From the article:

"In the town of Silver Lake, the unit told them to turn right on Forest Service Road 28, and they followed that and some spur roads nearly 35 miles before getting stuck in about 1½ feet of snow..."

Maybe I've traveled more than some people, but I don't take forest service roads unless I'm sure that I'm supposed to. And I don't take them in winter. "Forest + Service + Road"... what does that imply?

Like the Sheriff said, "It [GPS] will give you options to pick the shortest route. You certainly get the shortest route. But it may not be a safe route."

At least they had the sense to take useful supplies with them. They did something dumb, but the smart things they did made a definite difference.

Hint: If you're traveling in unfamiliar areas, esp in snow, and there aren't a lot of tire tracks, it's always a good idea to get some advice before you proceed. And if you have to move boulders out of the road (like the Kims did), you are definitely in the wrong place.

Sue