Join the Outdoor Disasters Patreon for narration only videos: www.patreon.com/OutdoorDisasters Be the fuel behind Outdoor Disasters! Donate to my coffee fund:buymeacoffee.com/outdoordisasters In these stories, I strive to tell them as the subjects themselves would have shared. Whenever I produce a video, I ask myself if the subject or their loved ones were to watch it, would they feel that the story was told respectfully and truthfully? Regarding Rita, leaving out her faith, something she believes carried her through, would not only be a disservice to her story but would also omit a significant part of it. My aim is for my stories to resonate with everyone, regardless of your beliefs. However, my primary goal is to present these stories as truthfully as possible. For Rita, her faith was crucial to her endurance. In many of the stories covered on this channel, having the right mindset has been vital to survival. Whatever gave Rita the strength not to panic and helped her navigate each day was truly inspiring. While many people find their way through challenges without faith in God. And that, too, is inspiring. We live in a diverse world. We can all find value in courageous and inspiring stories, no matter the source of strength that guided them. Thank you, and I appreciate and love you all!
if this ever happens to you... do not try to hike to a place you have never been. hike back along the route you came in on until you reach the paved road and wait for a car to drive by
@@lilycalir6515 i'm guessing he thought the town he was walking toward was closer, which may have been true. but closer does not always mean easier to get to
Agreed, backtracking along the trail you already know to the last safe place is a good idea when you are in trouble. instead of going forward in unfamiliar territory. I went on a little hike last weekend and I took a wrong turn, the trail turned more and more muddy and difficult. When I got stuck in a deep mud puddle nearly to my knee and lost my shoe (I had to dig it out of the mud 😅) I decided it was better to just turn back to where I last was on the familiar trail. I was also following my gps that said the main trail should be just up ahead if I just continued along the unfamiliar muddy trail but I looked at the nearly non existent trail in front of me and decided that going back 2km was better and safer than to continue on unfamiliar tricky territory for another 1km 😅 So yeah, even though my gps said saftey should be not much further ahead, backtracking to a much safer and familiar trail was the best thing to do 🤷♀️ (washed up in a nearby lake and slogged home with mud everywhere 😅 looked like a troll 😂)
To the people here who are upset about all the talk about faith: Look, this channel is telling the story. The survivor has talked extensively about how her faith helped her survive. The channel is just reporting, not proselytizing. This is well told and it's not a story I've heard before.
I'm not a religious person, but it's very obvious to me her faith allowed to her to get into a survival mindset. I'm glad she somehow got through this ordeal and still has strength to enjoy the rest of her life despite the tragedy. It's impressive.
God is good, he sure took care of Rita, I thank God for her survival and for her faith and trust in the Lord, he got her through this difficult time and Albert is in his arms waiting for Rita someday. It just wasn’t her time. God is so good to us and still sends us miracles! Life is a miracle! I thank him so much for my life and my family. Without God all hope is lost. ❤😊 prayers from Birmingham Alabama to anyone in need. 😊❤
I am not a religious person but I don't begrudge anyone else their religious ideas. I am convinced that without her religion she would not have survived.
IF THIS HAPPENS TO YOU: - Use your floor mats for grip to get out of mud or snow - start a fire, not just for warmth but also to draw attention. I live in the Northwest and fires/smoke always get attention. If you don’t have a lighter, hook your jumper cables up to the car battery (black - negative, red - positive) and use black clamp on something flammable like a tampon or a sweater. Note: this is dangerous but if your survival depends on it, it works. - put SOS or HELP on the roof of vehicle. If you have loads of time, scratch it on the roof so it’s shiny. Break the mirrors and put pieces on the roof to draw attention. - make a cocoon bed out of blankets, coats, clothing. Stay dry and stuff yourself into the cocoon to preserve warmth. - if you don’t have water but there is snow, put it in a container and let it sit in your vehicle near you so it can hopefully melt - put it in the window so the sun might melt it. Don’t eat snow, it’ll make you too cold. Thank the good Lord for preserving Rita. All the best
@@schrisdellopoulos9244 Calm down kiddo. That was one of like…20 sentences. Don’t be so weak that someone else’s opinions make you fold so fast. Grow up.
@@sendthis9480 Calling hims a kiddo and telling him to grow up and not fold so fast..sounds like you're the one having a strong emotional reaction lol. It's weird to give advice and add random superstition into it. God didn't save Rita, he put her in danger and killed her husband. Infinite power=infinite responsibility. Be logically consistent in your beliefs before voicing them.
These stories always capture my attention. I'm a nomad 80% of my life. These stories have helped me stay aware and alert at all times. Not to take the safety of what I feel for granted. Thank you for sharing these stories.
Wow...what a comment. His stories and storytelling are profound. He helps people do better planning before heading out on an adventure....and decide whether they should even be going. I've been subscribed for some time, too.
@@ArtGardenFoodExpressions I appreciate the kind words! That's the goal! I don't want to deter people from going. Just be safe and make informed, common sense decisions.
@@outdoordisasters It doesn't hurt that you have an epic voice too, but i also respect the, well respect you pay to the people you cover and to helping educate aswell.
I’m Canadian and I remember when this couple was reported missing. I was praying for them. And subsequently hearing about how she was found. Thanks for telling this - the triumph and the tragedy.
I think our mental state is sooo important when we’re in serious trouble. I think in this case because of her faith it helped her survive because for her it meant she was never truly alone or helpless. When we despair, usually we will not survive. For someone else it may look different but we really need mental strenght if we wish to survive an ordeal, it does not matter where we get the strength from.
Amazing that she survived this ordeal but lets look at the elephant in the room. They took a van with no off road capabilities off road into the mountains with no experience or the proper supplies for such an emergency. Half these stories would not have happened if people would use common sense.
It said they had food, water, blankets etc....they had everything they thought about. How many people travel with ABSOLUTELY everything imaginable you could ever need?
I'm certain you have always used perfect logic and prepared for any and every emergency that could possibly occur. Perhaps you should give classes on surviving anything that could ever happen.... That said, I would have turned around as soon the road got bad
@@mightymouse1005 I always do. I was a member of out SAR team here for 20 years so yes I have seen how people have their heads in the clouds and think every thing is peachy keen when they take a minivan off road.
Thank you for sharing this story with such respect and appreciation for the deep faith in this couple’s daily life . Your stories are so well narrated and inspiring, as to bring life to the stories that you share with us. ❤
I have just one more comment to add-- in my opinion, people put too much trust in these GPS devices. When they work, great! But good old-fashioned maps should be used as well. Thank you J.R. 🌷
What a story and made me think twice because my husband and I sometimes are looking for short cuts when we miss a road. Your way of story telling is fantastic!
Amazing story. You've told a few like this one. They are so incredible. Thanks for sharing. 50 years ago I hitch hiked the Al-Can Byway up to Alaska. I was 1500 miles of dirt road back then! If any one stopped to pick me up, I made sure they had many spare tires! Lol! I am female and was 17 at the time. I'm so glad I at least had the smarts to check their tire situation! I had a great trip! that summer of 1974! Love your channel!!!
I’ve been watching your channel for a few months now and I wanted to say that you have a great gift of storytelling with tremendous compassion without judgement. Your iconic voice, beautiful music and beautiful eulogy of those who are impacted along with a blueprint of how to handle similar situations makes this channel a gift to those who all subscribe. Thank you for your efforts 👍🏾
Paper maps. As a child I was fascinated with them. They had a legend on them which explained the types of roads, whether it was a highway or a dirt road. Sometimes roads would be classified as “closed in winter.”The different dot sizes indicated the relative population of the cities. I think it would be a good idea to have a paper map in the glove box to compare with the GPS. I think she survived mainly due to her outlook on her situation. Her faith definitely helped her.
when i was 6 my mum would have to drag me away from the laminated metal Michelin map screwed to the local Garage wall. she bought me a British Isles paper road map & year later with the few spare pennies available & i was transfixed. I’d loved to have made it a career but the trigonometry wasn’t my bag as a teenager. I still have many Ordnance Survey maps of all scales of Britain from 1806 to the current day. I often think maps are one of the most honest or truthful printed things provided they’re correct !
Paper maps are a great back-up, but I am old enough to have gotten lost 26:32 26:32 using paper maps on road trips. It just takes one turn off that is hard to see in the dark, one missed or unclear sign, etc.
What a touching story and an amazing couple. So sad they got lost but how faith strengthening an experience. Condolences to the family and may we all learn from this tragedy and cary paper maps, a compass , and mud/snow recovery equipment! And faith in our God. Have a blessed day everyone.
First sign of mud, turn around! I have been trekking through this area for forty years. As a precaution I carry at least one bike for exorcise and emergencies . I can go twenty to fifty miles a day on a mountain bike in these conditions. I would ride when temperatures are below freezing and the ground is hard. You can carry your bike to avoid mud, then ride on firm ground when possible to get to where you’re going. Always carry a higher end mountain bike when driving off road, honestly I would have made it to town in under four hours and had fun doing it. RIP
Not gonna lie, it definitely hit right in the heart that she kept driving the van afterwards... her last connection to her husband. I'm glad she made it, and that her husband died peacefully.
Before I drive or hike in remote places, I look up my routes on Google Earth and take screenshots. That way I have maps available when there’s no Internet connection - which is always going to happen in a remote area!
@@phoebehill953 this is such a simple but brilliant idea. I have done this on holiday, when walking, but don’t think I would have thought to this otherwise, thank you
@@outdoordisasters I lost my job a few months ago. Catching up on life working a ton of overtime but starting to enjoy my van again. Going to get it hooked up with a winch for more recovery options. Once the weather cools a little I'm going to make up for the months I had no job and enjoy my van more.
When hiking, always turn around and look for landmarks, a tree, a rock formation, whatever, so when you’re on your return hike you know what to look for
@terrykissell1633 I can't tell you how many times google maps have steered me wrong and that in big cities, mpls, chicago, Seattle it's like they just try and mess with you. Telling u to turn R then telling u to take another right and theirs a bldg their!
I like to camp away from it all for extended periods in the national forests. I have gotten to the point that whenever Google maps gives me a route I ask myself "How is Google trying to kill me this time?"
Now that's love. For all the folks annoyed by the God stuff: it seems to me (and I'm no God-fearer, believe me) that faith is a big part of this story. Even an atheist could have made the mistake Al did. But if her faith helped her survive, more power to her.
You couldn't tell the story of Rita without it. It you did, you're being blatantly biased against Christianity. It's probably the most important aspect of her story.
Had gps try to put me on a dirt road once in the middle of nowhere. Immediately stopped as soon as I saw it turning to dirt. Turned around and plotted my own route using a map the old-fashioned way. I use gps as a luxury tool, not my main navigation device. It is nice when it works, but I always assume it doesn't know what it is doing. I also love the time it told me to exit off the freeway into southside Chicago, in the middle of the night, in my new car, because it would be quicker. No thanks. I will stick to the extra 1 minute of drive time.
I go on a lot of solo road trips to remote locations. I have GPS, but I always bring hard-copy maps with me. Sometimes, even with those, something just doesn't seem right to me and I will turn around and back-track rather than proceed. I drive a reliable, high-clearance, 4-wheel-drive vehicle and always have supplies with me, including a lot of water, food, super-warm clothing, fire-making supplies, tools, etc. My thought is that if a road's direction, condition, etc. seems sketchy, it's wise to turn back. Several times this year alone, I encountered extremely harsh conditions on rugged, isolated roads in remote locations. I chose to turn around and back-track rather than continue. What a tragedy that the couple didn't simply turn around after noticing the deteriorating condition of the road and return to the main one.
It truly is close to miraculous that she was rescued. I don't think I could have simply stayed where I was for six weeks, knowing my husband was obviously in trouble if he hadn't returned after a week .
I’ve seen two separate story’s allmost identical to this one with photos of stock vehicles too,the other two story’s were also older married couple taking the adventure rout, one was a Hyundai car, the other was a new Ford motor home, on both those story the men went walking for help and also died, both wife’s on other two story’s also survived! They also got stuck in the mud just like this van! I wish all these people would have at least had 4x4s to travel these desert roads!
I was in the middle of the Washington Bridge once when my GPS told me to turn left. My point: The use of a GPS must always be accompanied by basic common sense.
This is a very good video. I've been tempted to follow some country roads as a Google short cut. I'll play it safe and stay on the paved road. And I do think her faith and focus saved her.
I live out here. Virtually live in the mountains. That road takes me to Merritt mountain. Kind of my getaway. Albert was found by a friend of mine. The gps of that time was getting a lot of people killed. Especially in Australia where the heat was getting folks.
I often wonder why the all-powerful hand of a god couldn't stop them from going down this road in the 1st place. Thanking a god for your survival is a very nice thing to do. But pls don't forget to "Thank the ppl, that actually save you, also"! Im 99.9% sure, I would not survive under those conditions. Her strength to survive over a month is truly admirable. My wish would be that all those prayers had worked for her husband, too.
@Peace-tk3gr that's my point exactly. Pray all you want, and your big guy in the sky will LAUGH and tell you you have free will. But that free will stops at the point you don't believe in the big guy in the sky, bc if your freewill tells u it's all a lie, those religious tell you, you get to burn in hxxx! That's not free will. That's a threat. Yes, that makes your god a dictator, masochistic child believe in me or else🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣. The religious love to Buffet style what the chose to believe when it comes to bible & the saying I chose to believe in just 1 less god then you. Comes to mind. But, if u believe in an all-powerful man in the sky & it makes you feel better, by all means, keep on doing it. it simply is not relatable or logical to me.
@@Peace-tk3gr of course his time ran out. My thought is: it wasn't a hand of god or any line from a bible. It was the situation he & his wife put themselves in. Again believe what you need to believe just don't expect me to believe it. I truly hope it brings you more comfort than pain.😊
You would think they could drive out through the night as temps would have hardened the mud enough to drive out as the one photo of the van shows the water was frozen.
A thin crust might form but a vehicle will bust right through. I’ve had it even with a 400lb atv. If you have been outdoors or off-road much you would know this ;)
@@ClimbnFish I have plenty of times and when the temps drop in the freezing area the mud hardens up which creates a hard surface which equals traction anybody with common cents should know this. I wasn’t talking about frozen water holding the weight of the van 🤦🏼♂️
These people have clearly never had a GPS tell them to turn the wrong way onto a one way street, or turn onto a street that's closed or even non-existent. On my way to work there's a group of apartment buildings that just show as an empty lot on GPS, even 3 years after they were built. GPS is far from infallible.
I must have missed something because I'm perplexed as to why Rita's rescuers could promptly call and connect with 911 yet the stranded couple could not.
Perhaps a different service provider/carrier. Coverage can/will vary in remote areas by carrier. In the West I find a certain carrier (using 5G) many times better than a well known carrier (using 4G) in remote areas.
I am confused as to why he didn't simply follow the road back to the highway they turned off of. Attempting to find someplace you don't know where is, after already being in a dangerous position isn't the best idea.
I got a goin off road story for ya. I took the backroads one time and I came upon a sign that directed me to a walking trail that I thought was probably one of the most scenic trails in the state. I decided to see where the sign would take me and soon there was another sign at a dirt road going up into the hills. There wasn't any snow or mud right there so I followed it and came to a parking area, where there was a long hand written note posted to a tree. I got out and walked over to the note and read it. It was about a bear attack that had happened right here at the head of the trail. Some guy had been killed and thats very unusual in this state. Suddenly I another guy showed up and I was surrounded by his black dogs. These pups were kind of odd looking and they played rough. One of them wrapped a paw around my leg to try to hold me and I got a look at his huge claws and realized these were baby bears. The car was only a few feet away so I decided to rip my leg out of his grasp. When I got to the car the bears shifted their attention to the guy who had shown up. I used my car to push my way up to him and get him out. I tried to find this spot on a later trip. I found nothing. I couldn't find it on a map either. Bears don't hang around in packs but this was definitely a pack of bear dogs. The story about the dead guy was real. I guess it wouldn't be the first time people obliterated any sign of a trail nor would it be the first time somebody set a trap trying to lure someone into a dangerous situation.
What an amazing testament of God's answered prayers and care.😭🙏 God is faithful and he is with us in our dark times. I will praise the Lord while I have breath in my lungs. God bless this dear lady and her family and her husband and all the family.
I feel like this is the second story you've done in this area. Wasnt the Kim family also lost in this area during the snow when they took a wrong turn? It's incredible she found the will to survive 49 days on her own.
Wow, no way would I ever get off the main road onto a dirt road “short cut”!! I understand it’s easy to say but if I were in that position I’d follow the dirt road backwards. I can’t believe how long Rita was in that car missing her dear husband, 49 days that’s tortuous! I’m in not outdoorsy but for the travelers would that be the way to go?? I’d like to know just in case, TY!
Oh we cannot even count how many times its been a hunter of some kind; antlers, animal, mushroom, ETC that helps solve the puzzle by finding the missing piece.
Very true! That's because instead of expecting to shoot from the road, they hunt, actually hunt, for those things that are found way off the beaten track.
I’ve ran into a few people out on some pretty advanced Jeep trails, in the middle of nowhere driving minivans or sedans / crossovers driving on regular street tires, that were obviously lost because of their GPS rerouting them. 😮
Only 6 miles away. It seems like he was fairly close to the town. I beleive that they were both doomed the moment they decided to separate from one another.
Truly a terrible story. Though I really do not understand how a western Canadian person would consider driving a mini van through any of Nevadas side roads. There’s a Death Valley hiding in the state where many old dirt roads/trails that lead to the uranium mines in the state. The weather can be rover 100*F and up. The roads become very dried out and brittle, any errant rain can turn into a high pressure current that can push semi trucks over onto there sides. The wife didn’t panic and did the best thing to hunker down in the van and rest as moving rocks to under the wheels can be very strenuous and the stress of remaining stuck can get your blood pressure rate into a hypertension zone making clear thinking very cloudy. They should have had plenty of food and supplies,blankets, fire starters etc to survive until a solution came to mind~ Slow & steady.
Same here. If they were driving an Astro van, there's no way they should have even attempted to drive that road without some serious rescue supplies including recovery boards, a sat phone, a stock of food and water, blankets, etc. And from the statement in the video that they were nearly out of gas at the point where they were stuck, they were going to wind up stuck with no gas anyway.
If GPS sends you to a location you know nothing about and you end up on dirt roads, turn around. Go back to a station, ranger office or someplace to ask about the route. Even road maps are not a given good route if weather is bad or expected to be bad. I have seen dirt roads that just cut for about 2 miles between little highways turn into sop after rains and people get stuck up to the axels. It looks solid but it is not. Walk it, test it before driving on it.
I was in Allegheny National Forest trying to get to buy firewood coming back from a store and got sent on a trail. I knew it was a trail and with the jeep I wasn't concerned. Wouldn't you know there was a gate right at the end by the road and firewood place. I turned around and made it. The problem came from having selected the shortest route for directions. After that I changed it to whatever and I've never had that issue again.
Faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. God was with her and watched over her. And brought people to her rescue. They themselves said they were not planing to take that route. Her husband is in heaven waiting for his Rita. When you’re a believer and you have a personal relationship with Jesus, you never lose & you never die, you live on. God bless Rita May she live a long healthy beautiful life. Thank you for sharing this story of strength, faith and hope. ❤🙏
The gps didn’t do a damn thing. It gave them the route to take after THEY missed a turn and didn’t realize for far too long. They just didn’t want to take the main highways, this is on them.
Use your best tool you own YOUR BRAIN. Unless of course you don't know how to use it effectively. Praise the lord for saving Rita. I wonder what Albert did to not receive the same help.
We're getting more and more people in our state now and it's unbelievable a lot of them have high ground clearance vehicles but they don't have the understanding of the weather . They don't understand how remote these areas are you may go days without seeing anybody and that's in good weather. When it rains or snows you could go weeks without having anybody even considering going into areas where they know that there's no chance. So that means that now you're stuck in an area where even the locals aren't going..
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In these stories, I strive to tell them as the subjects themselves would have shared. Whenever I produce a video, I ask myself if the subject or their loved ones were to watch it, would they feel that the story was told respectfully and truthfully? Regarding Rita, leaving out her faith, something she believes carried her through, would not only be a disservice to her story but would also omit a significant part of it. My aim is for my stories to resonate with everyone, regardless of your beliefs. However, my primary goal is to present these stories as truthfully as possible. For Rita, her faith was crucial to her endurance.
In many of the stories covered on this channel, having the right mindset has been vital to survival. Whatever gave Rita the strength not to panic and helped her navigate each day was truly inspiring. While many people find their way through challenges without faith in God. And that, too, is inspiring. We live in a diverse world. We can all find value in courageous and inspiring stories, no matter the source of strength that guided them. Thank you, and I appreciate and love you all!
if this ever happens to you... do not try to hike to a place you have never been. hike back along the route you came in on until you reach the paved road and wait for a car to drive by
@@dumbcat right! I wonder why they didn’t just backtrack? Or maybe they did start walking but I think her knee was swollen or something like that.
@@lilycalir6515 i'm guessing he thought the town he was walking toward was closer, which may have been true. but closer does not always mean easier to get to
@@dumbcat oh poor guy
Absolutely. When I'm on the backroads, I always take mental notes and look for landmarks in case I have to go back in that direction.
Agreed, backtracking along the trail you already know to the last safe place is a good idea when you are in trouble. instead of going forward in unfamiliar territory. I went on a little hike last weekend and I took a wrong turn, the trail turned more and more muddy and difficult. When I got stuck in a deep mud puddle nearly to my knee and lost my shoe (I had to dig it out of the mud 😅) I decided it was better to just turn back to where I last was on the familiar trail. I was also following my gps that said the main trail should be just up ahead if I just continued along the unfamiliar muddy trail but I looked at the nearly non existent trail in front of me and decided that going back 2km was better and safer than to continue on unfamiliar tricky territory for another 1km 😅 So yeah, even though my gps said saftey should be not much further ahead, backtracking to a much safer and familiar trail was the best thing to do 🤷♀️ (washed up in a nearby lake and slogged home with mud everywhere 😅 looked like a troll 😂)
To the people here who are upset about all the talk about faith: Look, this channel is telling the story. The survivor has talked extensively about how her faith helped her survive. The channel is just reporting, not proselytizing. This is well told and it's not a story I've heard before.
I'm not a religious person, but it's very obvious to me her faith allowed to her to get into a survival mindset. I'm glad she somehow got through this ordeal and still has strength to enjoy the rest of her life despite the tragedy. It's impressive.
Outstanding comment! Right on point!
God is good, he sure took care of Rita, I thank God for her survival and for her faith and trust in the Lord, he got her through this difficult time and Albert is in his arms waiting for Rita someday. It just wasn’t her time. God is so good to us and still sends us miracles! Life is a miracle! I thank him so much for my life and my family. Without God all hope is lost. ❤😊 prayers from Birmingham Alabama to anyone in need. 😊❤
I am not a religious person but I don't begrudge anyone else their religious ideas. I am convinced that without her religion she would not have survived.
Faith can move mountains ❤😊
IF THIS HAPPENS TO YOU:
- Use your floor mats for grip to get out of mud or snow
- start a fire, not just for warmth but also to draw attention. I live in the Northwest and fires/smoke always get attention. If you don’t have a lighter, hook your jumper cables up to the car battery (black - negative, red - positive) and use black clamp on something flammable like a tampon or a sweater. Note: this is dangerous but if your survival depends on it, it works.
- put SOS or HELP on the roof of vehicle. If you have loads of time, scratch it on the roof so it’s shiny. Break the mirrors and put pieces on the roof to draw attention.
- make a cocoon bed out of blankets, coats, clothing. Stay dry and stuff yourself into the cocoon to preserve warmth.
- if you don’t have water but there is snow, put it in a container and let it sit in your vehicle near you so it can hopefully melt - put it in the window so the sun might melt it. Don’t eat snow, it’ll make you too cold.
Thank the good Lord for preserving Rita. All the best
Great advice, thank you X
You had me until you had to add your superstition.
@@schrisdellopoulos9244
Calm down kiddo.
That was one of like…20 sentences.
Don’t be so weak that someone else’s opinions make you fold so fast.
Grow up.
@@sendthis9480 Calling hims a kiddo and telling him to grow up and not fold so fast..sounds like you're the one having a strong emotional reaction lol. It's weird to give advice and add random superstition into it. God didn't save Rita, he put her in danger and killed her husband. Infinite power=infinite responsibility. Be logically consistent in your beliefs before voicing them.
@@schrisdellopoulos9244Awwwww it hurts your tiny little feelings that people have faith. Boo hoo Poor you.
These stories always capture my attention. I'm a nomad 80% of my life. These stories have helped me stay aware and alert at all times. Not to take the safety of what I feel for granted. Thank you for sharing these stories.
I love the nomads! Hopefully one day I can join your ranks.
If anyone deserves 100k you do these stories have made a difference in my life I've been subscribed to you for over a year now
I appreciate your thoughtful comment. I love to read comments like this. Thank you!
Wow...what a comment. His stories and storytelling are profound. He helps people do better planning before heading out on an adventure....and decide whether they should even be going. I've been subscribed for some time, too.
@@ArtGardenFoodExpressions I appreciate the kind words! That's the goal! I don't want to deter people from going. Just be safe and make informed, common sense decisions.
@@outdoordisasters It doesn't hurt that you have an epic voice too, but i also respect the, well respect you pay to the people you cover and to helping educate aswell.
I’m Canadian and I remember when this couple was reported missing. I was praying for them. And subsequently hearing about how she was found. Thanks for telling this - the triumph and the tragedy.
I think our mental state is sooo important when we’re in serious trouble. I think in this case because of her faith it helped her survive because for her it meant she was never truly alone or helpless. When we despair, usually we will not survive. For someone else it may look different but we really need mental strenght if we wish to survive an ordeal, it does not matter where we get the strength from.
I couldn't had said it better
Amazing that she survived this ordeal but lets look at the elephant in the room. They took a van with no off road capabilities off road into the mountains with no experience or the proper supplies for such an emergency. Half these stories would not have happened if people would use common sense.
It said they had food, water, blankets etc....they had everything they thought about. How many people travel with ABSOLUTELY everything imaginable you could ever need?
I'm certain you have always used perfect logic and prepared for any and every emergency that could possibly occur. Perhaps you should give classes on surviving anything that could ever happen....
That said, I would have turned around as soon the road got bad
@@mightymouse1005 I always do. I was a member of out SAR team here for 20 years so yes I have seen how people have their heads in the clouds and think every thing is peachy keen when they take a minivan off road.
@@mightymouse1005 Yet they drove a minivan off road where it has absolutely no business going. Then of course, "Here I come to save the day..."
@@jam5158 Whether we are in the city or the country haven't we all trusted the GPS only to be misled or taken off course.
Thank you for sharing this story with such respect and appreciation for the deep faith in this couple’s daily life . Your stories are so well narrated and inspiring, as to bring life to the stories that you share with us. ❤
I have just one more comment to add-- in my opinion, people put too much trust in these GPS devices. When they work, great! But good old-fashioned maps should be used as well. Thank you J.R. 🌷
👏you be right🌷
@@tamisullivan8548 Thank you!
In 2011, GPS devices were definitely not as adept as some of the current apps we have: OnX, GaiaGPS, etc. But nothing beats a paper map!
@@tamisullivan8548Thank you!
@@johnchedsey1306Well said! 🙂
I like the advice at the end of every video. Best channel on TH-cam.
🙏🙏🙏
What a story and made me think twice because my husband and I sometimes are looking for short cuts when we miss a road. Your way of story telling is fantastic!
49 days ? Damn that's crazy.
I gasped and thought i heard wrong so i replayed it
Amazing story. You've told a few like this one. They are so incredible. Thanks for sharing. 50 years ago I hitch hiked the Al-Can Byway up to Alaska. I was 1500 miles of dirt road back then! If any one stopped to pick me up, I made sure they had many spare tires! Lol! I am female and was 17 at the time. I'm so glad I at least had the smarts to check their tire situation! I had a great trip! that summer of 1974! Love your channel!!!
Weren’t you worried about the possibility of someone with bad intentions picking you up?
@@1God1Earth Opinions on hitchhiking have changed over the years. In the 70's it was common.
Your videos save lives ! God bless You sir , John 3;16
As a novice outdoor traveler this channel is a gem ! So happy to find it !
I’ve been watching your channel for a few months now and I wanted to say that you have a great gift of storytelling with tremendous compassion without judgement. Your iconic voice, beautiful music and beautiful eulogy of those who are impacted along with a blueprint of how to handle similar situations makes this channel a gift to those who all subscribe. Thank you for your efforts 👍🏾
@@michaeldeth1485 you are too kind. Thank you so much!
I like your stories because you don’t shy away from mentioning how God plays a determinant role in these survival stories. Thank you, Lord
This isn't church. Leave out your superstition 😅
Paper maps. As a child I was fascinated with them. They had a legend on them which explained the types of roads, whether it was a highway or a dirt road. Sometimes roads would be classified as “closed in winter.”The different dot sizes indicated the relative population of the cities. I think it would be a good idea to have a paper map in the glove box to compare with the GPS. I think she survived mainly due to her outlook on her situation. Her faith definitely helped her.
when i was 6 my mum would have to drag me away from the laminated metal Michelin map screwed to the local Garage wall. she bought me a British Isles paper road map & year later with the few spare pennies available & i was transfixed. I’d loved to have made it a career but the trigonometry wasn’t my bag as a teenager. I still have many Ordnance Survey maps of all scales of Britain from 1806 to the current day. I often think maps are one of the most honest or truthful printed things provided they’re correct !
Paper maps are a great back-up, but I am old enough to have gotten lost 26:32 26:32 using paper maps on road trips. It just takes one turn off that is hard to see in the dark, one missed or unclear sign, etc.
This one got me. Brought tears to my eyes. Thanks, JR
You're very welcome SF!
What a touching story and an amazing couple. So sad they got lost but how faith strengthening an experience. Condolences to the family and may we all learn from this tragedy and cary paper maps, a compass , and mud/snow recovery equipment!
And faith in our God. Have a blessed day everyone.
First sign of mud, turn around! I have been trekking through this area for forty years. As a precaution I carry at least one bike for exorcise and emergencies . I can go twenty to fifty miles a day on a mountain bike in these conditions. I would ride when temperatures are below freezing and the ground is hard. You can carry your bike to avoid mud, then ride on firm ground when possible to get to where you’re going. Always carry a higher end mountain bike when driving off road, honestly I would have made it to town in under four hours and had fun doing it. RIP
Just a truly amazing story.
That one was a full on tear jerker. Great story. Good humans. He was a solid man and died trying to save her.
Not gonna lie, it definitely hit right in the heart that she kept driving the van afterwards... her last connection to her husband. I'm glad she made it, and that her husband died peacefully.
For all of its allure, the road less traveled can exact one hell of a toll.
Appreciate, you and these stories.
Rest in peace Al. You, did good. Really, good.
Absolutely, inspiring. Take, heed to the good advice.
Before I drive or hike in remote places, I look up my routes on Google Earth and take screenshots. That way I have maps available when there’s no Internet connection - which is always going to happen in a remote area!
@@phoebehill953 this is such a simple but brilliant idea. I have done this on holiday, when walking, but don’t think I would have thought to this otherwise, thank you
@phoebehill953 it’s a good idea until your stuck with no way to charge your battery on your phone & it dies. Paper maps are your best bet.
@. True. I hike with my phone turned off unless I absolutely need it.
❤❤
Her faith saved her God Is good
Nice to see your channel approaching 100K subscribers buddy. Had to stop by and say hi when I saw the van thumbnail
Thanks my friend! I hope that beautiful beast of yours is still treating you good!
@@outdoordisasters I lost my job a few months ago. Catching up on life working a ton of overtime but starting to enjoy my van again. Going to get it hooked up with a winch for more recovery options. Once the weather cools a little I'm going to make up for the months I had no job and enjoy my van more.
When hiking, always turn around and look for landmarks, a tree, a rock formation, whatever, so when you’re on your return hike you know what to look for
This is where a paper map becomes so important. Don't believe a GPS if the road is not maintained recently.
@terrykissell1633 I can't tell you how many times google maps have steered me wrong and that in big cities, mpls, chicago, Seattle it's like they just try and mess with you. Telling u to turn R then telling u to take another right and theirs a bldg their!
This was very inspiring. Thanks for sharing
I like to camp away from it all for extended periods in the national forests. I have gotten to the point that whenever Google maps gives me a route I ask myself "How is Google trying to kill me this time?"
😂
Now that's love. For all the folks annoyed by the God stuff: it seems to me (and I'm no God-fearer, believe me) that faith is a big part of this story. Even an atheist could have made the mistake Al did. But if her faith helped her survive, more power to her.
Well said!
Faith didn't save her, some guys out shed hunting did.
@@redrustyhill2 The LORD sent them to rescue her.
@@albertafarmer8638 🤣🤣🤣
@@redrustyhill2 Please get saved now, you don't want to miss the upcoming rapture!
Thanks for including the faith of the couple and her giving strength to prayer for her survival 🙏
You couldn't tell the story of Rita without it. It you did, you're being blatantly biased against Christianity. It's probably the most important aspect of her story.
@@outdoordisastersamen. 🙏🏽
Thank you soooo much J.R. for another outstanding story!! A special thank you for including the faith aspect!!! Great job!!!!! 🌹💖
She must have prayed harder than her husband. No luck involved in her being saved I’m sure.
yeah and how hard do you pray?
Had gps try to put me on a dirt road once in the middle of nowhere. Immediately stopped as soon as I saw it turning to dirt. Turned around and plotted my own route using a map the old-fashioned way. I use gps as a luxury tool, not my main navigation device. It is nice when it works, but I always assume it doesn't know what it is doing.
I also love the time it told me to exit off the freeway into southside Chicago, in the middle of the night, in my new car, because it would be quicker. No thanks. I will stick to the extra 1 minute of drive time.
RIP al....fly with the angels. May the Lord bring Rita peace.
Why do so many people try to go cross country when hiking out? Stay on the same road you drove in on and back track, always.
"Las Vegas, a city they always wanted to visit"... well, at least *that* disaster was spared for them..m
I go on a lot of solo road trips to remote locations. I have GPS, but I always bring hard-copy maps with me. Sometimes, even with those, something just doesn't seem right to me and I will turn around and back-track rather than proceed. I drive a reliable, high-clearance, 4-wheel-drive vehicle and always have supplies with me, including a lot of water, food, super-warm clothing, fire-making supplies, tools, etc. My thought is that if a road's direction, condition, etc. seems sketchy, it's wise to turn back. Several times this year alone, I encountered extremely harsh conditions on rugged, isolated roads in remote locations. I chose to turn around and back-track rather than continue. What a tragedy that the couple didn't simply turn around after noticing the deteriorating condition of the road and return to the main one.
Rita wasn’t alone God and her husband were with her in spirit. God Bless her.
😜
May her spirit be free in the realms of Gondor..
Oogly boogka magic words. That makes as much logical sense as your comment.
Some god!
It truly is close to miraculous that she was rescued. I don't think I could have simply stayed where I was for six weeks, knowing my husband was obviously in trouble if he hadn't returned after a week .
I wondered the same thing. I think after a few weeks I would've tried to hike it out. But can't argue with the results. Truly a miracle.
"Sometimes the road less taveled is less traved for a reason."
Jerry Seinfeld
Because there is no people there duh 🙄
What they needed was “Matt’s Off-road Recovery”!
Loved the tips at the end. While these are very sad. We can't discount the lessons learned
This story made me cry. It broke my heart the things Rita endured when her husband left to get help. 😔😔😔😔😔😔
I’ve seen two separate story’s allmost identical to this one with photos of stock vehicles too,the other two story’s were also older married couple taking the adventure rout, one was a Hyundai car, the other was a new Ford motor home, on both those story the men went walking for help and also died, both wife’s on other two story’s also survived! They also got stuck in the mud just like this van! I wish all these people would have at least had 4x4s to travel these desert roads!
The van being recovered and still being driven by the lady is just wild 💀☠️
Yeah it would represent bad memories to me but each to their own.
They made a terrible mistake, not the van. That van has sentimental value to her
I was in the middle of the Washington Bridge once when my GPS told me to turn left. My point: The use of a GPS must always be accompanied by basic common sense.
Seems left is the preferred direction of GPS. In Yosemite, the GPS kept trying to kill us by hanging a left over the cliff every time.
This is a very good video. I've been tempted to follow some country roads as a Google short cut. I'll play it safe and stay on the paved road. And I do think her faith and focus saved her.
49 days!!! That's insane.
So tragic but so beautifully fought with faith hope and love…. 🙏❤️
Wow! Can you believe what a perfect match the color of the van is to the terrain?
Why didn't he just backtrack the route he came in on back to the main road? A passerby would likely come by and he could have flagged them down
Maps are great and so is a compass. Always have a compass on hand.
I live out here. Virtually live in the mountains. That road takes me to Merritt mountain. Kind of my getaway. Albert was found by a friend of mine. The gps of that time was getting a lot of people killed. Especially in Australia where the heat was getting folks.
Friends with Chad, Troy, or Whitney?
I screwed up with the brother. I did graduate with Chad. I heard it was his brother. I heard wrong. I apologize.
@@ApacoCorgi It's all good my friend. Thanks for the insight!
Thank you so much for all you do, I learn so much from you videos. ☺
I often wonder why the all-powerful hand of a god couldn't stop them from going down this road in the 1st place. Thanking a god for your survival is a very nice thing to do. But pls don't forget to "Thank the ppl, that actually save you, also"! Im 99.9% sure, I would not survive under those conditions. Her strength to survive over a month is truly admirable. My wish would be that all those prayers had worked for her husband, too.
Susan: it's called free will and maybe the husband's allotted days on earth (see Psalm 139) had run out.
@@michaelbigelow3255Wow, what got up your snout? 😄
@Peace-tk3gr that's my point exactly. Pray all you want, and your big guy in the sky will LAUGH and tell you you have free will. But that free will stops at the point you don't believe in the big guy in the sky, bc if your freewill tells u it's all a lie, those religious tell you, you get to burn in hxxx! That's not free will. That's a threat. Yes, that makes your god a dictator, masochistic child believe in me or else🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣. The religious love to Buffet style what the chose to believe when it comes to bible & the saying I chose to believe in just 1 less god then you. Comes to mind. But, if u believe in an all-powerful man in the sky & it makes you feel better, by all means, keep on doing it. it simply is not relatable or logical to me.
@michaelbigelow3255 it really does make you wonder WT heck we're they thinking. Thanks for the laugh.😊
@@Peace-tk3gr of course his time ran out. My thought is: it wasn't a hand of god or any line from a bible. It was the situation he & his wife put themselves in. Again believe what you need to believe just don't expect me to believe it. I truly hope it brings you more comfort than pain.😊
You would think they could drive out through the night as temps would have hardened the mud enough to drive out as the one photo of the van shows the water was frozen.
A thin crust might form but a vehicle will bust right through. I’ve had it even with a 400lb atv.
If you have been outdoors or off-road much you would know this ;)
@@ClimbnFish I have plenty of times and when the temps drop in the freezing area the mud hardens up which creates a hard surface which equals traction anybody with common cents should know this. I wasn’t talking about frozen water holding the weight of the van 🤦🏼♂️
GPS is usually a good tool but not in desolate areas.
These people have clearly never had a GPS tell them to turn the wrong way onto a one way street, or turn onto a street that's closed or even non-existent. On my way to work there's a group of apartment buildings that just show as an empty lot on GPS, even 3 years after they were built. GPS is far from infallible.
great video ❤
I must have missed something because I'm perplexed as to why Rita's rescuers could promptly call and connect with 911 yet the stranded couple could not.
Perhaps a different service provider/carrier. Coverage can/will vary in remote areas by carrier. In the West I find a certain carrier (using 5G) many times better than a well known carrier (using 4G) in remote areas.
Likely they rode their ATVs to a area with service.
Great channel.
Love the advice at the end❤
I am confused as to why he didn't simply follow the road back to the highway they turned off of. Attempting to find someplace you don't know where is, after already being in a dangerous position isn't the best idea.
Great Vlog. Hello from Melbourne
Had something similar happen to me 3 times, thankfully I wasn't stuck for longer than 12 hours each time. I learned nothing and regret nothing.
I got a goin off road story for ya. I took the backroads one time and I came upon a sign that directed me to a walking trail that I thought was probably one of the most scenic trails in the state. I decided to see where the sign would take me and soon there was another sign at a dirt road going up into the hills. There wasn't any snow or mud right there so I followed it and came to a parking area, where there was a long hand written note posted to a tree. I got out and walked over to the note and read it. It was about a bear attack that had happened right here at the head of the trail. Some guy had been killed and thats very unusual in this state. Suddenly I another guy showed up and I was surrounded by his black dogs. These pups were kind of odd looking and they played rough. One of them wrapped a paw around my leg to try to hold me and I got a look at his huge claws and realized these were baby bears. The car was only a few feet away so I decided to rip my leg out of his grasp. When I got to the car the bears shifted their attention to the guy who had shown up. I used my car to push my way up to him and get him out.
I tried to find this spot on a later trip. I found nothing. I couldn't find it on a map either. Bears don't hang around in packs but this was definitely a pack of bear dogs. The story about the dead guy was real. I guess it wouldn't be the first time people obliterated any sign of a trail nor would it be the first time somebody set a trap trying to lure someone into a dangerous situation.
49 days , goodness. Poor Al.
What an amazing testament of God's answered prayers and care.😭🙏 God is faithful and he is with us in our dark times. I will praise the Lord while I have breath in my lungs. God bless this dear lady and her family and her husband and all the family.
I appreciate your coverage of this heartwarming story, your outstanding work is stunningly great
I feel like this is the second story you've done in this area. Wasnt the Kim family also lost in this area during the snow when they took a wrong turn? It's incredible she found the will to survive 49 days on her own.
That was in Oregon off I-5.
Ha you’re wrong
Amazing footage thank you for sharing. Why didn’t they walk back the way they came? To US93
GOD only knows 😐
Wow, no way would I ever get off the main road onto a dirt road “short cut”!! I understand it’s easy to say but if I were in that position I’d follow the dirt road backwards. I can’t believe how long Rita was in that car missing her dear husband, 49 days that’s tortuous! I’m in not outdoorsy but for the travelers would that be the way to go?? I’d like to know just in case, TY!
Love the channel, music is good, narration is good. Keep it up your channel is going to get bigger and bigger
Oh we cannot even count how many times its been a hunter of some kind; antlers, animal, mushroom, ETC that helps solve the puzzle by finding the missing piece.
Very true! That's because instead of expecting to shoot from the road, they hunt, actually hunt, for those things that are found way off the beaten track.
I’ve ran into a few people out on some pretty advanced Jeep trails, in the middle of nowhere driving minivans or sedans / crossovers driving on regular street tires, that were obviously lost because of their GPS rerouting them. 😮
If only god would’ve told them not to go off-road in a minivan in Nevada in the winter time. Doesn’t take a genius (or a god) to know not to do that.
settle down hoss
Aren't you tainted.
@@4Dangert The statement is correct.
God is so faithful!
GPS
NEVER TRUST YOUR LIFE ON IT ! ! !
or on God assisting with their accuracy 😮👍
Only 6 miles away. It seems like he was fairly close to the town. I beleive that they were both doomed the moment they decided to separate from one another.
All these stories seems to start with a wrong turn down a sketchy road…
Truly a terrible story. Though I really do not understand how a western Canadian person would consider driving a mini van through any of Nevadas side roads. There’s a Death Valley hiding in the state where many old dirt roads/trails that lead to the uranium mines in the state. The weather can be rover 100*F and up. The roads become very dried out and brittle, any errant rain can turn into a high pressure current that can push semi trucks over onto there sides. The wife didn’t panic and did the best thing to hunker down in the van and rest as moving rocks to under the wheels can be very strenuous and the stress of remaining stuck can get your blood pressure rate into a hypertension zone making clear thinking very cloudy. They should have had plenty of food and supplies,blankets, fire starters etc to survive until a solution came to mind~ Slow & steady.
Great one O D so sad 😢😢🙏🙏❤️❤️ love your channel😘
Amazing story. Yes, sad about husband
Why not just turn around once you realised you took a wrong turn and get back on the right road? Wouldn’t that have been quicker and more reasonable?
I carry recovery boards, Amazon, good things to have
Same here. If they were driving an Astro van, there's no way they should have even attempted to drive that road without some serious rescue supplies including recovery boards, a sat phone, a stock of food and water, blankets, etc. And from the statement in the video that they were nearly out of gas at the point where they were stuck, they were going to wind up stuck with no gas anyway.
Beautiful and bittersweet story 🥺 100K is just around the corner and I am here for it!!
Thanks to you and the many others! I appreciate you.
God has helped me, he will help you too. 🙏
Really odd that they never thought to build a big fire?
If GPS sends you to a location you know nothing about and you end up on dirt roads, turn around. Go back to a station, ranger office or someplace to ask about the route. Even road maps are not a given good route if weather is bad or expected to be bad. I have seen dirt roads that just cut for about 2 miles between little highways turn into sop after rains and people get stuck up to the axels. It looks solid but it is not. Walk it, test it before driving on it.
I was in Allegheny National Forest trying to get to buy firewood coming back from a store and got sent on a trail. I knew it was a trail and with the jeep I wasn't concerned. Wouldn't you know there was a gate right at the end by the road and firewood place. I turned around and made it.
The problem came from having selected the shortest route for directions. After that I changed it to whatever and I've never had that issue again.
Wow...been awhile since I've heard a story of such self inflicted disaster.
I drive past Mt. Home all the time, I’ve accidentally taken that same road but we weren’t headed to Jackpot so we turned right around.
Faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. God was with her and watched over her. And brought people to her rescue. They themselves said they were not planing to take that route. Her husband is in heaven waiting for his Rita. When you’re a believer and you have a personal relationship with Jesus, you never lose & you never die, you live on. God bless Rita May she live a long healthy beautiful life. Thank you for sharing this story of strength, faith and hope. ❤🙏
The gps didn’t do a damn thing. It gave them the route to take after THEY missed a turn and didn’t realize for far too long. They just didn’t want to take the main highways, this is on them.
Use your best tool you own YOUR BRAIN. Unless of course you don't know how to use it effectively. Praise the lord for saving Rita. I wonder what Albert did to not receive the same help.
I once made this saying: A known detour is better than an unknown shortcut!
It’s my experience, but nothing like this story.
We're getting more and more people in our state now and it's unbelievable a lot of them have high ground clearance vehicles but they don't have the understanding of the weather . They don't understand how remote these areas are you may go days without seeing anybody and that's in good weather. When it rains or snows you could go weeks without having anybody even considering going into areas where they know that there's no chance. So that means that now you're stuck in an area where even the locals aren't going..
God is amazing and still sends us miracles! ❤😊
The poor husband wasn't given a miracle tho he ended up dying out there.
He sent humanity Maps but his hands are too full to pack them for everyone 🙄👍❤️