Where were the footprints in relation to Zina, Rustem and Igor's bodies?

[Marchesk]

Here is a screenshot from a Youtube map animation video of the terrain and body locations:



Is there any information where the footsteps were found in relation to the three found in between cedar tree and the tent? I only ever see how far the bodies were from the cedar tree, not the trail of footprints.
If they were trying to return to the tent, it would make sense to follow the footprints back, particularly if a flashlight was left to light the way.

If one or more of them collapsed on the way down, then again it makes sense for them to be near the footprints. Unless they were separated, or didn't go down at the same time.

[Nigel Evans]

Al three were buried under the snow, ditto their footprints?

[Marchesk]

Al three were buried under the snow, ditto their footprints?

I meant the set of 8 or 9 footprints leading from near the tent down the slope.

[Nigel Evans]

Al three were buried under the snow, ditto their footprints?

I meant the set of 8 or 9 footprints leading from near the tent down the slope.

No they stopped (from memory about 500m) from the tent.

[Marchesk]

No they stopped (from memory about 500m) from the tent.

Oh right. Zina didn't make it that far. But if they were backtracking the footsteps that night to the tent, they should be in a line with the visible footsteps, unless the group veered off? I've never seen a visual of their path downhill. Didn't they pick the steps in the forest leading to the cedar tree?

[Nigel Evans]

No they stopped (from memory about 500m) from the tent.

Oh right. Zina didn't make it that far. But if they were backtracking the footsteps that night to the tent, they should be in a line with the visible footsteps, unless the group veered off? I've never seen a visual of their path downhill. Didn't they pick the steps in the forest leading to the cedar tree?

You're assuming that they would retrace their downhill path exactly which is a big assumption. They would be walking into the wind and might prefer a different route (to the flashlight). Also it's my theory that the close grouping of their bodies suggests they had been weakened and were struggling with the incline.

[Monika]

Here is a screenshot from a Youtube map animation video of the terrain and body locations:



Is there any information where the footsteps were found in relation to the three found in between cedar tree and the tent? I only ever see how far the bodies were from the cedar tree, not the trail of footprints.
If they were trying to return to the tent, it would make sense to follow the footprints back, particularly if a flashlight was left to light the way.

If one or more of them collapsed on the way down, then again it makes sense for them to be near the footprints. Unless they were separated, or didn't go down at the same time.

here is my opinion:
Mountain relief was uneven and climatic condition different on the different part of slope. As they walked down from the tent, their footprints could be deeper into the HARDENED snow and stay so preserved. When the trio aimed from the cedar back to the tent, the snow and relief could be different (POWDERY) because they did not go back the same way as they went down and the footprints will not remain in the snow.

And why did not they return to the tent the same way? Because they did not see the previous tracks in the darkness and went to the tent only intuitively upward to hill. As far as I know, the flashlight lay in the snow and far away from the cedar, and the light was not visible from cedar.

[sarapuk]

No they stopped (from memory about 500m) from the tent.

Oh right. Zina didn't make it that far. But if they were backtracking the footsteps that night to the tent, they should be in a line with the visible footsteps, unless the group veered off? I've never seen a visual of their path downhill. Didn't they pick the steps in the forest leading to the cedar tree?

Problem is we dont have any visible footprints going over the 500 or so metres that has been mentioned.  Footprints started about 20 metres from the Tent and continued for about 500 metres. We have a few photos that really dont say much.  Many of the original footprints were destroyed by the search teams when they were walking around in the area not knowing that it was a potential crime scene.