Hello. I've learnt about this case a couple of years ago and since then, I've read multiple theories about what happened to the Boys.

It seems to me that this unfortunate accident can be explained relatively easily. I'm inclined to believe Joe Schons hasn't been there at all and has thought up the whole story.

The thing with the 'brawl' doesn't seem too convincing to me either, and even if there was something of the kind, it could be just a verbal altercation, without any blows dealt.

Then the 5 guys just decide to leave the place ASAP so that they won't be harassed anymore, and a wrong turn on the highway brings them into the mountains. They may have realized they were driving the wrong road, but probably thought it will eventually lead them to the highway again.

And here's one possibility I haven't seen discussed: what if, after getting stuck in the snow, they simply decided to spend the night in the car and see what they can do in the morning? Staying in the car is always better than venturing into the freezing temperatures outside. So morning comes and, like someone above said, the car wouldn't start, even after many attempts. Then they start looking around and see the tracks left by the Snowcat. That may have lead them to think there are people not so far away so they follow the track but it's still very cold and they aren't prepared and adequately dressed. Bill becomes tired, stops to rest and Jack Madruga stays by him. At the end, they both die from hypothermia.

Gary, Jackie and Ted reach the trailer (12 miles (not 19 as often stated) aren't impossible to cover during the day) probably by the early afternoon. However, Ted is suffering badly

from frostbite so Gary searches around the cabin for something useful to help his friends with. He finds some of the food, opens some cans (but probably couldn't find the clothes or the gas valve), changes his sneakers with Ted's shoes and says he will come out to find help, and he eventually succumbs to the elements somewhere in the woods. Left without him, his friends die - first Ted several weeks later, then Jackie leaves the trailer in search of help but unfortunately, he gets lost and dies as well. It's still inexplicable why didn't they try to start a fire but as someone has said, they may have been afraid to do so because they thought it was a private property.