Yeah, I don't think the vehicle choice played much into it, after doing a little more reading on the situation. More a matter of lack of knowledge. Knowledge of the water situation being first and foremost in my mind, followed by knowing where you're going and making sure others know also.

In this instance, I don't even know if making sure others knew when to expect her or where she was traveling would have saved them. She went off her planned path anyway.

The number one problem I see is going alone without at least one other vehicle. No matter how much recovery gear, experience in fixing/recovering a vehicle, knowledge of the area, etc... you have, it's still possible to get in way over your head. Living in Alabama where we don't have deserts or even wide open spaces like that, I can't imagine the conditions there, so I would not have undertaken that trip solo.