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The owner of the lodge never said he cleared the road. In fact he was the one that was upset because they didn't clear the road effectively.

Also from what I understand they used to have signs directing people to the lodge but vandals did a lot of damage over the winters where they finally had to remove to the signs.

In addition the Kim's car was not 1 mile from the Bear Lake Lodge - LE incorrectly reported the position. They were close or over 7 miles away from the lodge.

Bottom line is the locals all knew this area was a problem and people have been lost in this same exact area. The shame here is no one is learning from past mistakes - they keep making them.

Also LE nor SAR didn't find any of the Kim's...the Kim's - all of them were found by private citizens. How is that possible?

Also LE nor SAR didn't find any of the Kim's...the Kim's - all of them were found by private citizens. How is that possible?

I would not put much significance in that.

Someone has to be first. When 100 people (for example) are looking for something, no matter which person you are, you have 1 in 100 of being the first to make the find unless there is some clear evidence trail you can read that no one else can read.

The only person I believe to have had that evidence was the guy that followed tire tracks on his snowmobile and then turned around.

He had the evidence, but lacked whatever to pursue it.

This is going to be my last post on this subject. After that I will leave and let the ignorance flow. The Kim's passed FOUR LARGE SIGNS on I5 and on Merlin Galice road (which turns into Bear Camp road) that told them that the road was impassible when snow was present. After that really really bad mistake, everyone else did the best they could. If you ignore signs and crash through a "Dead End" warning and sail off a cliff, it's your fault. I'm tired of the blame being laid on "vandals" locks are cut in this area because the government is trying to keep honest citizens from public land. This isn't a highway, in many places it's a gravel track. I've driven on it, have you? To be in the mountains, in the dark, after failing to heed four signs that told you, in essence, if you see ANY snow then turn back, you won't make it, is at best poor judgment, and at worst arrogance. Well to me the blame is clear. Ignore posted warnings at your own peril. This end of Oregon is not rich. The citizens of this county willingly helped in the search and will ultimately pay for it. We will do it gladly, tempered with sadness at the lost of Mr. Kim's life. But it was ultimately this family's bad decisions that caused this tragedy. Many people seem to assume that this area is easily accessible and no one paid attention. Local authorities have theorized that Mr. Kim's body was found in an area that NO OTHER PERSON HAD SET FOOT ON. try to imagine how remote that area must be. If someone is told four times not to go somewhere and they still do, how is the resulting tragedy anyones fault but their own? Flame away now.