Well if Teddys excursion is still going ahead June 2025 then we are in for a treat. new perspectives all-round I hope. After reading/seeing a few of these pages I now have a reasonably good perspective of the "lay" of the area. In the beginning I was thrown off by strange maps etc of the area and the main jist of this Cedar tree which was off putting as I seemed to think this was the main part of the mystery when in fact there are 3 and all of them equally important -----My thoughts. 1. The Tent 2. The Cedar 3. The Ravine.
From the outset we need to remember that the idea of the exercise was to complete a Grade 3 competency test. From what I understand only Dyatlov and Dubinina alread had Grade 3, all the others ? but would imagine Grade 2. But keep in mind throughout life and whatever jobs you have there are always people who slip through the net and get their badges and placed higher up the ladder than you. (its a crazy world).
1.The tent -why high up on the mountain, struggling over rocks ( we know they ended up off course, maybe Dyatlov wanted to keep the height but sacrifice cover (if he knew where he was). Anyhow they erect the tent (no stove it was found still in its box). Had a meal and retreat for the night. I assumed it may have been an animal ( choice of bear or wolverine )attracted by the smell, but as there was no stove the group would have eaten a cold meal. This in itself seems strange as they are behaving strangely but we are assuming they ate. Did Dyatlov change the rules after all they are going for their Grade 3 although there are times and places to put pressure on. Not realizing the severity of the weather. Now "assuming" they all went to sleep. Either Dyatlov would show them what pressure was or a stray missile, or bears. So pitch black and wheres my shoe 1.5klms, no thats not my sweater 9 people who laid their clothes out when it was fairly light now have to find them, wheres that torch/lantern.Ok they will have to do, now what. 2. Go to the Labaz 1.5klm downhill. Oh joy this is easy I am gaining a lot of speed maybe too much argh I have hit the rock field and have smashed face and ribs at least its freezing and cant feel the pain, so now the rest have to carry me to at least that big Cedar, we try to light a fire - not enough to keep going dosnt need the whole group to go back to the tent for dry firewood you 3 go. This 3 succumb to the cold. The 2 at the cedar climb the cedar to look for them coming back. The last 4 go to the Labz but because of joining arms in the dark on their way, fall into the ravine ,with no way to scramble out the freezing water quickly takes care of them.----- A hikers exam that went wrong because of the weather and the assumption that he has a shinyer badge than you so must know better.