[Paddlewise] GPS Navigation

Season's greetings Paddlewisers.

   I couldn't help but notice two parallel stories in the news. Both
incidents involved couples heading to the homes of relatives for
Christmas. In both cases they were navigating by GPS. In both cases
they left well-traveled highways and entered Forest Service roads
because the GPS determined it was a recommended shorter route. In
both situations the drivers encountered snow-covered roads and just
kept going until they became stuck in the snow. One couple was stranded
for three days and was saved by a quick-thinking relative with another
GPS unit. In the other case the vehicle was found in about twelve hours.
Fortunately, everyone involved in the two scenarios survived unscathed.

   I do not understand why the GPS units would recommend these people
leave the safety of standard major highway routes and turn off into
the National Forests on roads that aren't even maintained in winter.
What's going on here?

Brad Crain
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