Dyatlov Pass incident

[Herlock Sholmes]

With regard to the missing tent pieces, it is possible that they were cut significantly and blew away over time because of high winds and ended up buried in the snow somewhere.

With regard to the flashlight/torch my first thought was similar to Ms. Diddles that it was there to help locate the tent if someone went outside to pee. But on further reflection, cold weather weakens batteries so it is more likely they would have kept any flashlights inside the tent and taken it out and left it on the tent when exiting.

c.d.

It’s a possible c.d. They weren’t exactly short on wind out there and once they’d found the bodies they were hardly going to waste time freezing their a#*^s off looking for a piece of tarpaulin that could have been buried in snow a mile away.

On your second point c.d. I read somewhere that there were signs of urine outside the tent. Surely an avalanche would have knocked the lamp off the tent. I wonder if there’s a better description of how the lamp was located?

[Herlock Sholmes]

I was wondering about the shape and type of tent seeing as it slept 9 people (and could have accommodated 10 of course) The diagram shows a tent with 2 sloping sides rather than one of those larger family type tents so the torch couldn’t have sat on top of it. I’d been trying to picture the torch actually sitting on top of the tent but perhaps it was just lying on top of a collapsed part?

[Ms Diddles]

Apparently people leaving the tent at night to go out and pee and then getting disoriented direction wise and not being able to find it resulting in death from hypothermia in not uncommon.

c.d.

That makes perfect sense.

Personally in that cold and dark I'd be inclined to pee right up next to the tent.

It's probably advisable that I never go camping in company!

[c.d.]

I have to imagine the flashlight was secured with chord or something to a tent pole.

c.d.

[c.d.]

That makes perfect sense.

Personally in that cold and dark I'd be inclined to pee right up next to the tent.

It's probably advisable that I never go camping in company!

People do take pee bottles into the tent with them in really cold conditions. Hopefully they marked the bottle in such a way to distinguish it from their water bottle.

c.d.

[Ms Diddles]

I was wondering about the shape and type of tent seeing as it slept 9 people (and could have accommodated 10 of course) The diagram shows a tent with 2 sloping sides rather than one of those larger family type tents so the torch couldn’t have sat on top of it. I’d been trying to picture the torch actually sitting on top of the tent but perhaps it was just lying on top of a collapsed part?

I'm sure I remember reading a pretty comprehensive description of the layout of the tent and the position of it's contents.

I just can't for the life of me exactly where that account was!!

I think you are correct in that the torch was on top of the collapsed tent.

I also definitely remember reading that urine was found just outside the tent.

I seem to think that one theory was that two of the hikers were outside of the tent peeing when they alerted those in the tent to impending danger (avalanche?).

I think perhaps two of the guys were better dressed than the others (and maybe had boots on) which would lend itself to that idea, although I may have misremembered the last bit?!

[Ms Diddles]

People do take pee bottles into the tent with them in really cold conditions. Hopefully they marked the bottle in such a way to distinguish it from their water bottle.

c.d.

Euuuggghh! I can see some potential for a nasty mishap there.

Thank goodness for She-wees nowadays!!

[c.d.]

I will always recall the time I took a young lady backpacking for her first time. We are out in the middle of nowhere when she tells me she has to go to the bathroom. I say okay. She then asks what she needs to do. I ask her if she just has to pee or is it more serious? She says more serious. I then tell her in great detail the process she has to go through. She looks at me and says I have to do what???? Then says I think I will just try to hold it till we get back. What a trooper.

c.d.

[Ms Diddles]

I will always recall the time I took a young lady backpacking for her first time. We are out in the middle of nowhere when she tells me she has to go to the bathroom. I say okay. She then asks what she needs to do. I ask her if she just has to pee or is it more serious? She says more serious. I then tell her in great detail the process she has to go through. She looks at me and says I have to do what???? Then says I think I will just try to hold it till we get back. What a trooper.

c.d.

Hehehe!

She sounds like a keeper!

[c.d.]

I have always wondered why they did not use the stove they carried. If I recall correctly it had never been taken out of the box so it not functioning can be ruled out. Skiing all day in the backcountry with a heavy pack would have left them extremely dehydrated. Snow had to be melted for drinking water and I don't recall there being any accounts of evidence of a fire. So what did they do for water?

c.d.

[Ms Diddles]

I have always wondered why they did not use the stove they carried. If I recall correctly it had never been taken out of the box so it not functioning can be ruled out. Skiing all day in the backcountry with a heavy pack would have left them extremely dehydrated. Snow had to be melted for drinking water and I don't recall there being any accounts of evidence of a fire. So what did they do for water?

c.d.

Hmmmmm!

The humorous newspaper that the hikers created on the trek says " Team of radio technicians including com. Doroschenko and Kolmagrova has set a new world record in portable stove assembly- 1 hour 02 min. 27.4 sec"

That would imply to me that they had been using the stove during the trek, just perhaps not on the final night.

I remember reading that it was found unassembled, but I don't recall it being stated that it hadn't been used on the trek at all.

I'm working from memory here too though, so may be wrong.

[Ms Diddles]

I was wondering about the shape and type of tent seeing as it slept 9 people (and could have accommodated 10 of course) The diagram shows a tent with 2 sloping sides rather than one of those larger family type tents so the torch couldn’t have sat on top of it. I’d been trying to picture the torch actually sitting on top of the tent but perhaps it was just lying on top of a collapsed part?

I've just read in the book that Barn recommended that the tent actually consisted of two tents stitched together.

That does ring a vague bell, but the authors then go on to state that the tent was designed for use in forested areas where it could be supported by tree branches.

They seem to think there's something suspicious about it being pitched on a slope above the treeline.

I've no idea where they're going with that.

It's probably best that I shut up and just read the book I post anything about It's contents though!

[c.d.]

Whether the stove had been used or not depends on what account you read like so many other "facts" in this case.

c.d.

[Ms Diddles]

Whether the stove had been used or not depends on what account you read like so many other "facts" in this case.

c.d.

That's exactly it c.d.

There are so many conflicting accounts and it's so hard to assess their credibility from this distance.

I think that is largely what creates all the mystery on this one.

[c.d.]

I had always assumed that the stove found still being in the box meant that it had never been used but I think as Ms. D. said it could simply mean it had not been used that night. And if would have had to have been in a box in order to be transported.

But then you still have the water question. The only thing I can think of is that they got into camp late and very exhausted and decided to go to sleep rather than spend time assembling the stove and melting snow which is very time consuming. So just accepting being uncomfortably dehydrated and possibly addressing it the next day with a rest day devoted to obtaining water.

c.d.