Bear Camp Road is notorious around here. If you live here, as we do, you know to just avoid it in the winter. But it looks so promising on the map... Unfortunately this road is not closed seasonally. There are people who live there or enroute to Gold Beach/Agness area who do use this road, with 4x4, weather permitting even in the winter.
When passable, it is a dramatic shortcut between Gold Beach/Agness and the Rogue Valley including I-5. You save more than 80 miles to Gold Beach and more to Agness. It is also a beautiful drive.
One of the worst mistakes you can possibly make in winter driving is to not have a full tank of fuel. Around here, this is what causes the worst problems. Even on I-5 across the Siskiyou Pass. When it shuts down for a snow-related accident, there are people who quickly come to desperatation because they have no fuel in the vehicle.
The family Saab was low on fuel. They had determined they were lost and could go no further. They had turned the car around. With low fuel, they opted to try and wait for rescue. Time passed...
Absolutely a tragic outing...
angela