A 4 year old can walk 5 miles. You don't need cell service- if you can read a map, or just look for landmarks, you will be fine. Moon is still bright. Walking though mud is annoying but easier than deep snow. Getting your stuff back might be annoying, but there's no reason most of these people couldn't walk out of they had to. I've been stranded by a natural disaster-waited a few days and hitchhiked out after fording a river that took out the only bridge. This is just sensationalist stuff; a few tech bros will miss work on Tuesday, but that's the major effect