Once the car got stuck they were in a bad spot - nobody knew they were out there so nobody was looking for them. It's remotely possible that hiking back out the way they came in would have done something, but the most likely thing would have been to start as dirty a smoke fire as they could during the day - and hope that a passing plane reported it.
Yeah, this is the correct answer. They simply didn't have the skills, ability, resources, or technology to survive in those circumstances once the car was crippled. They needed a big dose of good luck, and none came.
I think when people ask this question, what they actually mean is, "what would be a smart thing to do if I were in this situation?" In the interests of answering that question with the best advice currently available:
- Tell someone where you're going, how you're planning to get there, and when you should be back. It should be someone whose judgement you trust. I know, this is a chore, it's more fun to just take off on a whim for a weekend. But really, this is the number one thing that can get you found.
- Today we have really cool Garmin InReach devices that work (nearly) everywhere in (nearly) all conditions. They aren't terribly expensive. You can push a button for an SOS and a nearby agency may receive your coordinates. I'm using some qualifiers here because heavy cloud cover or snow can interfere with the devices, they can run out of battery, there can be miscommunications for your coordinates (I've personally seen this happen), and the team dispatched to your location may not be terribly motivated for any number of reasons. InReach devices are not well-loved by SAR teams because of their tendency to get activated accidentally or because a hiker "got too tired to keep going" (neither of which is a good enough reason not to respond to any new InReach alert as a potentially life-threatening emergency).
- Learn you some wilderness first aid if you can, it's probably the single best tool in your box for getting you out of bad situations. You'll get better at recognizing some common ailments and potentials for injury and you'll have a better sense of what to carry. I did not like the REI/NOLS WFA class, but it's better than nothing and is available in many popular outdoor areas.
- Recognize when you're in the shit, stop, and reassess as calmly as possible. This has got to be the most frequently recurring pattern I see in accident reports and debriefings. So many people, even ones that should know better (maybe especially ones that should know better) get tunnel vision as things start to get progressively worse. Different sports have different phrases for it, in mountaineering it's called summit fever. The road is muddy, the sky is gray, and your car is starting to bog down? STOP. Take a few beats. Eat a candy bar. Get out, stretch your legs if appropriate. Whatever, the point is to do something different for a minute so you have time to reflect on your situation. Reassess: have things been getting worse for the last few minutes? What happens if they continue to worsen? Why do you think they'll get better if you keep going forward? Then, make a decision.
- When lost, the current advice from NASAR and most organizations is to stop moving and stay put, but this can be really situational. Some situations may call for continuing to move towards something that looks like civilization, but there are also lots of areas where trying to do this ends up getting you into serious trouble. Once you deviate very far from your intended plan, the chances of finding you fall off a cliff (heh... little black humor there). Generally, your best chances of being found are on a trail, in a clearing.
There are PLBs which are supposed to be more reliable than satellite messengers. But I like the idea of inReach more since can send messages telling the responders the situation, friends where you are going, friends to send lesser help, or friends to not call authorities when late. There are more than emergencies that happen outside of cell range.
Another thing to mention is have GPS and maps. It is good to have backups whether hiking GPS and/or paper maps and compass. If using phone, keep it charged and have battery charger.
Finally, be prepared for the conditions. Carry the essentials while hiking. Carry lots of water in desert. Carry water in car. The Germans would have been in much better shape with lots of water in car.
>Recognize when you're in the shit, stop, and reassess as calmly as possible. This has got to be the most frequently recurring pattern I see in accident reports and debriefings.
Yep, Admiral Cloudberg's analysis of plane crashes has this as a recurring theme, practically every time there isn't a mechanical failure, the crash is "controlled flight into terrain".
Yeah - and like this case the critical moment of error was minutes or hours before the “obvious” issue. Leaving paved roads in an area you know nothing about and are unprepared for is a bad idea.
The proximate issue was almost certainly that they were running late and, not being familiar with the US West, didn't realize that just because there was a "road" on the map, didn't mean that there was a shortcut that a passenger vehicle could go on.
