When the Saunders realizes that Francois has run off, he gives a long chase to catch him. Caje and Kirby, hobbling with a broken leg, follow and show up only minutes later.
For the distance the men had to travel, and how closely together they placed some of the marker flags, especially near their destination, they were not carrying enough flags.
The opening and closing scenes are the same, not just a view of the same location. They show the same chunk of ice floating by on the mountain stream or lake.