Last two days of the Dyatlov group: 2. Preparing for the night – a timeline

[Arjan]

A possible timeline of the last two days of the Dyatlov group is drafted, assuming: 
1.   The map below reflects the situation.
2.   No outsiders have entered the map until the arrival of the first search party.
3.   The members of the Dyatlov group have acted as ‘may be expected’.
4.   No internal violence within the group.
5.   No manipulation with the photos from the search parties and from the mortuary.
6.   The information in the autopsy reports reflects the professional findings of the coroner.



1 February 1959

Around 15:00 pm
The group had chosen to spend the night at the tent site as found by the first search party, because:
•   probably Zinaida (and maybe one or other group members) had been injured during a slide, and the seriousness of the internal injury might have been more severe than had appeared from the outside at that moment.
•   from this tent site, it had been feasible to return to Ushma or 2nd settlement within one day in case any internal injury of Zinaida might have worsened during the night.
Remark: Zinaida’s autopsy report does not state any internal injuries related to her graze wound.

It had been obvious for the group that this camp site had three major shortcomings:
1.   No running water nearby
2.   No firewood nearby (the heat food and snow)
3.   Exposed for wind and storm.

During wintertime, dehydration is a serious (stealthy) risk.
See internet for more information.

It had been obvious that the group had to ‘collect’ running water (and/or firewood for heating food/snow/drink) from elsewhere: the ravine/cedar had been the obvious place nearby for this purpose.

The group had started to arrange this campsite using a normal procedure:
•   6/7 members erecting the tent and arranging the campsite.
•   3/4 members fetching water and collecting firewood.

Lyudmila, Semyon and Thibo had started to descend to the ravine/cedar (leaving three pair of footsteps while walking next to each other).

The descend to the ravine had taken a little less than half an hour.

Around 15:30 pm
The tent had been erected and 6/7 group members had started to arrange their gear inside the tent.

Lyudmila, Semyon and Thibo had arrived near the ravine/cedar.

As Great War veteran, Semyon had certainly known that – during moderate wintertime – sources of running water (with a water temperature of around 8 degrees Celsius) are available in this kind of ravines.

Lyudmila, Semyon and Thibo had easily found the creek as source for running water for the night (and for Lyudmila to clean herself – probably due to her monthly period).

Lyudmila had descended in the ravine, and she had removed her boots (or felt shoes) before standing close to the creek, to:
•   keep her boots (or felt shoes) dry.
•   have a better grip on the icy surface around the creek while standing on her socks.

Next, Lyudmila had probably taken of her coat and ‘The stocking from the left leg is removed’ as the autopsy report states., probably to clean herself. The clothing she had still on at that moment, are described in Lyudmila’s autopsy report.

 Semyon had also descended from the upper edge to the bottom of the ravine.

Thibo had been standing near the cedar, or on the upper edge of the ravine.

Exactly at that moment – within a few millisecond – the Dyatlov group had been forced to end abruptly the usual preparations for the night. 

Remark:
In May 1959, Semyon and Thibo had been found adequately clothed for a return trip from the tent to the ravine.
According to the autopsy reports:
- Semyon had also on both feet ‘Black quilted felt boots with leather soles’.
- Thibo had also been wearing ‘Practically new grey felt boots (valenki)’.
Both had also been wearing adequately footwear.

[Axelrod]

I think described situation is far from reality, but this is a version.
I may object only on phrase

During wintertime, dehydration is a serious (stealthy) risk.

It is during summer time, not winter. They were not in Argentina or Australia.

[Ziljoe]

I think described situation is far from reality, but this is a version.
I may object only on phrase

During wintertime, dehydration is a serious (stealthy) risk.

It is during summer time, not winter. They were not in Argentina or Australia.

I believe dehydration is as serious in winter as summer time. Especially for people being physical . If one cannot get running water , or melt snow , then there will be problems.

I am still unsure what they did for water through the day. Did they carry flasks next to their body. There will be little water content in the food they are carrying so they will need fuild and ideally it should be heated first.

I am not an expert on this but we are looking at a minimum of 2 litres of water per person per day( they recommend 3.7 litres ). So, that's anywhere between 18 and 36 litres of fluids. I doubt they carried all  that fluid up the slope so they will have to melt the snow in the tent. I'm not sure if walking to a stream from the slope would work either but if they were to go and get 18 litres and bring it back it would probably freeze by morning at least.

They needed heat for the night on the slope for sure, that's an evening meal, fluid and then for the start of the day.

[Axelrod]

About 2 liters of waters, I sometimes consumed 4 liters (it was 2 bottles of jouce and then 2 liters from spring in the same bottles, ot i took 4 liters together) in summer and it was unsufficeent. Agter descending, I usually bought the 5th bottle of mineral water.

 but only one bottle (maybe half liter) of Borjomi in winter. It was in early February in Tbilisu acdending +200m to the mountain park instead of funiculer(?).

Please pay attention to interbiew with Sharaven, page 2
https://dyatlovpass.com/sharavin-3

Question: Did you see hot water bladders among Dyatlov group belongings?

M.Sharavin: There really were hot water bladders among the Dyatlov group belongings. We found them while inspecting the tent, I remember that.
---
Why these @water bladders@ are absent in crimainal case, I cannot explain.

[Ziljoe]

Obviously they could have hydrated before their hike. When camping in the forest they had the resources of wood and a large open fire. Much easier to melt/heat large quantities of water for hot chocolate, porridge/ coffee etc.

I am unclear if the water bladders are water canteens or rubber water bottles Although the link gives a picture of a rubber water bladder used for sleeping with. Of course, a water bottle/bladder could double up for a water bottle or heat source. The observation I have is they would need to melt and heat water. For 9 people , that's would consume time and fuel. I'm still unsure of what their cooking methods would be without the open fire pit and security of a camp in the forest?.

They could sleep with their water , but they would have needed to heat/ melt or carry  it at some point.

I don't think the tent stove was designed for cooking although they may have designed some container for heating water from it.

The point is, they need fluids , warm fluids if there is no tent stove or outside firepit. They have to get up in the morning when they don't know what the temperature would be. There is the report if a cup with some porridge or hot chocolate left over.

Arjan raises a good point, although I'm sceptical about one of the hikers sliding without an ice ax , it is possible that one of them got injured enough to not be able to move easily. It could be as simple as being unwell to go further. I remain perplexed about the relative short distance from the resources security and comfort of the forest to pitching on a slope for the sake of a mile.

The suggested reasons for camping there are , the weather got bad, getting a little bit lost coming over the pass , deciding it was better not to lose the elevation they had gained.

It just seems a bit counter intuitive as a lot of effort would be needed from whatever type of alcohol stove they used to melt and cook a not so insignificant amount water. All this cooking , eating, drinking, washing,dressing and undressing would need to be done in the tent , with 9 people . If I remember correctly, they mention in their diaries how they would conspire how to enter the tent in pairs?. ( I think they mean how the planned getting in).

I know I'm being pedantic.... Just seems a lot of faffing for the relative comfort a mile away. It's a possibility that two of them went for water or wood i suppose  , although they didn't seem to have the tools but two of them in the ravine were better dressed and had footwear......