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Does anyone else wonder why she didn't scoop up snow and melt it for him to drink like she did? You can die from lack of water in a week, but not from lack of food.
Quote:
Originally Posted by StealthRabbit
latest report from surviving wife:
Bad GPS directions, (does not report if route is accessible via large RV)
He died after they ran out of food and water
She survived by scooping snow in her n95 and melting it.
Rough terrain + Snow + dirt road is not friendly to an RV towing a car.
He may have been a previous truckdriver or similar, so felt confident they would make it across that road.
Stuff happens (lots of stuff could have happened in their situation, and DW could not have got them out. )
Don't put others at risk, but not preparing for the worst (CA hiking couple with kid and dog, AZ hiking date + death...)
Does anyone else wonder why she didn't scoop up snow and melt it for him to drink like she did? You can die from lack of water in a week, but not from lack of food.
Maybe he had a medical condition where he needed to eat?
I just rented a satellite phone for a trip my husband is taking soon to Big Bend where he'll be doing primitive camping in an area with no cell coverage. We rented one last year too. Very easy to do and not that expensive. I'm surprised more people don't do it.
Many people underestimate how quickly "rural" turns to "remote" in the West. I mean let's face it - the vast majority of people in the U.S., even outside the big metros, grow up in settings where you can pretty much always get to a convenience store, gas station or other place of business within an hour's hike (and typically much less) without many issues.
I suspect the distances, the terrain, the harshness of conditions, the scarcity of settlements and lack of easy access to provisions out there creep up on people easily. One just has to remember that family that died on that hike in CA last year.
Maybe I'm callous (and of course all this is hindsight), but I don't know what more anyone needs to learn from this sad situation. The take home message that these events repeat over and over again seems pretty obvious to me.
Not knowing the route or the area. Red flag.
Naivete/overconfidence (towing anything down a deteriorating road until it bogs down stuck? Are you kidding me? Get out and scout ahead!). Red flag.
Trusting a single source of information with a well known, well deserved reputation for being inaccurate. Red flag.
Expecting communication technology with a widely accepted reputation for failure to rescue you. Red flag.
Not taking the season or weather into account. Red flag.
Assuming civilization will show up when you want it and not keeping fuel (for heat, cooking, keeping batteries charged), food or water stocked up. Red flag.
Just how many red flags screaming "bad idea" do you need?
Of course its terribly sad the husband died. No one wishes that on anyone. His death was avoidable. As for hoping for more details about the actual cause, can't you guess? A combination of hypothermia, dehydration, overexertion, frustration and stress probably overwhelmed a less-than fit person with an underlying condition will probably account for it. Frankly, the people who just have to know the personal medical details are ghouls.
Last edited by Parnassia; 04-07-2022 at 03:42 PM..
Why do people put so much faith in GPS for remote areas? A quick look at the coordinates on Google Maps shows the location is nowhere close to an actual road. Another case of too much trust in technology combined with stubbornness resulting in death.
They make GPS systems specifically for RVs. you program in the size of your rig and it keeps you away from roads that you cannot get down.
A rig that size usually holds at least 30 gallons of fresh water. Maybe they were driving with it empty.
Sad story. Big reminder - adventure is cool, but do your homework so you are prepared. However I understand how it happens. We found lost hikers a few times and once got lost. Since you are not intending to get lost, you may be out with a single water bottle and just a few snack bars. If you are lucky, you might be a carrying a knife and/or a gun, but you cannot eat or drink those. You do not bring 30 gallons of water for a day trip.
RVers typically plan to travel no more than 3-4 hours a day, so they may have only been prepared for a 3-4 hour trip. Whether they got lost, misguided by GPS or just made a poor decision will probably not be known (by us). Not likely the wife will broadcast on media the bad decisions that resulted in her husband's death. (Yes, there are Rvers who make long trips, but they are not typical and usually new to Rving, all the more experienced people we have talked with say that you quickly learn to keep it to 3-4 hour hops. 5 tops. Of course this couple may has stopped over a few times on this trip.
Last edited by Coldjensens; 04-07-2022 at 03:24 PM..
I'm from Colorado and live in Indiana now. People here don't realize that there are places out west where you can drive for hours without seeing anyone.
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Maybe I'm callous (and of course all this is hindsight), but I don't know what more anyone needs to learn from this sad situation. The take home message that these events repeat over and over again seems pretty obvious to me. 
