On the strange sound recorded in the documentary - it is difficult to know if it was real or fabricated. I think the credibility of the programme was damaged by the editors. The Expedition unknown documentary that Teddy was in is a much better documentary.
Yes, I've seen that one as well. Much better indeed.
On the Abominable Snowman theory, a chain o events could be the following:
I -
a) the skiers heard cracking noises on Jan 31st and Fev 1st, in the forest around them. Someone made a blurry photo with Thibeaux-Brignolle's camera of a shadowy figure standing near a tree. They laughed at first and said it must have been a very tall Mansi hunter, but decided to keep watch and to protect themselves better , just in case.
b) the skiers made a small detour from their intended path, in order to camp on the barren mountain slope of Kholat Syakl. From there, they could easily observe the surroundings , out to 1km or more, therefore no stranger could approach them without being spotted.
c) the skiers made camp as planned, and established a program of watches, with one person standing guard outside the tent at all times.
II-
d) they eat dinner at around 19:00. They start making their watch program.
e) at around 22:00, it's "Zolotaryov's" turn to keep watch. With him exits also Thibeaux-Brignolles, for a call of nature. Both are well dressed.
Suddenly, a Yeti appears at 3 meters in front of "Zolotaryov". The Yeti starts making ear-splitting sounds, while the people inside the tent understand that the shadow from the forest has returned and it's attacking their comerades. In a hurry, they split the canvas of the tent, to get out and help their two friends. Unfortunately , it's too late for "Zolotaryov": he is punched with immense strength into the chest, and suffers multiple fractures. His friends rush to battle the enemy: with knives and bare fists, they surround the Yeti and fight back. The Yeti backs down under the relentless attack of the courageous friends !
f) but, during the battle, a second Yeti appears.
g) the group recovers "Zolotaryov"'s , still animated, body, but Lyubidina is punched hard as well - she suffers multiple fractures from the punch as well.
h) the second Yeti tilts the balance in the animal's favour: the group of skiers slowly backs down, down on the slope. During the battle, they have lost all but one of their knives. There is no time to take anything from the tent: the matches and flashlights were already on their pockets when they heard the ear-splitting noise.
III-
i) Dyatlov carries "Zolotaryov", Slobodin carries Lyubidina, while Doroschenko and Krivonishenko with Zina, Kolevatov and Thibeaux-Brignolles face the enemy, while going backwards down the slope.
j) Slobodin stumbles under the weight and is caught by one Yeti and his skull is crushed. He is still alive, but needs to be carried by Doroschenko. Krivonishenko takes Lyubidina.
k) Zina, Kolevatov and Thibeaux-Brignolles charge the closest Yeti (which was previously wounded), and stab it multiple times. However, all three of them suffer serious wounds - Kolevatov has his neck deformed, Zina receives a swipe on her abdomen, Thibeaux has his skull hit and internal bleeding. However with ear-splitting sounds, the enemy retreats. Both Yetis disappear into the darkness, as the group of skiers continues to descend the slope.
(they are now half way).
IV-
l) thirty minutes later, the group arrives at the bottom of a cedar tree. They start a small fire and search for the enemy. Nothing is found.
m) it becomes painfully obvious that they won't survive the night unless they get warmer clothes from the tent.
n) Dyatlov, Zina and Doroschenko build a small den, onto which they place their heavy wounded.
p) Krivonishenko and Doroschenko try to keep the fire going. They are poorly dressed and feel the cold badly.
q) Dyatlov decides to try for the tent - with him goes Zina and Slobodin. Unfortunately, none of them reaches the tent - they freeze on the way.
r) everybody freezes
s) the Mansi hunters find the bodies on the slope and near the cedar tree, several days into the battle. They give word to the nearest military unit.
t) a group of soldiers examines the area somewhere around Fev 10th. They take several cameras, films and notebooks. Through an oversight, they leave behind a pair of leg-bracers. They cover their tracks around the tent and down the slope. They inform their superiors about what they found.
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Problems:
- the Yeti isn't a scientifically recognized animal
- 99% of the existing Yeti sightings describe a peacefull animal. The remaining 1% concern cases in which the Yeti was cornered, attacked or otherwise threatened by humans.
- no snow trashed around at the scene of the tent (to indicate a fight)
- the footprints as tracked by the official search team involve "8 or 9 set of tracks" going down the slope - therefore the heavily wounded (such as "Zolytariov") did make steps themselves
- the Yeti's can't be replaced by humans in a similar scenario
- the persistence of radiation on clothes even after months under the snow and weeks in running water
Best,