07/20/2008

Associated Press

New signs and markers are planned for Bear Camp Road to prevent the kind of tragedy that ended with the death of James Kim.

Seeking a shortcut to the Oregon coast in November 2006, Kim and his young family were trying to get to Gold Beach on the winding, narrow road through the remote wilderness when they made a wrong turn that stranded them.

After a massive search that lasted 10 days, the 35-year-old Kim was found dead of exposure after trying to hike out for help. But his wife, Kati, and their two children were found alive in the family's station wagon.

The San Francisco couple were unaware the road is typically closed in the winter by snow and is not a main highway.

Now the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service plan to add six new large signs, two informational kiosks and a series of mile markers along the route from the Galice access to Gold Beach.

The project should be complete in August.

"Any improvements to that area is a step in the right direction, no question about it," said Josephine County Emergency Manager Sara Rubrecht, who worked on the search for the Kims. "It's a fairly confusing area for anyone.

"You can't guarantee the Kims would have seen the new signs considering the snow and darkness they faced, but I think any improvements are a good step."

The signs and markers will clearly designate the correct route from Galice Road to Gold Beach and inform drivers that the road is not maintained from November to May, when there might be snow drifts.

"That gives people who are not as familiar with these road systems information to know that the roads may be blocked by snow," said BLM spokeswoman Patty Burel.

Two information kiosks also will be added to the road. The first kiosk will be located at the beginning of BLM Road 34-8-36 near the junction of Galice Road. The second will be located at the road's spur on Bear Camp Road, where the Kims took the wrong turn.

"Any time you're going to be traveling across public lands, it's a lot different than, say, Interstate 5," Burel said. "You're not going to come across a McDonald's or a gas station where you can ask directions. It's more of a risk."

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Information from: Daily Courier, http://www.thedailycourier.com