Missing man's pants found (James Kim)

[MissB]

Update on katu.com (or kgw.com, but katu.com doesn't require registration). Pants were found at the bottom of a ravine.

[xultar]

1. OMG! That doesn't look good. GOD PLEASE let him be OK.

[kestrel91316]

2. Got hypothermic and started to get confused and stripped down??

[MissB]

3. That would be what I would assume.

Sad. Really hope they find him alive.

[Richard Steele]

4. That's the most likely explanation I can think of. Does not bode well. nm

[warrens]

6. Sounds like it

I got stuck hitchhiking in Maine in below-zero one time. My friend crawled into a snowbank and thought he was in bed. I had to kick him in the head to get him up and moving. He was SURE he was in bed.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

7. It didn't get that cold, did it?

I thought the lows were in the twenties.

[uppityperson]

19. you can get hypothermia if temp is even 50 and damp out

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

21. ...

He had a sweater, a heavy coat, and snow shoes.

He should have easily been able to hike back out to the highway.

[uppityperson]

24. depends on what shape he was in

hard to tell unless you were there in that condition. We have had people crash during out community spring festival due to hypothermia. Running in misty 50 degrees, get too cold. One big problem with hypothermia, besides being misunderstood, is that you usually don't know when it is happening to you. You can do things that seem rational but aren't. I hope they find him soon.

Edited to add links and info since hypothermia is a danger in many conditions, sorry for the pedanticness, am a nurse and worked ER in small hospitals.

http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/safety/hypocold.shtml
2. Conditions Leading to Hypothermia

* Cold temperatures
* Improper clothing and equipment
* Wetness
* Fatigue, exhaustion
* Dehydration
* Poor food intake
* No knowledge of hypothermia
* Alcohol intake - causes vasodilation leading to increased heat loss

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hypothermia/DS00333

Introduction

Unlike other warmblooded animals that have a layer of hair or blubber to keep them warm, you need an extra layer of clothing to keep you warm when it's cold outside. Without that extra layer of clothing, more heat escapes from your body than your body can produce. If too much heat escapes, the result is hypothermia. Exposure to cold water and certain medical conditions also can cause hypothermia.

Hypothermia occurs when your body's control mechanisms fail to maintain a normal body temperature. Signs and symptoms that may develop include gradual loss of mental and physical abilities. Severe hypothermia can lead to death.

For most Americans, hypothermia isn't a serious risk. Still, each year nearly 700 people in the United States die of hypothermia. In addition to prolonged exposure to cold temperatures, factors that commonly increase your risk of hypothermia include advanced or very young age, substance abuse, impaired mental status and immersion in cold water.

When you're outdoors enjoying such activities as camping, hunting, fishing, boating and skiing, be aware of weather conditions and whether you or others with you are wet and cold. The best approach to being cold and wet is to move indoors and get warm and dry early — before you develop hypothermia....

[PsN2Wind]

22. If you've never spent a day fishing

for winter steelhead on the Middle Rogue, you ain't been cold. The temperature, the fog and the dampness from the river are a true bitch.

[ellenfl]

27. in which case, that is a true adiction that you have. lol eom

[pansypoo53219]

23. just had a case of a 15yr old lost when bowhunting-flushing.

hypothermia makes you do stuthrough a massive manhunt, they found the kid after finding his gloves and such.

no, it doesn't look good.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

5. I don't understand this story at all.

They were driving from Portland to Gold Beach in the dark during one of the biggest winter storms to hit the region in years. OK, I've done that myself.

They decided to go via Grants Pass. Not the best choice, but OK.

Then they turn down a little, empty road. Why?

They get stuck, naturally. So after a few days, the dad goes for help. Why go off the road, up a hill, and into a ravine? Why not go back down the road?

[xultar]

8. Hypothermia is a bitch. I think he was confused. I'm so scared for him.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

9. They had a fire back at the car.

I can see getting confused after hours away from the car, I don't understand why he headed off in the wrong direction to begin with.

[etherealtruth]

17. It is very scary xultar

You've done all you can to get the word out about them.

I just hope that somehow he is OK.

[MissB]

10. One of the news sites (local) was saying they thought they were on the main coast route.

They were a bit lost.

[MissB]

11. link

http://www.oregonlive.com/newslogs/oregonian/index.ssf?/mtlogs/olive_oregonian_news/archives/2006_12.html#212236

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

12. I can understand taking a wrong turn.

But I don't see how somebody's going to mistake a logging road for either 38 or 42 for very long.

[magellan]

14. I don't think they did for very long

It sounds as if they made a wrong turn and pretty quickly got stuck in the snow, perhaps even while trying to turn around.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

15. Right, that's what I'm thinking.

But if they hadn't gone very far, it would have been a quick walk back to the highway and help.

[magellan]

26. No, I think this might be what they did

They came down from Portland and were headed for Gold Beach, right? Maybe they missed the 42, or intentionally bypassed it. Then at Grants Pass, instead of continuing down the 199, they took a right onto the 23. This goes through Galice and later Agness and brings you straight to Gold Beach.

Part of the 23 is called Bear Camp Road, and that's right near where they found Kati and the girls. And according to a map here http://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreation/rogue/files/FloatGuide04.pdf (pdf file, page 7) the 23 is a light duty road, probably pretty treacherous in dark snowy conditions.

[PsN2Wind]

20. No, they were way lost

It's been several years since I've been down on that part of the Rogue, but once you get a ways past Galice you know you're not on a main road to anywhere.

[AlamoDemoc]

16. ..and traveling with Seven month old baby!!!!

[China_cat]

18. He might have.

It's really easy to get turned around in a wilderness area even in the daylight in summer and not know which way you're heading. He might have had to pee and stepped off the road and simply couldn't find it again. Or he might have detoured a large drift and gotten turned around. In backcountry you can get hopelessly lost as little as 5 feet from an established trail.

[Duer 157099]

13. They were probably wet and cold

I can see taking them off if they kept freezing onto my legs, and not wanting to carry them

Or, maybe he threw them at something? Like, trying to catch a squirrel or bird? Dunno

I wish they would implement my idea!! (at this thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2861575&mesg_id=2861575)

[warrior1]

25. second pair he carried?

this is so frustrating.