Gale force winds can push large sections of snow around .

[Nigel Evans]

If seven people can get out and a tent pole stays erect then one well dressed person with gloves and a ski pole can get back in. You don't walk a mile in -15C/-20C plus huge windchill in your socks instead.

Regards.

Ok that is a good challenge to the theory.  If the front of the tent was still standing and accessible then they should have been able to retrieve more gear.  The shoes/boots were piled up toward the front of the tent they should have been able to retrieve more of them. 

Regards
Star man

but a correction, the valenki were found (were you would expect) at the foot of their "beds". Only the ski boots were in the corner.

[sarapuk]

I might add the image of a yeti chasing them only to be met with the sweet sounds of a mandolin would be fairly pythonesque.

Many a true word is said in jest as they say.  If Man was transported back millions of years on planet Earth he would encounter the most amazing creatures that would make a so called Yeti look tame by comparison. Creatures so scary that they could esaily have come from the imagination of any Science Fiction creator. Except its a FACT. Such creatures did exist.