if he was your friend, and came to talk to you before the trip, what would you have said his chances were of getting stuck for 9 days?
I would say it doesn't matter what
the chances of getting stuck are. People do get stuck, and if you are one of those unlucky few that do, you'd best be prepared.
Would you recommend spending $600 for a PLB knowing the chances of using it are slim to none?
I’ve not recommended a PLB, though it’s a good idea if you can afford it. I can’t right now. For about 1/3rd of that they could have had a pair of snowshoes, a tarp, a map, a compass, a signal mirror, and enough food to get through the ordeal.
I know very well the type of car he was driving in, and I know there isn't much storage space.
The items I mentioned above would hardly take up much room, about the size of a medium-sized toolbox.
A lot of people are saying how all this could have been avoided if only he had done this, or not done that.
Yep. And I hope a lot of people can learn from this situation. I’m already rethinking some of my gear choices because of it.
But saying this could have been avoided is like saying you can avoid ALL car accidents by being careful. IF you always leave enough space for the car in front of you, IF you always check both ways before crossing the intersection, IF you stay away from other cars and never leave the house.
So we should never prepare for a survival situation or analyze one after the fact because sometimes people die in spite of their preparations? Sorry, with all due respect, that is just flat-out wrong. (BTW it is
still a good idea to look both ways and
still a good idea to avoid tailgating even if doing so won't prevent
all accidents.)