i presume if your in cloud that you are IFR and IMC capable?
I would think if you are IMC capable you should not be messing about trying to stay VMC below! Also I would think anyone with any sense (not that these people showed much in this case) would know both what the valley was like ahead of them and how wide it is, knowing this would help decide if a 180 or climb straight ahead was the best option, even in VMC I would not be flying like this without knowing my escape options.