There is nothing so easy to learn as experience and nothing so hard to apply.--Josh Billings

AP and Seattle Times have some details here.

Although not all the facts are currently available, the following appear true:

• 35 year old man (James Kim, CNET editor and writer), 30 year old woman (Kati Kim, owner of clothing store and apothecary), 4 year old child and 7 month old infant from San Francisco traveling in Oregon for Thanksgiving holidays
  
• Driving 2005 9-2X AWD wagon (Saab 9-2X specs )
• Notified lodge they would be arriving late using cellphone
• Report indicates family requested a scenic route to get to Gold Beach
• The family had intended to take Highway 42 from Interstate 5 to the coast, but missed the turnoff and decided to take Bear Camp Road instead. They went the wrong way at a fork in the road and ended up 15 miles from Bear Camp Road.
• Family arrived at Bear Camp Road after dark (normally closed/not plowed in winter)
• Travelled up to Bear Camp Viewpoint in mountains and tried to reverse course by taking spur road
• Travelled two miles on spur road before becoming snowbound
• Became snowbound on Nov. 25 and never arrived at lodge
• Food in vehicle limited to baby food and few snacks
• Weather 40-50F Hi's and 20-30F lows
• Kept warm using auto heater and when ran out of fuel by burning tire rubber
• James Kim tried eating unidentified wild berries for nutrition
• Mother nursed children
• Dec 2 James Kim set out on foot for help "wearing only tennis shoes, pants, a sweater and a jacket." Other kit carried not known. SF Chronicle indicates Kim was wearing blue jeans.
• Some reports indicate Kim may have been carrying snowshoes
• James Kim left auto at 0745 and indicated he would return by 1300. According to family, James Kim had some outdoor experience.
• According to law enforcement, Kim hiked 2 miles along the road and then into a creek drainage. Tracks at that point then lost.
• Dec 4 at 1345, helicopter found car and Kati Kim signalling using umbrella with reflective tape attached. The cellphone message to the lodge was localized to a cellphone tower which allowed searchers to focus on the Bear Camp Road area.
• Mother and children in "remarkable shape"
• In March, a family of six in RV was stuck in nearby location for 17 days before being rescued.

My prayers go out to the Kim family for a rapid recovery after their rescue. I pray that the Lord will watch over James until he is safely reunited with his wife and children.

I hope that we can all learn from this mishap as many of us (on this board in particular) might find ourselves in this situation.
It seems to me that the Kims made several missteps that led to a life-threatening emergency.

• No detailed travel plan with family and friends
• Deviation from the original plan by taking a shortcut/scenic road
• Travelling in unfamiliar territory after dark
• Inadequate vehicle kit and food while travelling in area known to have trapped motorists before
• Not having clothing appropriate to the overnight weather
• Leaving the vehicle for help with inadequate clothing/kit
• Travelling into the creek drainage area instead of staying on the road

Admittedly, hindsight is 20/20 and this young urban professional family did not anticipate getting caught out in the wilderness for days.

Their vehicle is small and doesn't have a lot of room for kit, especially with two kids. When our family road-trips, it is usually in the Dodge 3500 4x4 dually, so space is a little less of an issue. Once in a while, we will take the Subaru Outback which is closer in size and capability to the 9-2X that became stuck.

I'll be posting more details as they become available. In the interim, member thoughts on safe snow travel and snowbound contingency plans are appreciated.