The cabin they passed on the way there wasn't that far compared to how far they got in the end, the best option would likely have been to take what they had fro

The cabin they passed on the way there wasn't that far compared to how far they got in the end, the best option would likely have been to take what they had from the car and stay there. And try to set a tyre alight as a signal for help. That said, since it seems there wasn't much investigation until the car sighting in October, it's unlikely even that would have been enough.