Pants Possible Clue In Canyon Search

Searchers scouring a rugged canyon Tuesday found a pair of pants matching the description of those worn by a missing man who struck out for help after his family's car got stuck in the snow.

A helicopter with heat-sensing equipment joined other helicopters, snowmobiles and foot patrols Tuesday in the hunt for 35-year-old James Kim of San Francisco. His wife and two daughters were found Monday after being lost for more than a week.

Searchers found the pants Tuesday afternoon.

"It could be a sign he's trying to indicate the path he was going," Lt. Gregg Hastings of the Oregon State Police.

The search for James Kim took on new hope and new urgency in the forests of the Oregon Coastal Range, reports CBS News national correspondent John Blackstone. The 35-year-old technology editor has now been missing for 11 days. But Monday's rescue of his wife Kati and their two young daughters, all in good condition, shows survival against the odds is possible.

Officials said it appeared Kim was within five miles of the car he'd left Saturday morning wearing only tennis shoes, pants, a sweater and a jacket. Trackers had followed his footprints until dark Monday night.

Searchers said he had headed downhill and apparently walked out of an area covered with snow toward the Rogue River. Search and rescue teams checked the river with rafts Tuesday.

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Click here to see the rescue photos

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Kim — whose family told rescuers he had some outdoor experience and had eaten berries while stranded, not knowing if they were poisonous — took two lighters with him when he left the car, Anderson said. "Maybe he got a fire going," he said at a news conference.

Overnight temperatures have been in the mid 20s to mid 30s.

The helicopter that spotted the Kati Kim, 30, and her daughters Penelope, 4, and Sabine, 7 months, was a private aircraft contracted by the family, reported CNET, where James Kim is an editor.

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[foxylady1225]

Those were an EXTRA pair of pants - not the ones he was wearing!!! Don't you think he laid them down pointing in the direction he was going to walk... I think he may have fallen and I'm worried that he can't hear or see all the activity and stomp "HELP" or dig around to find something somewhere to light afire to make smoke since he has two lighters. I pray we find him alive.

[nothappyatall]

I've lived near that area in Oregon, this is not some wild wilderness out in Northern Canada 500 miles from the nearest shack or something! It's Southern Oregon near the Northern California border, there's roads all over the place out there.

That this guy dumped his pants tells me he is already delusional and lost it, he won't last but hours without pants on.
Chances are good they will find him in the spring or summer huddled in some windbreak.

[breejarjo3]

I certainly hope that Mr. Kim is found alive for the sake of his family, especially his children. Even though I am a native southerner, born, raised and educated, I have lived all over the country enduring very harsh winters w/ lots of snow, ice and winds, the one thing I always remembered and still do if at all possible "stay w/ your vehicle if you become lost and/or stranded". Better yet stay in your vehicle unless the situation is too dangerous and you would be safer outside the vehicle. Your chances of being found sooner may also increase.
I do applaud Ms Kim for keeping her daughters nourished by breast feeding them which means she too took in nourishment of some type, otherwise she would not have had the strength to breast feed both girls and possibly not continue to produce enough breast milk for the both of them without some form of nutrients. Thank God those little girls and their mom are okay and none of them sustained severe trauma from the cold that could have caused them to lose fingers, toes or worse limbs. I just hope dad is found soon and the family can re-unite and count their blessing together.

[luvny-2009]

luvNY, you in the WRAL viewing area as well?
Posted by ncolsens at 01:47 PM : Dec 05, 2006

Yepper that I am

[aeasus]

So he took his pants off but kept his wallet? Where was he carrying his wallet?

[jsilver2th]

Duffynight: Yes but he had probably hit the snow fairly recently I just guess because I don't think he would get very far in it or they could have been hit by the snow- that can happen very fast down there ask the Donner Party.

[duffyn]

Also in the forest, you don't just get to walk where you want to. Most of it is pretty much impassable. As a sailor who has gone to sea, if you don't know what direction you are going that's one problem. If you don't know what direction your goal is in, that's another and you are then, you are, well, you know. He has my empathy.

[duffyn]

Sometimes, you can go downhill all you want and not get to dry land. If the lands surrounding you are in the shape of a bowl and filled with snow, you will not get to dry land.

[jsilver2th]

That's quite a ways from my place but that's probably pretty tough area to search by land and air. It's not in the "mountains" by the way- likely lots of thick forest. The lows reported are bad but not that bad. Those might not be his pants anyway. He seems pretty resourceful. I'd keep that search up. It's probably hard for him to get a fix on where he is going because it's likely he can't really get a view. Going down hill makes sense if you want to get out of the snow but I would stick to the road and probably stuck by the vehicle longer- talk about the arm chair quarterback. That would look like a pretty winter wonder land to tourists but that's nasty winter weather. God bless them. If it is true that the route is listed as acceptable for this time of year those people that posted that should be ashamed- don't believe everything you see on the computer.

[rev2036]

did anyone ever think by going downhill Mr. Kim would eventually come upon dry land?????