Sometimes it is better to stay the fvck off the road less traveled" or "Man to stubborn to ask for directions becomes popsicle in the snow" or "Man with limp walks in circles" or "Don't wait 9 damn days before looking for help". Is it to early for jokes??

[PARAGON]

I have a question. This isn't a knock, legit question.

A car like a Saab would average about 2 gallons a day at idle, idling constantly. It would have at least a 12 gallon tank or so.

I would assume they idled the car much more than we would be led to believe if they ran the car out of fuel, completely.

Why drain the fuel completely? Granted they would have burned some fuel driving to the point where they stopped, but undoubtedly they had a full tank to start with since they were trekking out into the unknown and had just came from an Interstate exit.

[CO Hummer]

Originally Posted by PARAGON

but undoubtedly they had a full tank to start with since they were trekking out into the unknown and had just came from an Interstate exit.

Bad assumption. If they were stupid enought to turn off on that road, they were certainly stupid enough to leave without a full tank. Don't ya think?

[KenP]

Originally Posted by PARAGON

trekking out into the unknown and had just came from an Interstate exit.

Are you kidding me?!?!?! They left an interstate? WTF???

I certainly hope there's a very good reason for that, or else my sympathy will be gone.

[KenP]

Originally Posted by GLBLWARMR

Is it to early for jokes??

We must wait for the sappy, tear jerker to hit the theaters first.

I wonder if they'll sell snow cones at the opener.

[ROX]

Originally Posted by KenP

I wonder if they'll sell snow cones at the opener.

When I came back East this summer, it was during some torrential rain storms and lots of flooding. Before I left Pennsylvania for Virginia, I asked everyone I came in contact with about the flooding and where to travel. If I missed a turn, I certainly didn't look at my Hertz map and re-route.

I bet it was really quiet in their car when he said, Here's another road Honey, it'll be fine.
I'm sure she was just sitting there quietly. C'mon!