Which sections of their planned route were searched, and why?

[Manti]

Initially all that was known supposedly is that they didn't return to Vizhay. Wouldn't it make the most sense to start searching areas along all of their planned route simultaneously? Or if there aren't enough people to do that, start in the middle?

Instead, as far as I know a search group was dropped off at Otorten, which is a relatively early stop in the Dyatlovites' plans, then determined they haven't been there yet? Based on what? There were other ski hiking groups that winter.. is it that nobody visited Otorten? Otherwise, if there are tracks, it would be impossible to know if they are from the Dyatlov group or another one. And a second assumption they had to make is that tracks would last a month. Even though a snowstorm can cover them completely in less than a day.

And then they put a search base in the Auspiya valley, before the tent is found. Seems like an unreasonably good choice, unless there were many other search bases we don't hear about. Doesn't this all suggest the approximate area of the group's demise was already known?


What does everyone think?

[sarapuk]

Initially all that was known supposedly is that they didn't return to Vizhay. Wouldn't it make the most sense to start searching areas along all of their planned route simultaneously? Or if there aren't enough people to do that, start in the middle?

Instead, as far as I know a search group was dropped off at Otorten, which is a relatively early stop in the Dyatlovites' plans, then determined they haven't been there yet? Based on what? There were other ski hiking groups that winter.. is it that nobody visited Otorten? Otherwise, if there are tracks, it would be impossible to know if they are from the Dyatlov group or another one. And a second assumption they had to make is that tracks would last a month. Even though a snowstorm can cover them completely in less than a day.

And then they put a search base in the Auspiya valley, before the tent is found. Seems like an unreasonably good choice, unless there were many other search bases we don't hear about. Doesn't this all suggest the approximate area of the group's demise was already known?


What does everyone think?

Sending helicopters to search for the Dyatlov Group makes sense. Quicker. An estimate would have been made of the Dyatlov Groups likely position given the time that they were reported missing.

[Manti]

But they were only reported missing days after failing to return by the deadline. So they could have been anywhere along their planned route.

[GlennM]

It seems predictable, if not serendipitous.