If she took a survival course, it either wan't a very good one or she wasn't taking very good notes....

They never should have been stuck in the snowin the first place. North Rim of Grand Canyon is closed at this time of year and the main road was barricaded. How could they have not known?

Drinking urine simply overloads your kidneys - you are consuming more of the waste products your body has excreted and you will lose big time eventually. She survived in spite of drinking urine rather than because of doing so.

Much better to build a fire, melt water, even make a nice cup of tea, and really hydrate. Stay with the vehicle - don't go wandering off into country you don't know.

Evidently these folks were in unfamiliar surroundings and probably had no idea of how isolated one can be in the wild, wild West. I haven't been to the North Rim in a while, but I believe there are signs stating that the NR is closed during the winter. Of course, you must read and comprehend those signs...

Sometimes it is better to be lucky rather than good. They were lucky.