Hmmm...."Camino del Diablo"....my Spanish is rusty but does that mean Devil's Road?

While I've had a few interesting trips to desert regions, I think I will continue to devote most of my efforts to more northern climes. Hypothermia seems like a better way to go.

Regarding the OP, in a survival situation anything that helps one to keep trying, and to not give up will help keep you alive. There have been countless stories of people who have done everything wrong, had little or no proper gear, yet still managed to pull through. Conversely, there are lots of cases of people who had plenty of gear and other resources yet who perished.

The difference is often just some combination of determination, positive attitude, etc, which end up being what we call "the will to survive". This can come from any number of things. This can come from religious faith, self confidence, not wanting to leave one's kids without a parent, sheer cussedness, or any number of things. Whatever works for you is a good thing.

Being lucky helps too!