Possible way Zina received her side injury.

[Tim]

Before entering the tent for the night, a team member finishing up on the snow barrier, decided to relieve himself and his weight dislodged a already unstable wall and fell onto Zina along with the ice. He may not of been able to hear the occupants amongst the raging winds so they cut themselves out. Now totally exposed, they try ,but there is too much snow to move with their bare hands, they try a ski poles but it breaks. Just then the rest of the snow barrier falls onto them and the tent making it impossible to gain access. Deadly Gale force winds force them to the forest. The two Yuri's run ahead to start a fire.


does salvage title affect value

[Marchesk]

Is there any evidence of gale force winds that night, or does that just help to make your theory work? I wonder if there was enough snow for them to abandon the tent. Anway, it's an interesting thought that Zina could have gotten her side wound in the tent. What about Rustem's skull fracture?

[Tim]

Hi, very good question. We know that only a gale wind is capable of uncovering a raised foot print. We also know they left into a winter storm which they were not concerned about. They made it is far as they could and were forced to set up tent and it was even documented by two photos. The person turning to the camera may have waived after the shutter closed as well. This modified two tents sewn into one was always in need of sewing, but it was never intended for the slopes so when they found a place that was suitable they had to build a snow  barrier out of the existing snow drift/stone wall. The fatal mistake was of them compacting the original snow to keep it from blowing away caused the surface to freeze. Not happy with the height of the barrier, they continued to add snow that was not binding to the surface of the original snow essentially making it a free standing. After the collapse and everyone was out, another section of the wall collapsed and sealing them off completely. Why?  and MOST IMPORTANTLY, the uncut section of the tent is now over their hiking gear. Now they have to remove most of the snow by hand and it is impossible in these conditions where seconds will determine if you live or die  Within in a minuet they make the decision to head for the forest. All the tourists heads were in perfect line to take on a hit which is what  probably happened to Rustem.  The human body when not pumping blood an oxygen will turn to mush in these conditions and it does not stand a chance against mother nature. Sorry for the long response.

[MDGross]

Hi Tim, Perhaps we're the only two, but you and I are in agreement. For several months, I've proposed that gravity/gale-force/hurricane-force wind was the cause of the tragedy. My thought was that the sudden wind threatened to dislodge the tent. But I like your idea of a snow wall that fell on the tent at least once and possibly twice. Once they dug out of the tent, the hikers could have tried to remove the snow from the tent and face hypothermia or walk down to the trees and risk hypothermia. I think without panicking, they made the decision to head for the shelter of the trees. They fought courageously, but the brutal cold was too much to overcome.
Obviously this will forever remain speculation, although hikers dying in Sweden under similar conditions, adds some weight to this theory.
If the hikers died at the hands of the KGB or Soviet military, perhaps somehow, somewhere, documentation will be found and the mystery solved.

[Monty]

There is alot of sense within this explanation, and whilst I err on the side of forced exit by gun threat, i do follow this theory. It is believable for me and follows logic, albeit some very poor choices. Still would wonder if they cut their way out and had two torches, why not cut out the section where the shoes were at the very least.

[Nigel Evans]

If my memory is correct their valenki (felt boots) were found left by each "bed". The case files can confirm if anyone wants to make the effort. This makes sense as a toilet trip during the night would require them and they had to be kept handy. Only the outer wear was in the corner of the tent. Needless to say i think this theory is nonsense but there's room for all of course.

[Monty]

If that was the case and the valenki were found next to a persons rest area, that would surprise me given the potential chaos that led up to the escape minus footwear. Perhaps in a double snow wall cave in everything would be a jumble?

[jarrfan]

Very good point about cutting the part of the tent where the shoes were, if that is what happened. The external force must have been such that they could not have done that.....

[Tim]

 That could explain the half circle  cut on the tent, they guessed correctly.

[Tim]

Remember the person going to the bathroom did so before he came back into the tent causing the collapse.

[Marchesk]

Now they have to remove most of the snow by hand and it is impossible in these conditions where seconds will determine if you live or die  Within in a minuet they make the decision to head for the forest.

It would take them more than a minute to make it to the forest. Somewhere in the 40 minutes to an hour range trudging through the snow and rocks in the dark mostly without shoes. Then you have to locate somewhere to start a fire and possibly make a snow den. It's a fair amount of time before you have the possibility of adequate warmth and shelter. They would have known it would take time, so that would have to be factored into a decision on whether to abandon their warmer clothing inside the tent, if they weren't in immediate danger after exiting.

[Tim]

It only took one minuet to decide to leave to the forest, not to make it to the forest. Every second counted in this deadly environment without protection. The two Yuris sprinted ahead and found a place to start a fire. The others supporting each other without backpacks were able to make fairly good time once they were lower down the slope. They had to keep their blood pumping to get oxygen to their vitals..Amateurs would of died on the slopes.These kids were tough as nails.

[Tim]

Referring back to another point I was making about the last one in caused the collapse. There was Hardly any prepared food set out which means  that someone going to the bathroom would never venture that far from the entrance.

[Nigel Evans]

If that was the case and the valenki were found next to a persons rest area, that would surprise me given the potential chaos that led up to the escape minus footwear. Perhaps in a double snow wall cave in everything would be a jumble?

https://dyatlovpass.com/case-files-88-93?rbid=17743"along the tent on the side of the slope were 8 pairs of shoes, and 7 pairs of felt boots (valenki)."
https://dyatlovpass.com/case-files-309-312?rbid=17743"here were boots at the feet of the students  and at first glance it seemed to me that there are 7 pairs of felt boots."

[Tim]

I confess, This guy did it.

[Nigel Evans]

The yeti/menk theory is far superior to the snow wall theory because it satisfies the core question - "what made them cut slits in the tent and then forced them to flee without time to collect clothing/footwear".

 True it then falls apart in what happened after. Running away and then lighting a fire doesn't add up.

[Tim]

Precisely, we know that the Yeti didn't tippy toe into the entrance while they had their backs turned. That sceniio would play out like this, while making coaco Zina turns to Doreshenko and says " Hey Govna,  I feel a breeze! did you button the entrance when you came in ? I wasn't the last one in, Rustem was the last one in! Hey Rustem!  You know it's 1000 degrees below zero out there, why would you leave the front door unbuttoned? Igor the lame brain left it unbuttoned..ok ok I'll turn around and button it. Igor turns around and sees the Yeti sitting there and the Yeti says" HI YA'LL ,what's for dinner? BOO!

[Tim]

Joke: How do you know when there has been a Yeti in the refrigerator? You can see it's finger prints in the butter

[Tim]

Joke: How do you know when there is a Yeti in the bathtub with you? You can smell the Dyatlov group on his breath.

[Tim]

No one in the world knew exactly where they were. Nor did they know, exactly where they were.

[Monty]

A fairly orderly departure then.

[Tim]

It was  a death march against the Arctic blast they were descending into. It is virtually impossible to put ourselves outside with them to know exactly what they were going through. I like others have lived in the snow and subzero weather. When your feet are almost frozen there feels like a billion pins and needles are running through your feet while warming up. Most of them if they survived would have had to have amputations to their limbs.

[sarapuk]

Before entering the tent for the night, a team member finishing up on the snow barrier, decided to relieve himself and his weight dislodged a already unstable wall and fell onto Zina along with the ice. He may not of been able to hear the occupants amongst the raging winds so they cut themselves out. Now totally exposed, they try ,but there is too much snow to move with their bare hands, they try a ski poles but it breaks. Just then the rest of the snow barrier falls onto them and the tent making it impossible to gain access. Deadly Gale force winds force them to the forest. The two Yuri's run ahead to start a fire.


does salvage title affect value

There is no evidence to suggest that the amount of snow that you are infering was actually in situ at the time of the Dyatlov incident. And even if there had have been a large amount of snow it should not have stopped them from getting reasonably equipped to travel a mile or so in those weather conditions.

[sarapuk]

Hi, very good question. We know that only a gale wind is capable of uncovering a raised foot print. We also know they left into a winter storm which they were not concerned about. They made it is far as they could and were forced to set up tent and it was even documented by two photos. The person turning to the camera may have waived after the shutter closed as well. This modified two tents sewn into one was always in need of sewing, but it was never intended for the slopes so when they found a place that was suitable they had to build a snow  barrier out of the existing snow drift/stone wall. The fatal mistake was of them compacting the original snow to keep it from blowing away caused the surface to freeze. Not happy with the height of the barrier, they continued to add snow that was not binding to the surface of the original snow essentially making it a free standing. After the collapse and everyone was out, another section of the wall collapsed and sealing them off completely. Why?  and MOST IMPORTANTLY, the uncut section of the tent is now over their hiking gear. Now they have to remove most of the snow by hand and it is impossible in these conditions where seconds will determine if you live or die  Within in a minuet they make the decision to head for the forest. All the tourists heads were in perfect line to take on a hit which is what  probably happened to Rustem.  The human body when not pumping blood an oxygen will turn to mush in these conditions and it does not stand a chance against mother nature. Sorry for the long response.

You say that  ''Within in a minuet they make the decision to head for the forest''.  Thats a fairly bold statement. Especially in view of the fact that they have then sentenced themselves to certain death, because they never bothered to equipe themselves reasonably.

[sarapuk]

It only took one minuet to decide to leave to the forest, not to make it to the forest. Every second counted in this deadly environment without protection. The two Yuris sprinted ahead and found a place to start a fire. The others supporting each other without backpacks were able to make fairly good time once they were lower down the slope. They had to keep their blood pumping to get oxygen to their vitals..Amateurs would of died on the slopes.These kids were tough as nails.

You say that every second counted in this deadly environement without protection. So why did they decide to go out to their certain deaths without that protection ! ? Even staying in a collapsed Tent would provide better protection than wondering off half naked, so to speak.

[sarapuk]

No one in the world knew exactly where they were. Nor did they know, exactly where they were.

Of course they knew where they were. They had maps and compass.

[Tim]

Hi, Thanks for that, of course they knew but let me be more clear. They were in a white out on their ascent and decent and now they are confused to their precise location.Let me give you a recent sad example: Sadly Kobe's pilot new where he was  and had just flown that same route the day before. He flew into a marine layer (white out)  and he  momentarily lost all visual reference to his precise location.  His helicopter was not fitted with a TAWS Terrain awareness system,  and it was a fatal mistake. This all happened right across the street from my brother in laws house arguably one of the worlds greatest Laker fan. He actually heard the crash.  I myself have driven that same route hundreds of times,  This same thing happened to Robert F Kennedy Jr when he was flying to Martha's vineyard, he flew into a fog he was not rated to fly in. 
If the tourists knew their precise location they would of advanced the extra mile and a half to the forest out of the gale force winds  instead of doing it barefoot. It was late and Igor was hesitant to proceed any further because his mind was playing tricks on him. .   

[Monty]

For any theory like the double cave in to be fully expanded, why would one of the nine not consider grabbing some ski poles for the descent? Even if all else was lost, the ski poles appear in the recovery photo so must have remained in the same place for several weeks. Even bare foot, in the dark and wind, over snow, ice and rock their chances of remaining upright would increase dramatically. Alot of the subsequent discussion revolves around slips, trips and bumps.

[sarapuk]

Hi, Thanks for that, of course they knew but let me be more clear. They were in a white out on their ascent and decent and now they are confused to their precise location.Let me give you a recent sad example: Sadly Kobe's pilot new where he was  and had just flown that same route the day before. He flew into a marine layer (white out)  and he  momentarily lost all visual reference to his precise location.  His helicopter was not fitted with a TAWS Terrain awareness system,  and it was a fatal mistake. This all happened right across the street from my brother in laws house arguably one of the worlds greatest Laker fan. He actually heard the crash.  I myself have driven that same route hundreds of times,  This same thing happened to Robert F Kennedy Jr when he was flying to Martha's vineyard, he flew into a fog he was not rated to fly in. 
If the tourists knew their precise location they would of advanced the extra mile and a half to the forest out of the gale force winds  instead of doing it barefoot. It was late and Igor was hesitant to proceed any further because his mind was playing tricks on him. .

There is some doubt as to why they chose to leave the Treeline, ie, Forest, and cross an exposed Hillside in those weather conditions. They would certainly know that they were at a Forest prior to their final hike even in whiteout conditions. This aspect is often overlooked. They chose to leave the Forest area and move across the Hillside. Why  ! ? If the weather was that bad then surely staying at the Treeline was the safest thing to do  !  ? 

[Monty]

Had they not been hampered by bad weather do you think Dyatlov would have pitched up in the same place or pushed on?