While you can't prepare for everything, some basic knowledge and understanding of nature are important to know. Never get caught in the open during a snow storm. That is basics of staying alive. The Kim family should have descended well below snow pack if they weren't pushing over the mountain. Really, they should have turned around and headed back to civilization. Also, once trapped they kept running the car until it ran out of gas, then burned their tires. How would they get out if/when the snow melted? Mind you that when they were discovered, the road was again drivable. At the very least, their itinerary should have been reported to someone who would miss them when they didn't show up.
Hindsight is certainly 20/20, but the key is to have some sense of what keeps you alive in rough situations. We really lose touch with that when we spend our whole lives living in a city. There were so many little things that added up to a tragedy. The key to surviving is breaking the chain of critical events, so that you don't compound ignorance or foolishness into a deadly final result.
In my case, I have cell phones, GMRS radios, a HAM radio and training. Even if you haven't been trained or studied survival science and concepts that will keep you alive, for Petes sake at least spend the money on a small device that could keep you alive. I completely agree that a GPS safety beacon is CHEAP insurance for those who just don't know any better.
Jose
