I've been over that road and it's dangerous in the summer. Very high elevation, sheer drops, one lane, not maintained, no rails or marks. It took us at least two or three hours and we didn't see one other vehicle. In August there were potholes, plants growing out of the middle of the road, and trees touching the road. We had to get out and move branches.
I think the maps should say "Impassible in winter" or something like that.
OR is about 83% public land, so there are many areas with no people whatsoever.
In one of the stories, Kati did say they had had to get out and move rocks off the road.
I'm still surprised there weren't any other people around in the daytime, as I had been so hopeful when I heard that it's an area where they cut Christmas trees.
Perhaps the commercial tree-cutters had already been there and wrapped up their early deliveries and any locals or "public" who might come and cut their trees just hadn't started making that trek yet. A bad "in-between" time.