I think LE uses "cleared the area" when they have searched a area?
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.
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.