The botched search for James Kim

michellemalkin.com ^ | December 18, 2006 06:29PM | Michelle Malkin

[Fatuncle]

I keep thinking that anyone without a GPS navigator, even a cheap one, in such territory and weather, is asking for grief.

[the anti-liberal]

That's a very good idea - thank you.

Had the Kim's had one, they wouldn't have had to split up, I'd think.

[olivia3boys]

Well, I don't travel in snowy mountains (or get off main highways) at night with my 4 small children but I DO travel at night.

Car trips are much quieter and nicer when the kids are all snoozing in the car seats.

Maybe the Kims just had no experience with snow and mountain driving and just literally didn't realize that rain at low elevations means snow higher up?

I read that right away they had to get out and move boulders off the road they chose--I think that should have been their first clue that the road was simply not passable. . .

Prayers for this mother and her daughters. . .so very sad.

[the anti-liberal]

$600, yikes! That's spendy (before the fact; after the fact, not so spendy).

[VOA]

Would a PLB have helped the guys on Mt. Hood?

I'm no expert.
I heard someone say that the climber (James) had a cell phone
with GPS. But I'm not clear if that helped the searchers other
than make sure Yes, the climbers are up on Mt. Hood.

Other folks in the forum will be much more expert about this.
I only stumbled across the PLBs as I was searching for a compact
signalling/locating device...after seeing what happened with Kim.

[Bobibutu]

"I have a car that...as soon as the pavement disappears under a snow cover...regardless of how little snow...the car reacts as if the tires were balloon inner tubes...completely worthless in snow. (BMW M3)"

I understand completly ... that's why I got rid of my '3 and now drive a BMW 325IX - runs around on snow and ice as if on rails! (without studs) :-)

While Kim and his wife did not use good judgement. The S&R effort was a disaster. It would be good to take this as a major heads-up if this is an example of what our first and emergency responders act like and share these kinds of attitudes.

[saquin]

Everyone should read the full article in The Oregonian.
The incompetence of the authorities is infuriating.

[the anti-liberal]

"I read that right away they had to get out and move boulders off the road they chose"

Wow - I didn't know about that. Do you recall where you read that?

[VOA]

$600, yikes! That's spendy (before the fact; after the fact, not so spendy).

I'm guessing that is gonna' drop at least a fair amount in the
coming years.
IIRC, use of the PLBs became legal in the USA only recently after
an extensive pilot test in Alaska.
Enough stories like Kim and the Mt. Hood climbers and firing up
the assembly lines should see economies of scale drop the prices a bit.

I can't remember the exact number, but PLBs have already saved
some thousands of folks in distress around the world so far.

I should note that at least one guy in the USA did get arrested when
he used the PLB to get rescued TWICE from THE SAME PLACE in upstate
New York.

Thus, the PLB should be used with prudence and only when really needed.

[the anti-liberal]

You may be correct, it was just the first thing that came to my mind when I read it.

[the anti-liberal]

"I should note that at least one guy in the USA did get arrested when he used the PLB to get rescued TWICE from THE SAME PLACE in upstate New York. "

I guess sometimes there's just no accounting for intelligence.

It'll be interesting to see what happens with the price.

If I had money to invest I'd be curious as to what the opportunities look like.

[olivia3boys]

It's in the article in the link posted in post #47.

[WV Mountain Mama]

Here is a Q and A about personal locator beacons.

http://outside.away.com/outside/gear/gearguy/200612/20061204.html

[the anti-liberal]

Through a scanner imperfectly. An imperfect scan job on my part.

Thank you.

[The KG9 Kid]

Come on. Don't make us say it when the man's family is suffering. The Kim family hasn't sued anyone, so there's no reason to dissect the man's numerous decisions that led to his tragic end.

The state of Oregon isn't negligent in this case. The world has some sharp edges to it. Let's just leave it at that.

[sine_nomine]

What a beauty. She is wonderful on TV, too. She is my second pick for news, right after FR.

[sine_nomine]

People get panicked and confused. He made many wrong decisions, just like those who died on Everest a few years ago, and those stuck on Mt. Hood (one dead for sure). I told my wife we could drive home in the sleet in Minnesota. One driver foolishly tried to pass me when the traction was almost zero. I watched him fishtail and then do a 360 into a ditch. I said to my wife, "We will stop at the nearest motel, even if it's the Off Ramp Inn." We were lucky to get a room.

Truck traffic meant that the foolish driver would get a tow very soon. I had no way to help him, so don't flame me.

[TruthWillWin]

At least the Kim family had survivors. Let's hope the Mt Hood rescue has two that make it.

Unfortunately it doesn't look that way. Little chance IMO that they will be found alive. Probably won't find those other two until the snow melts. Or they will never be found.

[goodnesswins]

Thanks.

[WV Mountain Mama]

My mom and I were hiking in the back country of Colorado to find where a forest fire had started two days earlier. We were following somewhat of a marked trail. The firemen tied red ties to trees to find it. We missed a couple on the way out and my mom freaked. We came from the top down on the way in, and in her panicked state, she started going down the mountain. I just about had to slap her to get her to stop. I couldn't believe she couldn't even recall that we walked down on the way in. She still didn't believe me until I showed her a spot that we walked through on the way in. She didn't remember it until I found another tie just on the other side. Crazy.