Watches in the Dyatlov group

[RidgeWatcher]

1) At 2nd Settlement the group stayed in the only inhabitable structure. This was still not safe. A diary entry suggests that many injured themselves on rusty nails. Was there enough time to possibly affect the mental wellbeing of the Hikers?

2) It has been a while since I have read my Dyatlov books but Zina in her dairy discusses that Dyatlov is not himself and very angry. Hs anyone been able to find out why?

3) Yuri Yudin, in 2nd Settlement supposedly went to an open mine shaft during his rock surveying to bring some rock specimens back home. Could illegal miners have witnessed the Hikers and followed them?

4) With all due respect: Was Yuri Yuden gay? Both Zina and Lyuda were both down when his sciatica flared up and he was going back home. Dyatlov was a level headed young man but in photos he seems to really relish the closeness Yuri has with Zina, I don't see that same cheerfulness when Zina is in the photos with the other male Hikers. This would have been one way the KGB could have blackmailed Yuri into doing something he really didn't want to do. Again, this question is asked in respect to Yuri.

I apologize for having more questions than opinions but as I renew my reading I am sure this will change. Thank you my fellow posters.

[Monika]

Hello,

I can't believe someone was patrolling at the tent at night and check the time.
Firstly, there is no mention about it in the diary. They wrote there all sorts of little things in the diary, and if it usually one of them to has a patrol every day, I think they would mention it there. Not to mention that it is pointless for someone to patrol. It was a very strenuous expedition and each member had to be fit – rested in the morning. Besides, it’s unimportant the exact time they had to get up, because they didn't get on the train. It makes no sense for someone to check the time and even with two watches.

I think Tibo took the watch from Krivonishenko after his dead. One reason occurred to me: watches are the only valuables tourists had with them in the woods after escaping from the tent. In case they manage to get into civilization somehow, they will need money e.g. on the way home. It was obvious to them that they would not get to the tent where the money was. And four watches together could already give a nice amount of money.

[Nigel Evans]

It occurs to me that we're arguing over the wrong thing. Whether they normally kept a watch or did not isn't really relevant. What is relevant is whether they opted to keep a watch whilst in the den (one stay awake whilst others slept). If so then this is a clue to the mystery. We know that there is evidence that the fire was deliberately put out.

Perhaps as if they wanted to hide from a threat but remain alert to it.

[PJ]

We know that there is evidence that the fire was deliberately put out.

Where is the evidence?

[Nigel Evans]

We know that there is evidence that the fire was deliberately put out.

Where is the evidence?

It should be in the case files (somewhere). The rescue party observed that the logs indicated that the fire hadn't burnt itself out but had stopped (80 mm logs only burned halfway through). Plus there was spare kindling unused. There's little wind in the forest so the fire should have just carried on burning.

[PJ]

It should be in the case files (somewhere). The rescue party observed that the logs indicated that the fire hadn't burnt itself out but had stopped (80 mm logs only burned halfway through). Plus there was spare kindling unused. There's little wind in the forest so the fire should have just carried on burning.

80 mm logs often stop burning if there is no smaller kindling under it, specially that they could be a bit wet(wood in winter is often frozen with lots of water inside it) and the fact that there was spare kindling unused could mean that they stop taking care about fire - building Den, going up to tent.
The only proof that the fire was put down will be finding many charcoaled pieces of wood inside the fire, not yet turned into ash. But as I know, there is not information about it anywhere or even photo of the fire.

[Nigel Evans]

They wisely chose cedar wood which i understand is dry and burns well. Presumably the fire fitted with the LHS of your post.

[PJ]

Yes, the cedar burns very well, but I am not sure that the "80 mm logs only burned halfway through" was from cedar. A bit to big for braking it without axe, I guess they just found it somewhere around. From photos looks like it was a tree trunk.
https://dyatlovpass.com/resources/340/gallery/Dyatlov-pass-1959-search-320.jpg

[Nigel Evans]

Cedars shed decent sized branches in high winds. Probably found it lying on the ground.