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Interesting post from the Listening Post blog:
Sunday, 10 December 2006 - 3:44 PM

Name: shandi

I was lost on that very same road back in August. My mother lives in Cave Junction just outside of Grants Pass. We decided to take a road trip to Gold Coast. I looked at a tourist map (that I obtained for free). It showed the Bear Camp route trough Agness as a "scenic" route.

We drove around those BLM logging roads for almost 5 hours before finally getting out. Thankfully, I had a full tank of gas... and of course it wasn't snowing.

Why did I get lost? I grew up in the Siskyous and know how easy it is to get off track. Those particular roads are the most confussing I have ever come across. It looks like they were all paved at around the same time. You can't tell which roads are significant and which ones are logging roads. Some of the logging roads are even wider and have the appearance of being more well traveled. And.... signs... There were some, but not stratigically placed at crossroads. There was a BLM map carved on wood placed at the top of the mountain. It said, "you are here" in one corner. Problem was, it didn't resemble the tourist map at all. None of these roads were blocked off. I didn't see any gates, closed or not. Some of the wooden signs were in desperate need of repair and I couldn't make out some of the town names on them. They also directed you to the same town by going in separate directions.

Someone needs to re-map and re-sign these roads, or this tragedy will happen again. I was completely lost... in the SUMMER.

It insults me when I hear people say that James Kim was ignorant and made mistakes that risked the lives of his family. I've been there. It is a very easy mistake to make. One that any of us could have made.

James is a hero in my book and my heart continues to feel pain for his family.