Bear Camp Road - Kim Family Ordeal

Kim Family Ordeal

Bear Camp Road came into the national spotlight in late 2006 when James Kim, his wife Kati, and their two daughters attempted to reach Gold Beach via this route. They missed an Interstate 5 exit to their intended route, Oregon Route 42, and decided to take Bear Camp Road instead. Late on the night of November 25, 2006, they missed signs warning of possible snow and continued up the mountain road. At the intersection of the BLM and FS sections of the road, they accidentally turned off of Bear Camp Road and eventually ended up lost 16 miles (26 km) down a side road before stopping for the night. A snowstorm trapped them at this location.

The family waited for rescue, surviving on limited resources. After spending six days waiting for rescue, James Kim left the car to seek help. He and his wife had attempted to locate their position using area road maps, and had estimated that the small town of Galice, Oregon was only four miles away. They were actually 33 miles (53 km) from the town by road.

He left the car at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, December 2 and backtracked down the road on which they were stranded. Approximately 11 miles (18 km) down the road, he turned down into the Big Windy Creek canyon. James Kim hiked through treacherous and dangerous terrain to reach the creek, and apparently was attempting to follow it to the Rogue River in an attempt to find help.

On the following Monday, searchers found Kati Kim and her children near the car, but could not locate James Kim. Searchers traced James Kim's path down Big Windy Creek’s canyon in an effort to find him. His body was recovered in Big Windy Creek on Wednesday, December 6. According to medical examiners, James Kim died of hypothermia, but a precise time of death was not known. He had walked approximately 16 miles (26 km) trying to find help.

Initial reports from government officials contained incorrect information about the position of the Kims' car and its proximity to the location where James Kim's body was found. It was first thought that the Kims' car was stranded at the intersection to the access road for Black Bar Lodge (42°39′1.25″N 123°44′54.15″W / 42.6503472°N 123.748375°W / 42.6503472; -123.748375). They were actually six miles from this shelter. Mapping errors caused this miscalculation, according to officials. The actual location was: 42°41′26″N 123°46′36″W / 42.690430°N 123.776577°W / 42.690430; -123.776577 (Actual Location of Kim's Stranded Car)

Following the conclusion of the search and recovery efforts, government officials confirmed that a gate blocking access to the road on which the Kims were stranded should have been locked, but was not. Bureau of Land Management employees dispatched to close the gate had decided against locking the gate due to the possibility of hunters being stranded inside.

Since the incident, the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management has installed additional numerous large signs on the approaches to Bear Camp Road, warning that the road may be impassible during winter months. Also, the directional sign ("To Gold Beach and Coast") at the spot where the Kims turned onto the wrong road, has been moved and replaced. At the spot, the through road is narrow and steeply uphill while the side road is much wider and more level and appears to be the proper continuation. The location and arrow direction on the old sign was confusing and ambiguous, especially in snow when it would be impossible to see that the narrow uphill road is the correct route while the wide level road is not.