I agree – it’s an interesting topic. Perhaps in the coming weeks, we should take it up more in depth.

I am also interested in the issue of heroics. I think it probably comes down to one’s opinion, so i don’t think we should spend a lot of time talking about the heroics of the Kims, but i am curious to hear what criteria people use to judge the heroism of something. It’s a fascinating question, though one I think ought to be discussed outside of the realm of this particular incident.

Thanks for posting! I appreciate your viewpoints.

Allow me to clarify one point -

I in no way meant that *nobody* would know what to do. The point was that if one was in the EXACT same situation – with all the details the same – being unprepared, running out of gas, not enough supplies, etc – that it’s hard to speculate what actions we’d take – without having been there ourselves.

I hope this story causes folks who travel in similar conditions to think twice and make sure they DO have adequate supplies. I know we do. Even in good weather conditions, my vehicle is equipped with extra water, flares, a small folding shovel, matches, blankets, flashlights, extra batteries and other such items.

Again, thanks for posting!

I agree it’s easier to make decisions in hindsight, but that doesn’t make us incapable of making good decisions when the moment counts. The Kims couldn’t have been totally blindsided by their mistakes, but probably missed a number of small indicators that would have alerted them to the impending danger had they paid attention.

It’s not unreasonable to ask that people stop and think about the consequences, e.g. what will I do if the road goes nowhere? What happens if we break down? At each stage, you need to asess the potential outcomes and if you find you aren’t prepared to handle them, then you choose not to continue.

We would all find the Kim’s position difficult or impossible, but many are quite capable of avoinding such predicaments in the first place.

And please don’t equate pointing out mistakes as bashing. Since when did it become a negative thing to admit (or point out) error?

And thanks for the compliment, too. I appreciate your kind words.

Thanks also for clarifying the map comment. I heard that afterwards, however, I am not going to amend my post. I think your note will suffice.

Stop by anytime and leave a comment! They’re always welcome as long as it’s family-friendly.

My two cents, not that anyone asked.
1. I agree: No. But a GPS equiipped with an excellent map of the area in which James Kim and family were lost might have helped him make better decisions about what to do *after* they were stranded.
2. They didn’t get a map from Google or any other online source. The police, relaying an account from Kati Kim, said this pretty definitively on Wednesday.
3. Yes. Even attempting to drive that Forest Service road was a huge mistake; once they did that–passing and ignoring three signs warning of possibly impassable conditions (again, police quoting K. Kiim), everything else that came was nearly inevitable. When you add in the fact they were traveling with two young children, their actions go from foolish to reckless.
4. I agree. Apparently, the road is kept open for locals with skimobiles, etc., who actually know what they’re getting into. But given the fact so many people have become stranded on that road–the Oregonian did a story on it the other day–they should probably make it tougher to get up there.
5. I agree that it’s hard to say. I would hope that confronted with the conditions at the bottom of the road–it was dark, getting late, they were a little low on gas and in the middle of a storm on a road they had no experience with–that I’d do what common sense dictated and either find a better route or just find a motel for the night. I say this having some experience traveling in the back country. As I said before, once you go driving into the wilderness in those conditions, you’ve dealt yourself a very tough hand.
6. Yes. But you have to stop and think.
7. What both parents did once they had driven into mortal danger could be described as heroic. But I have to ask: How many people give Ma and Pa Donner for being heroic (this is the 160th anniversary of their ordeal)? After all, they did essentially the same thing: Try to cross the mountains using an untried route with bad weather closing in. The results were tragic. But they sacrificed themselves, and their children survived to be rescued in the spring.

Thanks for letting me vent!