Even with the seemingly ridiculous amount of gear I keep in my vehicle, the conditions she was in would be extremely uncomfortable -- not to mention the stress of being stranded. The lowest temperature I've car camped in (sleeping in an insulated teardrop trailer) was 19 degrees. Even swaddled head-to-toe in fleece and in a sleeping bag (zero or 20-degree, I can't remember which), I was cold.

So kudos to her for being mentally tough enough to persevere. And thank God for those USFS employees checking the road gates.

The article doesn't say what her fuel situation was and whether she was able to run her car heater.

Roughly how much fuel per hour does an idling car engine consume?


She wasn't prepared for the winter conditions and did not have a heavy coat or blankets, Blair said.

Weather forecasters and authorities said her survival was remarkable, given the more than 2 feet of snow in the area and temperatures that dipped to near zero some of the nights. Blair said Weinberg had a cellphone but the battery was dead.