1959 photos of ice ax?

[kylecorbin]

Does this website show any photos of the ice ax that was found perched at the entrance of the tent with 1/3 of its handle stuck in the snow?

And once I receive an answer to a minor question like this, should I delete the post so that we don't end up with clutter?

[Ziljoe]

Does this website show any photos of the ice ax that was found perched at the entrance of the tent with 1/3 of its handle stuck in the snow?

And once I receive an answer to a minor question like this, should I delete the post so that we don't end up with clutter?

Not that I know of. The axe was allegedly used by the first searcher's that found the tent   to help clear some snow off the tent to have a look if their bodies in it. They had no camera.

It could be argued that there is an ice axe head in one of the photos when it was getting searched on the 28th of February, but that's just the way it looks. It's at the bottom left corner as you look at the entrance of the collapsed tent. Just shadows I think.

The ice axe shows up in a couple of the groups early photos and there is a photo of one of the searcher's holding an ice axe , but I think this is later in April.

[kylecorbin]

Thanks. Can you pinpoint which photo you think shows the ice ax in January?

[Ziljoe]

On the bus.



On campaign.









On the 28th of February. Potential axe or the bottom of the tent? The shadows and light do make the object look raised.




It's like one of those optical illusions, the picture of a vase or two people's faces . An ice axe or the straight line of tent canvas?
 I never gave it much thought before but the spike of the potential axe does look like it's in front of the snow behind it . Not that it would solve much if it was the ice axe. 

( Please excuse my poor photo editing. )

[KathleenDSmith1]

Everyone:

Just very odd in all photos "Seymon" seems to carry an Ice Axe/pick everywhere, but "What happened that fatal evening/morning" ...Seymon did not reach or have his ice axe/pick.  All 9 Hikers did not have sufficient time to gather what was important, I don't believe that Igor made a bad decision or didn't realize that while setting up the tent, didn't have enough wood with them, because we all know that the "stove" was unassemble".  I do believe that when and whoever was responsible for the wood, didn't realize where or when a person or persons could retrieve wood, especially in the wooded area/forest. The Ice axes/picks were located in the tent and accountable (listed) I expect for one.


Thanks
Kathleen Dee Smith

[Ziljoe]

I think it's reasonable to take an ice axe and to store it outside the tent makes sense.

For my own curiosity , I've tried( really badly) to match the ice axe  from the bus photo to the potential ice axe at the corner of the tent in the photo from the 28th of February, Sharavin ( first to discover the tent on the 26th of February) says that he used the ice axe to get the firn/hard snow off the top of the tent.




Sharavin claims this is his diagram below and the location of the ice axe.







If I remember correctly he also reported the axe was n the snow up to 2/3rds or three quarters. Looking at the peak of the tent and guesstimating the height of the tent at the entrance , I do wonder if it would actually show above the snow drift at the tent entrance. I don't think we have the actual length of the ice axe.

Any how... Here's my terrible effort below at cutting and pasting the ice axe head from the bus photo to the potential ice axe at the tent photo. I know it's not an exact science but I was only interested in the ratio from tip to shaft, and without the proper tools or expertise, it would seem to match. Coincidence perhaps?






Also , the angle of the ski pole is unusual. It would seem to be at the wrong angle if it was used as a tie off point to support the tent . Does this suggest some kind of movement or force? Given the depth of the ski pole I would expect it to snap if it was forced from the top in that direction . Could it be an indication of some sort of snow movement.

Playing devil's advocate and speculating( who doesn't)  , we have potentialy three coincidence with the above info. The direction of the foot prints is roughly the same angle as the sloping ski pole , the potential axe seems to lie at the same angle as the ski pole.

I know people have said you move across an avalanche, but I don't think that advice is much use when you're in one unless your skiing. Not that I'm saying it was an avalanche but as has been suggested before, they just needed to think there was one. Or more to follow.

I welcome any thoughts , constructive criticism or abuse.