Posted on 12/10/2006 6:38:04 AM PST by surfer
For four days, as the snowbound Kim family's food supplies dwindled and they used up their gas running their stranded car's heater, no one even knew they were missing.
It was two more days before rescuers narrowed the search to roads leading across thousands of square miles of western Oregon, and another day before cell phone transmissions helped to pinpoint the search area.
While the speed of the investigation in some ways was remarkable -- given what little authorities started out with -- it was dogged by early missteps and obstacles that handicapped investigators.
A Portland hotel where the family had stayed refused to provide credit card records that might have indicated which way the Kims had gone. An early search by air and land of the treacherous mountain route that James and Kati Kim drove out of Grants Pass yielded nothing.
The owner of a lodge on the road where the Kims' car was stuck had told authorities three days before Kati Kim and her daughters were found that he had seen tire tracks in the snow, but he hadn't been able to follow them in his snowmobile once he hit bare ground. No one followed up.
...
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
I think LE uses "cleared the area" when they have searched a area?
I agree. Many times I have explored back roads and even trails with my family, but only in good (warm) weather and with good maps. He was taking a huge chance which in summertime would not have been so dangerous.
But I can understand what must have been their thinking: "The map shows this as a viable route ... according to the map we're just a few miles from civilization ... surely just around the next bend things will begin to improve ..." Once I had made that first fatal mistake not to turn around, I must admit I would be tempted to go "just a little bit further" in hopes that the road would improve and I wouldn't have to backtrack all the way back.
Nobody has disputed the Kim's have made mistakes. We talked about all of those for days. Now the facts are coming how miserable the response was from LE and SAR - now it is time to talk about that.
Yes it's true there are signs on I-5, etc...but there are glaring errors here regarding the search especially early on - which some if did not occur (by trained professionals btw - that is why they were hired to do their job) could have made a major difference here.
Also this is the third situation that I know on this road where people were lost and in all three cases the search didn't go far enough because of bad assumptions - primarily because they never thought the people would have gone so far. It seems to be that the "professionals" are not learning from the past - as we all now long-term those are fatal mistakes.
Another point on several other forums and blogs there were locals that said early on specifically where they should search - and the "professionals" ignored it. Myself being fairly acquainted with the process you will find SAR to be hard working but they are very territorial, etc and they take it personally when people tread on their space.
Everyday people get themselves in trouble - that is why this great country spends so much on "trained professionals" and equipment to rescue them. If the trained professionals cannot get the job done then something is wrong. I just think this case illustrates it could have and should have had a different outcome regardless of the Kim's mistakes. Given the information and timeline of the information given to LE and SAR there is no excuse they were not found earlier...period.
yes I understand that...I never saw where the lodge owner said he had cleared his area...in fact I think it quite the opposite. That Friday he told them he found tracks in the snow and they should be investigated. LE ignored his information. Granted he could have done more but what he did do should have been enough.
Maybe so, then why did the guy say he checked that particular road?
Where did he say he checked the road?
He said he went as far as he could on the road and was following car tracks. He urged LE to complete the search he did not have the equipment to do so. LE did not listen to him.
My Dad lived in very cold climates. He told us being stranded on a road in a car with snow and cold is a life threatening emergency and should be anticipated with a family plan of action...just like if there was a fire in the house. My Dad's first rule was that you have a better chance to survive (most times) by remaining with the car. You play the odds and take your best shot. Sadly,the Dad would be alive today had he done this.
I don't know where you get your information but I lived in that area for 15 years (until 2004) and there is no such signs on I-5 or Merlin-Galice RD. Also, Merlin-Galice RD does not turn in Bear Camp Rd, you must turn off Merlin-Galice Rd just before Galice to take the route to Gold Beach. It is after turning off Merlin-Galice where the warning signs would be. And they may be difficult to see at night or if coverd with snow.
Not sure why they took that route, it is difficult in the summer and depending on storms is normally impossible in the winter. From Grants Pass it is the shortest route to Gold Beach in miles if not time. Also if you do a direction search (Grants Pass to Gold Beach) on MapQuest, Google Earth, or MSN maps it will send you the wrong way that the Kim's attempted. Only Yahoo maps directs you through the prefered route from Grants Pass to Gold Beach via hwy 199.
And why didn't the Oregon map they picked up (state produced) specifically state on the map not to use these routes in the winter?
If they had gotten a trip tik from AAA it would have said that.
The Kim's (based on the Oregon map) thought they were taking a "regular" road to the coast.
You bring up a good point about local knowledge though. Somehow we all need to find a way to get local knowledge published in a way that can help others
Yeah, "cleared" means they've searched it and did not encounter anything that would lead them to believe the missing people or vehicle were/was there.
I don't think the owner of the Black Bar Lodge has anything to feel bad about. He didn't even need to be out there - his lodge is closed. In fact, since they were saying it was the one that was stocked with food, maybe that's why he went out there, to put some food in it, just in case.
Amazing to me is the fact that I had already said I didn't think Black Bar Lodge was as close to where James was as the articles were saying. But what do I know, sitting here all warm and toasty and looking at maps and using intuition?
Then the owner himself looks at it all and sees the same thing I see - that's not where James was - he was 6-7 more miles away. I was only 2 miles off on where I thought the car was, too - the very first night. Why didn't they ask me or read my posts? Just kidding.
I am too empathic sometimes and I was unable to do anything but read about the story these last few days, because I was feeling their same desperation over and over and it was getting to me.
I don't see placing any blame on anyone in the SAR - it was a needle in a haystack and I'm very thankful to all of them for saving Kati and the little girls. It was the baby I was the very most worried about, then the 4-yo - those with the least "meat on their bones" to survive the cold.
I truly can't imagine what possessed them to attempt that road - and I mean the main Bear Camp Road, not the mis-turn - at the point where they could've gone back to Roseburg and spent the night. But that's why I'm called a wimp when it comes to driving in snow or on ice - and I've done plenty of it.
'Searchers from Jackson County were looking that day in the same area. Sheriff's Lt. Pat Rowland said his crews asked about the back logging road, but were told -- incorrectly -- that the owner of the Black Bar Lodge had "cleared" it himself.'
The above quote is in the article. Also, I heard it on the news. I don't remember which one.
In 1995 someone did just that and he starved to death sitting in his car on the same road.
Last Feb a family in their RV wouldn't have been found for weeks if it weren't for two of the family members to leave the RV to get help all because SAR never thought they would have gone that far.
There are three cases where people were stranded in their vehicles either on the same road or near it and in all cases SAR never thought the people would have gone that far.
Does anyone else see the pattern here?
How is it possible that a car stuck on a road (not lost in a ditch or hit a tree) cannot be found in a timely manner? Surely they could have dispatched search crews on all of those roads with the proper equipment.
Locals have said - a lot of people make the wrong turn on that road it happens all the time.
The pilot who found the Kim's by their car knew they would be in that area and he found them.
The lodge owner found the car tracks and urged LE to search the area - they didn't. He knew they would be there.
But they hadn't ever gone all the way in to Grants Pass. They left the Interstate at the Merlin exit.
It would be good to know who told the crew that the owner had cleared the area himself...I can guess who that person is...her name is mentioned in the article.
Merlin exit is just a few miles to exit 58, the N Grants Pass exit.
They went 15 miles up that wrong road - I don't think anyone of the previously lost people had ever driven it up that far.
From Roseburg they should have taken Hwy 42 at Winston. Perhaps they missed that exit or perhaps by looking at the map the route they took looked shorter/quicker?
I agree with you actually and the Kims paid dearly for their role in this tragedy sadly. This has happened three times. If the locals were saying, I bet they are up on Bear Mountain...why would trained professionals knowing this has happened previously not have at least checked sooner?
PS - I make that point about Grants Pass, because I feel as though they wouldn't have taken their tragic turn if they *had* gone on in to Grants Pass - into a "town" - where they might've stopped, maybe even gotten gas or primarily, just some coffee for the journey - and *someone* would've talked to them about where they were headed.
I can guess, too. I'm afraid the lady was probably pretty harried, though, and getting questions and info from all sides at once and probably just said "later" to the BBL man, and it came out curtly.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.