I heard it was a Volvo soft-roader, like an Subaru Outback. It clearly wasn't set up for mountain winter driving, no chains not enough ground clearance. That's the problem with buying cars from watching TV commercials. They look so cool driving up those rough roads, until the slightest problem. My 4x4 F-350 would have been fine for those logging roads.
From the looks of the overheads I saw, a proper vehicle would have been able to negotiate the roads with or without snow. Proper supplies would have likely saved all their lives. Been there done that, don't leave home without proper equipment and clothing. No one said the vehicle was damaged, just stuck in the snow in the middle of the road.
"From the looks of the overheads I saw, a proper vehicle would have been able to negotiate the roads with or without snow."
I'm going to be nice this time! You have no idea how deep and heavy coastal snow is up there on Bear Camp Rd. I have 4X4 diesel trucks that I wouldn't even think of traversing that road in the winter. The only thing I'd use is my Polaris snowmobile and go with a buddy on his, along with our bug out bags.
At Crater Lake, the snow averages 550 inches a season, and for you, that means over 45 feet of snow with a snow load equal to Lake Tahoe's which is 220 pounds per square foot at the lake level....
I have been on that road in the winter and turned back when confronted with a solid wall of snow on the north face completely blocking the road. The road cut had been completely covered...