wrote:
Matt Whiting wrote:

I know that is the standard advice, but I'm not sure I could follow it
for more than a day or two. Personally, I'd rather die trying than die
sitting waiting on someone who may never come.


I know what you're saying Matt, but I don't think I've ever heard of
anybody dying in their car when they got stuck. I'm sure there's a
couple of cases, but from all the stories I've heard in our general
area (you're in Montrose right?) the vast majority of exposure deaths
were when people left a protective shelter.

There are a few of these deaths every winter, from somewhere in the
West. Last winter's most memorable was a guy who was only about 100
yards from a working payphone and a trailmarker - with instructions on
how to get help. He died of thirst and hypothermia. Can't remember
which range of mountains. He wrote in his journal, IIRC - but
apparently never got out of the car * at all * - took about three days!

But, I was wondering about this very same issue. Given that it snowed
the first night, then rained for 3 days (Mrs. Kim's account) - and that
they had water, if not food - just how cold do you think it was inside
that car each night?

I'm thinking they had no blankets or insulation of any kind - he
obviously had a few pieces of clothing and was probably wearing all of
them.

How long would it have taken for them all to die of starvation,
hypothermia, etc., you think?

A.