Well, you and your husband are very smart hikers! I commend your preparation and practice.
The key under a rock notion didn’t make me raise an eyebrow when I heard it. I heard runners and surfers do something similar, so I assumed the reasoning could be something similar.
I thought it was not done in case they got separated, but maybe so it would not get accidentally dropped somewhere by mistake or get buried way down in the pack and a pain to dig out of it when they got back to the rv.
Maybe the rock was used like a chock (those wedge thingies put against tires to prevent rolling—are those used with an rv? ‘Cause I’m so knowledgeable about such things—NOT—lol) or put under a rock next to one of those chocks? I don’t know.
I still do wonder about how we’ve always read they were hiking EAST of Kelbaker Road, and I don’t believe that ever changed in media reports. Our poster sroad is certain it had to be west of a Kelbaker, though, as it makes the most sense; but is it really certain? I guess the searchers searched both sides, so maybe it doesn’t matter, but I keep wondering about it.
(Off topic, but I like that you and your husband were kind and helped the lost dog. Made me smile.
I’ve done that a couple of times now, too, and the owners were so grateful and relieved—as I would be, if it were my dog. And that’s why I try to catch a wandering dog; I’d hope someone would do the same for me!)