The Dyatlov Pass Incident

Nine experienced hikers. A tent slashed open from the inside. Bodies scattered across the frozen mountainside, some nearly naked. Internal injuries so severe they resembled victims of a car crash—yet with no external wounds. What happened on Dead Mountain in February 1959 remains one of the most perplexing mysteries of the 20th century.

The Expedition

The Ural Polytechnic Institute Group

In late January 1959, a group of students and graduates from the Ural Polytechnic Institute (now Ural Federal University) in Sverdlovsk embarked on a winter ski trek through the northern Ural Mountains. The expedition was led by Igor Alekseievich Dyatlov, a 23-year-old engineering student and experienced mountaineer.

The goal was to reach Otorten, a mountain whose Mansi name translates to “Don’t Go There.” The route was classified as Category III—the most difficult—and would earn participants valuable hiking certifications.

The Group Members

Igor Dyatlov (23) — Leader. Fifth-year engineering student. Experienced hiker who had led multiple expeditions.

Zinaida Kolmogorova (22) — Fourth-year student. Dyatlov’s close friend, possibly romantic interest.

Lyudmila Dubinina (20) — Third-year economics student. Experienced outdoorswoman with a strong personality.

Alexander Kolevatov (24) — Fourth-year physics student. The most academically advanced member.

Rustem Slobodin (23) — Engineer at a secret facility. Had graduated the previous year.

Yuri Krivonischenko (23) — Engineer. Had worked on nuclear cleanup after the Kyshtym disaster.

Yuri Doroshenko (21) — Fourth-year student. Physically the largest member of the group.

Nikolai Thibeaux-Brignolle (23) — Fourth-year civil engineering student. Of French descent.

Semyon (Alexander) Zolotaryov (38) — The outlier. Significantly older than the others. Former military, later a sports instructor. Some have questioned his background.

A tenth member, Yuri Yudin, turned back on the second day due to illness. He would be the only survivor, haunted for the rest of his life by his decision—and his survival.

The Journey

January 25-31, 1959

The group departed Sverdlovsk by train on January 25, arriving in the town of Ivdel on January 27. From there, they traveled by truck and eventually on skis into the wilderness.

Their diary entries and photographs from these days show a group in high spirits:

• Playing songs on a mandolin
• Joking and laughing despite the cold
• Making steady progress toward their goal

The final photographs show the group pitching camp on the afternoon of February 1 on the eastern slope of Kholat Syakhl—a mountain whose Mansi name translates ominously as “Dead Mountain.”

The Last Camp

The group set up their tent at approximately 5:00 PM on February 1. The location was unusual—they were on an exposed slope rather than in the relative shelter of the forest below. Why they chose this spot remains debated.

Evidence suggests:

• They ate dinner as normal
• They changed into sleeping clothes
• They prepared for a routine night

Their last diary entry mentions nothing unusual. Their last photographs show a normal camp setup.

Then something happened.

The Discovery

The Alarm

The group was scheduled to send a telegram from Vizhai upon completing the trek, expected around February 12. When no message arrived, concern grew.

On February 20, a search party of volunteers from the Polytechnic Institute set out. Six days later, they found the tent.

What They Found

The tent was partially collapsed and covered with snow. But its condition told a disturbing story:

The Tent:

• Had been slashed open from the inside with a knife
• Multiple cuts, suggesting desperate, frantic action
• The entrance was intact—they could have used it
• Equipment, clothing, and shoes remained inside
• Food was undisturbed

The Footprints:

• Nine sets of footprints led away from the tent
• Some prints showed bare feet
• Others showed a single sock, or only felt boots
• The prints headed downhill, toward the forest, in the -30°C cold
• They showed no signs of running—walking, orderly

Whatever drove them out, they left without proper footwear or clothing. In temperatures that would kill an unprotected person in hours.

The Bodies

The First Five (Found February-March 1959)

The bodies were found over three months. The first five were located between the tent and a large cedar tree about 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) downhill.

Yuri Doroshenko and Yuri Krivonischenko: Found at the base of the cedar tree

• Both were nearly naked—wearing only underwear
• The tree’s branches were broken up to 5 meters high, as if they had climbed it
• A small fire had been started nearby, then abandoned
• Their hands showed burn marks, suggesting they had reached into the fire
• Cause of death: hypothermia

Igor Dyatlov: Found between the tent and the cedar

• In a frozen pose suggesting he was trying to return to the tent
• Dressed inadequately for the cold
• Cause of death: hypothermia

Zinaida Kolmogorova: Found further up the slope, also moving toward the tent

• Better dressed than some others
• Face showed blood from the nose
• Cause of death: hypothermia

Rustem Slobodin: Found between Dyatlov and Kolmogorova

• Had a minor skull fracture, though not fatal
• Was wearing one felt boot—the other was found in the tent
• Cause of death: hypothermia

The Last Four (Found May 1959)

The remaining four bodies weren’t found until spring thaw, 75 days after the search began. They lay in a ravine about 75 meters from the cedar, buried under 4 meters of snow.

Lyudmila Dubinina:

• Major chest fractures (multiple ribs broken)
• Missing tongue, eyes, and lips
• The force required to cause her injuries was compared to a car crash
• No external wounds on her body to explain the trauma

Semyon Zolotaryov:

• Massive chest trauma with broken ribs
• Severe soft tissue damage
• No external wounds

Nikolai Thibeaux-Brignolle:

• Severe skull fracture—the most extensive of any victim
• No external wounds to explain how his skull was crushed

Alexander Kolevatov:

• The least injured of the final four
• Cause of death: hypothermia (though found with the severely injured)

A curious detail: the last four were better dressed than the first five. They appeared to be wearing clothes taken from Krivonischenko and Doroshenko—suggesting those two died first and the others scavenged their clothing for warmth.

The Investigation

The Soviet Inquiry

The Soviet authorities conducted an investigation that was plagued by contradictions and eventual suppression.

Findings:

• Death was due to “a compelling natural force which they were unable to overcome”
• No evidence of foul play
• Injuries were “not survivable” but unexplained
• The case was classified and closed in May 1959

Unusual Details the Investigation Noted:

• Some clothing showed traces of radioactivity
• Witnesses 50 kilometers away reported strange orange spheres in the sky that night
• Local Mansi people were questioned but cleared of involvement
• The area was closed to hikers for three years after the incident

What the Files Don’t Explain

The Soviet investigation raised more questions than it answered:

• Why did experienced hikers flee in inadequate clothing?
• How did three people sustain massive internal injuries with no external wounds?
• Why was the tent cut from inside?
• What could panic nine people simultaneously?
• Why were radiation traces found on some clothing?
• What were the lights in the sky?

The Theories

The 2020 Russian Investigation

In 2019-2020, Russian prosecutors reopened the case and ultimately concluded that an avalanche was responsible:

The Theory:

• A delayed slab avalanche struck the tent
• The hikers cut their way out in panic
• Injured members were carried by the others
• All eventually died of hypothermia
• The terrain buried and revealed bodies at different times

Problems with the Theory:

• No avalanche debris was found at the site
• The footprints were intact (an avalanche would have destroyed them)
• The slope angle was considered too gentle for avalanche
• Experienced mountaineers wouldn’t have camped in an avalanche zone
• The internal injuries were inconsistent with typical avalanche trauma

The 2021 Swiss Study

Researchers from EPFL (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) and elsewhere published a study supporting a modified avalanche theory:

• Computer modeling showed a “slab avalanche” was possible
• The unusual delay could be explained by wind-deposited snow building up above the tent
• The tent cut could have undermined the slope
• The injuries were consistent with being crushed by a rigid snow block

This remains the most scientifically supported explanation, though not universally accepted.

Alternative Theories

Infrasound (Kármán Vortex Street): Wind passing over the dome-shaped peak could create infrasound—frequencies below human hearing that can cause:

• Panic and fear
• Disorientation
• Respiratory problems This could explain the sudden flight from the tent.

Military Testing: The Soviet military was known to test weapons in the region. Theories include:

• Parachute mines that exploded in the air
• Rocket fuel testing releasing toxic gases
• Radiation experiments The secrecy surrounding the case feeds these theories.

Ball Lightning or Plasma: Could explain the orange lights reported that night and might cause:

• Panic
• Burns
• Unusual injuries

Katabatic Wind: A sudden wind event of extreme force could have:

• Collapsed the tent
• Made flight seem necessary
• Disoriented the group

Attack by Unknown Creature: Some have suggested:

• Yeti or unknown animal
• Indigenous Mansi people (investigated and ruled out)
• Escaped prisoners

Government Cover-Up: Given Soviet-era secrecy, some believe:

• The group witnessed something they shouldn’t have
• They were killed deliberately
• Evidence was planted or removed

The Enduring Mystery

What We Know

Definite:

• Nine people died
• They left their tent inadequately dressed
• Some sustained massive internal injuries
• The tent was cut from inside
• They were not attacked by other humans

Probable:

• They fled suddenly and in fear
• At least some were alive for hours after leaving the tent
• They attempted to build fire and shelter

Unknown:

• What caused the initial panic
• How three people sustained crushing injuries
• Why the case was classified
• What the lights in the sky were

The Human Element

Beyond the mystery, there’s tragedy. These were young people—students with their whole lives ahead. Their diaries reveal humor, ambition, and friendship.

Yuri Yudin, who turned back sick, lived until 2013. He spent his life trying to understand what happened to his friends. At 21, illness saved his life. He never stopped wondering why.

“If I had a chance to ask God just one question,” Yudin said, “it would be: What really happened to my friends that night?”

The Site Today

Dyatlov Pass (named after the expedition leader) remains accessible to hikers willing to make the difficult trek. A memorial has been erected at the site.

Visitors report:

• An eerie atmosphere
• Feelings of unease
• Occasional strange phenomena

The pass has become a pilgrimage site for those fascinated by the mystery. Every year, adventurers trace the route the nine hikers took—and wonder what they encountered on Dead Mountain.

Legacy

The Dyatlov Pass incident has become a touchstone for:

• Conspiracy theorists
• True crime enthusiasts
• Paranormal researchers
• Scientists studying unusual deaths

Books, documentaries, and films continue to explore the case. Each generation discovers it anew and proposes fresh theories.

Yet for all the attention, the fundamental mystery remains: What could make nine experienced hikers flee into the killing cold without proper clothing? What force could crush ribs and skulls without leaving external marks? What happened on Kholat Syakhl on the night of February 1-2, 1959?

Dead Mountain keeps its secrets.

---

Sixty-five years later, the Dyatlov Pass incident remains unsolved. Nine young people entered the wilderness and never returned. Whatever they encountered on that frozen slope, it was something they could not survive—and something we still cannot explain.