Quote Originally Posted by Alex80 View Post
"Ребята" primary meaning is "children". Form "Ребятишки" means more clearly "pre-teenagers".
Children can use "ребята" to refer to themselves.

If adults apply word "ребята" to themselves it is like they are long-term friends, from childhood, who are used to refer to themselves as "ребята". Usually it is sign of strong and long-lasting friendship.
They were not preteens or children - They were, at least, in their prime youth (20s).
The poem/epitaph was made in 1989 by hikers wo wanted to pay a tribute. So we can talk about companions of a sport modality as you referred as "long-time friends". So, it can it be colleagues or buddies?
Thank you Alex80.