Why head back to the tent?

[Marchesk]

So the nine hikers abandon the tent, not even bothering to grab warmer clothing and boots, head down the snowy, rocky terrain to the woods with poor visibility. That would have taken some time. Two of them start a fire, four more try to make a shelter in the ravine seventy meters away. But then Igor, Zina and Rustem look like they tried to return up the slope to the tent, almost a mile away.

Why do this? If the tent had to be abandoned so quickly, then why is going back an option? Certainly if a snow slide has buried the tent enough to prevent retrieving warmer clothing, then going back up the mountain isn't going to change that situation. And if the wind was blowing downhill, then going back up is more difficult, and it creates further exposure to extreme temperatures. Zina didn't even make it halfway back. They couldn't have been in very good condition at that point, unless really powerful winds made progress extremely slow. Additionally, it's questionable whether they could even locate the tent, although the flashlights may have been left for that purpose.

It would seem like staying to help with the fire or den would make more sense.  Of course I'm assuming they were headed back to the tent after reaching the cedar tree, at the very least.

A related question would be why does it look like they went separately? I would have expected them to fall closer to one another if they had travelled together, which would have made more sense, being that two or more people could help each other out when falling or going off course.

[sarapuk]

I think a lot of people who have investigated this case seem to think that because the bodies were pointing up towards the direction of the Tent then that is the direction they were going when they met their demise. I suppose its an easy trap to fall into because obviously there is a mountain slope that those members of the Dyatlov group are dealing with. But that doesnt mean that they were heading up the slope when they met their demise. And yes it doesnt make sense that they should be wanting to return to somewhere that clearly played a part in the events that followed, no sense whatsoever.  UNLESS whatever it was that caused all the group to leave the Tent in the first place was no longer a threat and those 3 members tried to get back to the tent and their clothing, etc. And why were they not closer together on their return to the Tent. Lots of twists and turns in the Dyatlov Mystery.

[Marchesk]

But that doesnt mean that they were heading up the slope when they met their demise.

I can see the argument for Rustem, but not Zina and Igor. They were too far from the cedar tree, Zina was dressed well enough not to have succumb on the way down, and if they had reached the tent and were coming back a second time, they would have been bringing warmer clothing back with them.

[sarapuk]

Unless Zina and Igor were killed by something on the way down  !  ?

[Marchesk]

Unless Zina and Igor were killed by something on the way down  !  ?

Is there any evidence suggesting they were at the cedar tree or snow den? Were Zina, Igor or Rustem wearing anything from the two Yuris?

[sarapuk]

Unless Zina and Igor were killed by something on the way down  !  ?

Is there any evidence suggesting they were at the cedar tree or snow den? Were Zina, Igor or Rustem wearing anything from the two Yuris?

I dont see any evidence that proves that they were at the Cedar Tree or alleged Snow Den.  Igor was found wearing a VEST that was allegedly given to Yuri Krivonischenko by Yury Yudin and a SHIRT that was allegedly given to Yuri Doroshenko by Yury Yudin. But that doesnt mean that Igor got those items from the dead bodies.

[cz]

Why do this? If the tent had to be abandoned so quickly, then why is going back an option? Certainly if a snow slide has buried the tent enough to prevent retrieving warmer clothing, then going back up the mountain isn't going to change that situation. And if the wind was blowing downhill, then going back up is more difficult, and it creates further exposure to extreme temperatures. Zina didn't even make it halfway back. They couldn't have been in very good condition at that point, unless really powerful winds made progress extremely slow. Additionally, it's questionable whether they could even locate the tent, although the flashlights may have been left for that purpose.

It would seem like staying to help with the fire or den would make more sense.  Of course I'm assuming they were headed back to the tent after reaching the cedar tree, at the very least.

A related question would be why does it look like they went separately? I would have expected them to fall closer to one another if they had travelled together, which would have made more sense, being that two or more people could help each other out when falling or going off course.

You pose very interesting questions.
Let me assume that all three were at the cedar at some point, which I consider a plausible hypothesis for the reasons stated earlier here.

The motivation for going back may simply have been desperation. A few hours in the cold can change the assessment of risk and gain quite considerably, I think. The fire burnt for about two hours and provided hardly enough warmth so the option to keep it going may have appeared suicidal.

To me, going alone appears to be kind of a B horror movie idea. I find it hard to imagine that three individuals decide to isolate themselves from a group in such a situation so I tend to believe they wanted to reach the tent together initially but were left with different capacity.

Igor was the only one on his back, which may be a consequence of the others trying to help him up or even some kind of good bye scene; he was close to Zina as far as I know.

As they succumbed to the elements quite some distance from the tent, their physical state was likely difficult already when they started their attempt. I think it is unlikely they underestimated the ordeal ahead of them.

[Marchesk]

As they succumbed to the elements quite some distance from the tent, their physical state was likely difficult already when they started their attempt. I think it is unlikely they underestimated the ordeal ahead of them.

I get the desperation when the fire didn't workout, but if they're not underestimating what going back to the tent means, then it makes a lot more sense to stick with the snow den, or just huddle together under a tree and some cut branches then to try and go back up hill in a weakened state.

[Loose}{Cannon]

After the two Yuris die at the cedar the decision may have been made for one group to head for the tent, and the other group prepare the den....  if there was a den.  Or, one group headed for the tent while the others stayed at the cedar waiting for their return. When they didn't return, the remaining decided to go into the ravine etc.

I still believe one of the 'tent three' may have died on the way down the slope.  This would still leave a 'team' of two that attempt a return to the tent. 

[Marchesk]

I still believe one of the 'tent three' may have died on the way down the slope.  This would still leave a 'team' of two that attempt a return to the tent.

That might be so. I just don't get going back to the tent if the tent situation was such that they couldn't even get their warmer clothing out of the tent when they abandoned it. Given that Zina didn't even make it half way back, the last two weren't in good condition to go back.

But maybe it was just desperation at that point, and they didn't see another way to make it through the night.

[cz]

I still believe one of the 'tent three' may have died on the way down the slope.  This would still leave a 'team' of two that attempt a return to the tent.

Interesting. What is your reason to believe this and who do you think was it?

[cz]

That might be so. I just don't get going back to the tent if the tent situation was such that they couldn't even get their warmer clothing out of the tent when they abandoned it. Given that Zina didn't even make it half way back, the last two weren't in good condition to go back.

I get your point. Yet, the tent was certainly no place of particular danger when it was discovered. I strongly assume the group knew what happened so they might have had reason to believe danger was over. Possibly they were uncertain and thus not all agreed. A conceivable reason for a split. Also, those who were found in the ravine had better clothing. Perhaps that lowered their motivation to check out how things were evolving at the tent.

[Loose}{Cannon]

I still believe one of the 'tent three' may have died on the way down the slope.  This would still leave a 'team' of two that attempt a return to the tent.

Interesting. What is your reason to believe this and who do you think was it?

No particular reason.  I just believe its a possibility.