That's a fair comment. From what I've read, they are leaving open the possibility that he found natural shelter or a hunting cabin. Outside of that, it's grim business.

I am somewhat taken aback by a few of the harsh comments in other posts. Smart people can make mistakes, and lack of experience combined with worry and fatigue can lead them to compound those mistakes with disastrous results. It can happen to us too, which is why we plan to mitigate the effects of unexpected events and try to learn from others' experiences. Anyone who hasn't been "out of their element" a time or two raise your hand.