Replies

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.

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.

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 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