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Yes, they might have taken 42 but notice how when you look at the map, it curves down and away from Gold Beach in a "u" shape. One might be tempted to take a 'straighter' route through the towns I mentioned even if locals know that it's a more dangerous road.

If this family didn't know the terrain, they might, like me - an outsider who doesn't know Oregon - look at a map and say, hey, let's take these smaller roads. It's a shorter route and it's getting late.

Of course, the route I mentioned might be completely closed. I don't know. Just throwing something out there for consideration.

There are towns and streets around here (Bay Area) that I would avoid (for various reasons: traffic, dangerousness - either terrain or human) just from living here that a person living elsewhere would choose just from looking at a map.

I'm assuming they didn't know the terrain, which may not be true.

http://fortetwo.net/OR.html