The first generation made it to the "Ark" and mentioned that they had everything they needed to last a very long time. The adults and the other group made it to the operational parts of wayward pines offices but it was not the Ark. They could only survive for so long with no food or supplies so they voluntarily put themselves into sleep so they could simply survive while the abbies were running wild. The first generation simply had to leave the arc when it was clear and they were ready and the town was empty because everyone else was asleep. They started over with an even more orthodox adherence to the rules of Mr. Pilcher who has fed their ego's that they were everything. I may be off but that is how I took it.