In 1996 a German family of four ventured to the United States for a family vacation. While they were possibly headed to Yellowstone National Park, they traveled through Death Valley believing there may be some shortcut only to be on a road not suitable for the vehicle they were driving. It wouldn't be until the ex-wife in Germany was concerned that her ex husband and her son hadn't returned that a true search for the missing family would give searchers more questions than answers.  It wouldn't be until 2009 when some possible theories as what may have happened to the German family that went on a vacation only to never return from their vacation.