Unsolved and Bizarre Mysteries: The Dyatlov Pass Incident

Nine experienced climbers, all found dead with mysterious, sometimes gruesome, injuries. And no explanation as to how they died.

Every now and again, I come across one of those unsolved mysteries that begs us to sit up and say, “What the fudge?” One such mystery is the unexplained deaths of nine hikers in the mountains of Soviet Russia.

These are their stories. (Sorry. I always wanted to say that😜)

In the Northern Urals of Russia, on January 1959, 23-year-old Igor Dyatlov led a group on a journey to the peak of Otorten Mountain. Young Igor and a team of eight, all experienced hikers from the Polytechnical Institute in Ural , left for their adventures intending to send friends a telegram when they were safely back from the mountain.

In happier times. Image taken with one of the hikers, Yuri Krivonischenko’s camera.

That telegraph never came. Weeks later, a search party found all nine dead, in different locations on the mountain. They all were scantily clothed despite the frigid Soviet temperatures. A few of the victims were missing eyes; another, her tongue. One individual’s injuries seemed created by such force, it was as if they were struck by a speeding car. Baffled and repulsed, investigators originally concluded that all nine died as a result of an avalanche.

Poppycock, I say.

Soviet investigators swiftly changed their minds when questioned, instead claiming that all nine had died from hypothermia. They postulated that the physical changes caused in extreme cold causes one to become convinced they are hot instead of cold, and they shed their clothes. Below, I will give you the evidence and circumstances, as well as the current theories among investigators, as to what happened to the Dyatlov party.

And maybe, together, we can solve a mystery 63 years in the making.

They hikers traveling on February 1, 1959, the date said to be their last. Photo credit: Public Domain..

Investigators believe that, on February 1st, the group, having been blasted by hostile weather as they headed to Otorten, became disoriented. Instead of hitting the base of Otorten Mountain, they switched direction and headed for Kholat Syakhl, a nearby mountain whose name translates to ‘Dead Mountain.’

Rut roh, Rorge.

When there was no communication by February 20th, volunteers gathered to search for them but found only their campsite. Despite the freezing temperatures, searchers found shoes and clothes scattered over the area. Most interesting, the tent they were staying in was cut open with a knife

From the inside.

Unable to locate the climbers, the military police were sent in. On February 26th, 1959, the entire group of hikers were discovered dead.

The condition of the tent on investigators arrival. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Near the tent, investigators found nine sets of footprints (all made either in stocking feet, with only one shoe, or shoeless).

As if the tent’s occupants left in a hurry. Yikes.

A mile away, they found the first two bodies, shoeless and clad only in underwear. The next three bodies (one of whom was Igor Dyatlov, the head of the group) were found several yards away from the first two near a cedar tree. One of the three had gray foam coming from the mouth and his skin was brownish-purple in color. The other two victims had serious head injuries and lacerations on their hands consistent with frantically pulling at the tree branches of the cedar tree.

As if trying to pull off the branches. Or trying to climb the tree.😳

The last four bodies, found a half-mile from the cedar tree, displayed violent and horrific injuries inconsistent with either an avalanche or hypothermia alone.

One of the four, Nikolai Thibeaux-Brignolles, had significant skull damage. Two others, Lyudmila Dubinina and Semyon Zolotaryov, had evidence of chest trauma comparable with the force you would see in a car crash. The remaining hiker, Alexander Kolevatov, was found with the other three but without evidence of serious trauma.

Lyudmila Dubinina, found on her knees, her chest pressed against a rock, had the unwanted distinction of meeting the most violent end. Her tongue was missing as were her eyes and part of her lips and facial tissue.

Oh, and a piece of her skull bone. Hypothermia? I laugh at you.

The final four victims were wearing clothing that belonged to the first five hikers found, indicating that they died sometime after the others. Additionally, radioactive material was discovered on the clothing of two victims.

Just keeps gettin’ weirder and weirder, don’t it?

So, what are the theories? Early in the investigation, Soviets suspected the deaths were committed by a local tribal people, the Mansi’s. That theory was quickly discounted as some of the injuries were so severe, it was thought impossible for a human being to commit that type of blunt force trauma. Also, the Mansi tribe were known as a docile and non-violent group of people.

So, yeah. Leave my Mansi peeps alone.

The theory of an avalanche was also discounted. Although it could create enough force to cause the injuries present, there was no evidence found that suggested the area had experienced an avalanche…no excess snow or landscape damage. Additionally, local townsfolk explained that the area, now known as ‘Dyatlov Pass’, had no history of avalanche activity.

Other theories were that an argument occurred among the group and preceded the violence, but, again, the injuries were much too severe to be dished out by mere humans. So, as each theory of natural or man-made disaster were shot down over the years, people were left with theories of the unnatural.

Or the supernatural. (Cue spooky music here.)

One such explanation is that the hikers encountered a ‘Menk’, which is the Russian equivalent to a Yeti or Bigfoot. This could account for the damage done to the bodies, as well as the missing body parts and ravaged face of poor Ms.Dubinina.

Another theory is that the climbers happened upon the testing of a secret weapon and they were killed to ensure their silence. This would explain the radioactive clothing and the panic they obviously experienced. I mean, they fled the warmth and security of their tent to go scrambling from their campsite barefoot.

Had to be a compelling reason for that, right?

This ‘secret weapon’ idea remains popular to this day because it’s been somewhat corroborated by another hiking group that was camping nearby. This group spoke of strange orange orbs in the sky over Kholat Syakhl on the night of February 1st. People speculate that an unknown force or weapon caused blasts which created orange orbs in the sky, sending the climbers into a panic. As they scattered in every direction, the second group to die came upon the first deaths (probably the fastest runners in the group?) and, after seeing them dead, decided to head head back to camp, perhaps for supplies.

That second group never made it back and succumbed to hypothermia themselves. Then, the last four of the climbers( obviously the slowest runners?) stumbled upon the second group of unfortunates and took their clothes to keep warm. Eventually, the theory goes, those four died when hit with a new blast from this secret weapon.

Fair enough. But what about Lyudmila’s face? Did a blast rip out her eyes and remove her tongue? Nah, not buying it.

In the end, it remains unsolved and we are left with more questions than answers. A few things stand out to me. Why cut your way out of a tent instead of going through the flap? Unless the danger was inside the tent preventing you from escaping. Did they split up when leaving or were they forced to go in different directions? What’s with the radioactive clothing and why on only two of the climber’s clothing? What could possibly explain Lyudmila’s injuries and the blunt force trauma of the other two? If they were all exposed to the same threat, how can the injuries be so different?

And, most importantly, who names their child Semyon?

Personally, I am leaning toward the secret weapon theory. Perhaps the Dyatlov crew saw or heard something they weren’t supposed to and were hit with a tremendous blast that pummeled their bodies and produced orbs in the sky. And that blast drew in a Yeti… who was maybe under some kind of mind control and wore their shoes.

A beastly Yeti who loves cuddles and long walks on the beach and eating people’s faces off.

Then again, that could just be my overactive author imagination. Or, maybe not.😉

Until next time, my friends. Stay warm, wear your shoes, and stay away from Dyatlov Pass.

—Q