Rustem's hat

[GlennM]

On March 5, one of the participants of the deceased group, Rustem Slobodin, was found under snow, thick not less than 350 mm. He lay with his belly down, arms outstretched, on one of which - the right one, the joint of the thumb was bruised. The same hand had a watch. On the head a hat, on the basis of which I believe that at the time of death, there was not a particularly strong wind, since it would inevitably blow off the cap from his head if not while alive, then when Slobodin was already dead. "

This passage from DyatlovPass.com serves as evidence regarding the positions of Igor, Rustem and Zina. There has been some comment that perhaps IRZ were in fact not returning to the tent from the woods, but were doing the opposite. This arguement supposes that for uncertain reasons, IRZ left the tent either before of after the others ostensibly to find and support their stricken friends.

It is clear to me that the reason IRZ was found as they were is because they did in fact descend with all the others, but after a period of freezing weather there was some improvement. This slacking of the stormy conditions made an approach to the tent a posssibility. Instead of the effort to climb the mile back to the tent giving them body heat, it drained the reserves of strength used the previous night just surviving the bad weather.

I do not believe the conditions were near pristine, but I think they were good enough for IRZ to attempt a heroic reclamation of the tent for necessities and perhaps supplies to carry back to their friends. Biology is remarkable in what people can do when they put their mind to a task. Nature has no feelings, nor sympathy for heroisms. The rule is the strong survive. Strength is not necessarily physical strength, it could be fortitude. It is no guarantee. Bad things happen to good people.

In summary, IRZ were in fact returning to the tent in arguably better weather than when they left.

[Osi]

The theory put forward regarding Rustem is that his body heat melted the snow beneath him, turning it into ice—a nearly impossible act of magic. Even lying in the snow for hours at current temperatures wouldn't allow this. A logical explanation is that Rustem's clothes might have been wet. Judging by the wounds on his head, he shared the same fate as the people in Valley 4. While they chose to stay in the cave, he was the last one to realize that reaching the tent was the only way out, and he died in the process.

[Senior Maldonado]

IRZ were in fact returning to the tent in arguably better weather than when they left.

Yes, they were returning back, but weather conditions were probably the same as during descent. IRZ started climb not long after they arrived to the Cedar tree, when all other members of the group were still alive. Otherwise, IRZ would have taken their clothes and boots. For sure, Rustem would have put one more valenok on (borrow it from Thibo's body) -- climbing the slope in one valenok is very inconvenient.

[Osi]

Regarding Igor's position, in contrast to explanations suggesting he was defying an attack, I can say that: Igor, as the group leader, was aware of his responsibility to find and reach the tent. Perhaps he set out with Zina, or Zina was following him meters behind. That doesn't really matter. Igor may have tried to protect Zina's back with the open flap of his jacket and they may have walked arm in arm for a while. That's also not a significant issue. When Igor couldn't bear it any longer halfway and lay face down on the ground, he may have been forced to get up by Zina, whom we assume was next to him or behind him, by being turned onto his back and pulled by his arms. When Igor gave up and didn't react, he must have been left like that. It's as if he's pushing away someone who's trying to strangle him.

[SURI]

IRZ were in fact returning to the tent in arguably better weather than when they left.

Yes, they were returning back, but weather conditions were probably the same as during descent. IRZ started climb not long after they arrived to the Cedar tree, when all other members of the group were still alive. Otherwise, IRZ would have taken their clothes and boots. For sure, Rustem would have put one more valenok on (borrow it from Thibo's body) -- climbing the slope in one valenok is very inconvenient.

IRZ couldn't have their clothes because they weren't at the cedar.

[GlennM]

IRZ couldn't have their clothes because they weren't at the cedar.

We just have to account for those pesky pieces of birch Igor was found with while facing the tent...or not.

[Senior Maldonado]

IRZ couldn't have their clothes because they weren't at the cedar.

If I remember correctly, a piece of pullover's sleeve was found below the Cedar tree. The same piece was missing on Zina's pullover. How could it be that her piece of pullover made it to the Cedar tree, while Zina herself did not reach the forest?

I also doubt very much that Igor let the group to go to the forest without a leader, while he himself left at the tent with Rustem and Zina. As a team leader he had to be with the group, side tasks could be delegated to others.

[SURI]

The color of the sweater is different.

RADIOGRAM
Another group began to probe the cedar area period There were found a handkerchief two and a half pairs of socks torn sleeve from gray sweater period.

https://dyatlovpass.com/case-files-136-198?rbid=17743


AUTOPSY REPORT OF KOLMOGOROVA
https://dyatlovpass.com/case-files-127-134?rbid=17743

[Senior Maldonado]

@SURI

Colour could be misleading. "Grey" can be dirty blue. It's very easy to get end of a sleeve dirty, when  operating a fire on the forest soil. And Zina's pullover might have been multicolour, mostly blue but with grey sleeve ends.

[SURI]

The cuff is only torn, not missing.

[Axelrod]

The cuff is only torn, not missing.

I understand that the sleeve is missing. In English translation, it may be different.

[SURI]

M.A. AKSELROD WITNESS TESTIMONY

3.) Найден оборванный обшлаг свитера темного цвета, какого нет ни на одном из уже найденных туристов

https://dyatlovpass.com/case-files-316-329-ru?rbid=17747


3.) A tattered cuff of a dark-colored sweater is found, which doesn't belong on any of the hikers accounted for.

https://dyatlovpass.com/case-files-316-329?rbid=17743

[Axelrod]

I just noticed something odd that I hadn't noticed before:

Radiogram: There's a wound on the wrist. The "Pobeda" watch on his wrist has stopped at a quarter to nine.

Axelrod's testimony: He was lying face down, arms outstretched, one of which, the right, had a scraped thumb joint. He was also wearing a watch on this hand.

Description of the body: The left arm is pulled back and to the side, straightened at the elbow. He is wearing a "Zvezda" watch, which shows 8:45.

[GlennM]

Good catch Axelrod! It reinforces Ziljoe's theory about watches as a tool for distance measurement.

[sarapuk]

On March 5, one of the participants of the deceased group, Rustem Slobodin, was found under snow, thick not less than 350 mm. He lay with his belly down, arms outstretched, on one of which - the right one, the joint of the thumb was bruised. The same hand had a watch. On the head a hat, on the basis of which I believe that at the time of death, there was not a particularly strong wind, since it would inevitably blow off the cap from his head if not while alive, then when Slobodin was already dead. "

This passage from DyatlovPass.com serves as evidence regarding the positions of Igor, Rustem and Zina. There has been some comment that perhaps IRZ were in fact not returning to the tent from the woods, but were doing the opposite. This arguement supposes that for uncertain reasons, IRZ left the tent either before of after the others ostensibly to find and support their stricken friends.

It is clear to me that the reason IRZ was found as they were is because they did in fact descend with all the others, but after a period of freezing weather there was some improvement. This slacking of the stormy conditions made an approach to the tent a posssibility. Instead of the effort to climb the mile back to the tent giving them body heat, it drained the reserves of strength used the previous night just surviving the bad weather.

I do not believe the conditions were near pristine, but I think they were good enough for IRZ to attempt a heroic reclamation of the tent for necessities and perhaps supplies to carry back to their friends. Biology is remarkable in what people can do when they put their mind to a task. Nature has no feelings, nor sympathy for heroisms. The rule is the strong survive. Strength is not necessarily physical strength, it could be fortitude. It is no guarantee. Bad things happen to good people.

In summary, IRZ were in fact returning to the tent in arguably better weather than when they left.

Some hats can stay on the head even in strong winds. And we don't know the state of the weather at the time of the incident.

[GlennM]

Its not some hats,  it is these hats.  I think there is a difference. The difference is that these hats could get blown off but did not. At least the casefiles suggest it to be so. I wasn't there, I can only read the reports and see the photos. Rustem was found under a lot of snow. Was it gently fallen snow or windblown? It was hardened.

[Senior Maldonado]

It reinforces Ziljoe's theory about watches as a tool for distance measurement.

I am afraid it reinforces only the sad fact that people involved in the hikers' corpses handling did not pay much attention on being precise in their descriptions. They used to mix left hands and right hands, watch brands, colour of clothes, etc. We can see a lot of such examples in the case files. E.g. the 2nd pullover on Dubinina is described as "white" on one page, while the same pullover is described as "beige" on another.

[sarapuk]

It reinforces Ziljoe's theory about watches as a tool for distance measurement.

I am afraid it reinforces only the sad fact that people involved in the hikers' corpses handling did not pay much attention on being precise in their descriptions. They used to mix left hands and right hands, watch brands, colour of clothes, etc. We can see a lot of such examples in the case files. E.g. the 2nd pullover on Dubinina is described as "white" on one page, while the same pullover is described as "beige" on another.

Not neccesarliy. The Case Files are a collection of things. Ivanov added a note on Dubinina as follows ''Sweater white, cotton, does not belong to her''. But eleswhere the clothing that did belong to her is described accurately.

[GlennM]

...and according to some she was mutilated in her blood free sweater.

[sarapuk]

...and according to some she was mutilated in her blood free sweater.

Glad you brought up the subject of blood. Its not exactly mentioned much is it ! ? Considering the severity of injuries a blood bath would be in order. Another interesting fact to ponder.