Labaz

[Hybaa]

Is it possible that after something happened that made the group leave the tent to the forest, they tried to locate the Labaz they made before which was roughly at the same distance as they walked away from the tent but just in a different direction? To me it seems like they tried to climb a tree to see where the Labaz is - they failed. 4 of them went to find the Labaz anyway while the rest waited at the tree near the campfire they made. After some time when nothing happened (the group that tried to find the Labaz fell and got injured), the group that stayed near the tree decided to try to get back to the tent only without the 2 who tried to climb the tree and got injured.

[Nigel Evans]

No it wasn't their plan, the labaz was (twice?) as far away. The forest was their intention, downhill and closer. Plus there was nothing for them at the labaz other than food and a mandolin.

[Hybaa]

Do we know then, why 4 of them continued walking through the forest while the rest stayed at the tree?

[Jeff]

Do we know then, why 4 of them continued walking through the forest while the rest stayed at the tree?

because there was a disagreement.
Zolotarev was older but Igor was a leader. So there was a row where to go, a row about making the fire.
So that's why they split. The Zolorarev team was afraid to make a fire, while Igor wasn't.
Some felt that Zolotarev has more WW2 survival experience and joined him. I know I would.

[Hybaa]

and what was their plan exactly when they went to the forest during freezing night without proper clothes and equipment? Obviously they did not make it far. The thing that made them leave the tent must have meant a certain death based on their decisions.

and also, how did the other group make fire? did they have equipment to do so but not proper clothes?

[Nigel Evans]

Do we know then, why 4 of them continued walking through the forest while the rest stayed at the tree?

They didn't. The ravine was only 70m away from the cedar. If you want to build a den you need deep snow which tends to be common in ravines in Siberia. So this was probably the first deep snow they could find. Semyon's WW2 experience would have trained him to appreciate the survival benefits of a den. That there was only room for four suggests the group split possibly arguing/fighting.

[Nigel Evans]

and also, how did the other group make fire? did they have equipment to do so but not proper clothes?

They lit the fire at the cedar with matches, apparently using a lot of them.

[Jeff]

and what was their plan exactly when they went to the forest during freezing night without proper clothes and equipment? Obviously they did not make it far. The thing that made them leave the tent must have meant a certain death based on their decisions.

and also, how did the other group make fire? did they have equipment to do so but not proper clothes?

Their plan was to hide/wait until the morning.

[Monty]

The Labaz, the mandolin. Still a peculiar, if not bizarre twist in the tale. When you consider the other contents of the stash, it seems unfortunate it went unused. The mandolin was essentially fire wood, and there was valenki, size forty something.