XPost: alt.forestry, misc.rural   
   From: nntpmail@epix.net   
      
   On Wed, 13 Dec 2006 10:13:17 -0500, John Gilmer wrote:   
      
      
   > "Goedjn"  wrote in message   
   > news:kertn2pm2r86srauk2ij0ghknn0psrsd08@4ax.com...   
   >>   
   >> >It would have taken a high degree of what used to be called "moral   
   > courage"   
   >> >to simply sit tight rather than leave his family behind to go for   
   >> >"help." But, like it or not, sometimes the best thing to do is   
   >> >NOTHING.   
   >>   
   >> For how long?   
   >>   
   >> 10 days?   
   >> 30 days?   
   >   
   > Bingo!   
   >   
   > He had days to sort things out.   At most he should have only ventured   
   > away from the car to increase the visibility to potential searchers (you   
   > know, the HELP or SOS in the snow) or to start a fire.   
      
   Both of which (fire and SOS) they did.  If one looks at it as an exercise   
   in who was most expendable, that was James Kim. The children's survival   
   depended on his wife, so the food had to go to her. From photographs of   
   him, he didn't have much fat to burn, so by a week in he must have been   
   getting weaker.   
      
   Also, they had a map so there is a good chance they had figured out where   
   they were.  And, that something must have gone awry with the search or   
   they would have been found. (Correctly, because the road they were on had   
   been mistakenly "cleared" because of a miscommunication.) And, for all   
   they knew, there could be a blizzard the next day.   
      
   He did in fact start out walking back up the logging road toward Bear Camp   
   Rd. But it does seem to me questionable that - as he told his wife - he   
   intended to head back in 5 hours.  He did have a backpack and extra   
   clothes with him, which were found spread around along with notes, by the   
   searchers. I don't think it was a suicide but otoh, I think he intended to   
   stay out there until he either found help or keeled over.   
      
   In the end, the reason Kati Kim and the children were found as soon as   
   they were was one determined private helicopter owner/pilot, on his third   
   trip to the scene.  He spotted James Kim's tracks before he found the car.   
   Probably, James Kim died about the time his family was rescued.  It would   
   be nice to think that at some point the helicopter was close enough and he   
   was aware enough to recognize that help was arriving.   
      
   > We used to have friends who came from Iowa.   They told us that   
   > typically each season a "city person" freezes to death while attempting   
   > to walk to an apparently nearby "farmhouse."   
   >>   
   >> Until the food runs out?   
   >   
   > Yep!   
   >>   
   >> Until you're too weak to do anything else?   
   > Yep!   
   >   
   > You best bet is to stay with the car.   
   >   
   >   
   >> At some point, you gotta figure nobody's coming after you.   
   >   
   > That's where you have to take the proper decision relatively quickly   
   > while you still have your strength.   
   >   
   > For example, if you went around a barrier that was put in place to close   
   > the road for the winter and no one even suspects you are where you are   
   > then it might make sense to "go for help" immediately or at worse the   
   > next morning.   
   >   
   > In general, the best rule is to make the car visible but stay in the car   
   > except when going out to increase your visibility.   
   >   
   >> How do you recognize that point?   
   >   
   > You play the odds and the odds generally say to stay with the car.   
   >   
   >   
   >>   
      
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    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)