Dyatlov Pass incident

[Joshua Rogan]

From memory, I think it was a condition of the hiking certificate they were hoping to earn that they spend a certain number of nights in an unheated tent. Which would explain why the stove was never unpacked. And, if true (and also assuming it was a wood-burning stove), they probably wouldn't have bothered lugging wood for it up the mountainside to the campsite.

[Ms Diddles]

From memory, I think it was a condition of the hiking certificate they were hoping to earn that they spend a certain number of nights in an unheated tent. Which would explain why the stove was never unpacked. And, if true (and also assuming it was a wood-burning stove), they probably wouldn't have bothered lugging wood for it up the mountainside to the campsite.

Thanks, Joshua,

Yeah, I recall that the trek was to achieve the highest level of difficulty hiking award.

I think a lot of the stipulations were to do with the duration and difficulty of the terrain.

I don't remember any specifications about the tent needing to be unheated, but it's entirely likely that I have just forgotten or missed that particular aspect.

[Ms Diddles]

Everything that happened can be explained by panic. People woken in the middle of the night by a real, or even imagined, avalanche aren't always thinking clearly.

Hmmmmm!

I hear what you're saying Fiver, but I'm with c.d in that I don't think an orderly trek a mile in duration is indicative of blind panic and disorientation.

I find it weird.

[Ms Diddles]

it might have been frozen stuck and or somehow unaccesable

Yeah, that's a possibility Abby.

[Joshua Rogan]

Thanks, Joshua,

Yeah, I recall that the trek was to achieve the highest level of difficulty hiking award.

I think a lot of the stipulations were to do with the duration and difficulty of the terrain.

I don't remember any specifications about the tent needing to be unheated, but it's entirely likely that I have just forgotten or missed that particular aspect.

I may have dreamed that bit, Ms D! I'll have a dig for the info....

Ah, I think this is it. Yes, I can't see anything about a cold tent, so I obviously made that bit up. I think I misremembered or misunderstood the highlighted section below.

"For example, for the third ski category (the one that was planned for the Dyatlov group), it was equal in total length to at least 300 km, of which at least 100 km they had to go with overcoming natural obstacles i.e. steep uphill climbs, steep descents, tracing (making a path in deep snow) ski tracks, moving through a dense forest with undergrowth, moving in a treeless area far from villages, etc.

The total duration of the trip was to be at least 16 days, including in a completely unpopulated area - at least 8 days. This means that the distance to the nearest village should be at least two large daytime crossings - at least 50, 60 km. Moreover, they had to make at least 6 nights completely in winter conditions. This means that they had to fully organize the night with only the set of equipment that they brought with them. The overnight stay in huts, shelters, or abandoned houses should not exceed 10 days out of 16."

[String]

Might find interesting

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/nov/05/mountaineers-recover-cameras-lost-in-1937-expedition-to-canadian-peak