The Dyatlov Pass Incident saw the death of nine Soviet hikers as they ventured through the northern
Ural Mountain range between February 1 and 2, 1959. The hikers, mostly students from the Ural
Polytechnical Institute, collectively had an abundance of experience in hiking and were good
friends. They were led by Igor Dyatlov, for whom the mountain pass would later be named.
Evidence suggests that after establishing a camp on the slopes of Kholat Syakhl (Dead Mountain),
the group experienced something that caused them to cut or tear their way out of their tent and
flee the scene while inadequately dressed for the snowy landscape.
Upon discovery of the bodies, the Soviet authorities determined that most of the hikers had died
from hypothermia, while the others from physical trauma, concluding that the cause was a
"compelling natural force". In 2019, Russia reopened the investigation, stating their findings that
an avalanche forced the group to abandon their tent, with the survivors dying of hypothermia.
Despite the official narrative, inconsistencies between statements and strange details in the
evidence collected further fuel the mystery surrounding the series of events that led to the
hikers' deaths.
The timeline of events leading up to the incident has been able to be pieced together from the
journals of the expedition team and other sources involved.
On January 23, 1959, the group of ten hikers begin their journey, setting out from Sverdlovsk,
Russia.
By January 26, The group arrive at a woodcutting settlement known as "Sector 41".
On January 27, the group hires a sled and is led up the frozen Lovza River to an abandoned
geological site known as "Nord 2".
On January 28, Yudin abandons the expedition due to illness, opting to head back with the sled
while the rest of the team make camp along the Lozva River.
[1]
On January 29, the group continue north, skiing further along the Lozva to Auspiya River.
On January 30, the group continue along the Auspiya to the base of a mountain known only on maps as
"Height 1079", but would later be recognised as Kholat Syakhl.
On January 31, The group make a failed attempt to climb the mountain, they return to their previous
campsite.
[2]
On February 1, The group set out late after making a cache for their supplies. Due to low
visibility, the group stray 500m from their planned route, the hikers decide to make camp on a
northern slope of the mountain.
[1]
Based on photographs that were recovered from
the scene, it is believed that despite their setback, the group were in high spirits.
[2]
Either on the night of February 1 or the morning of February 2, something would cause the
group to cut their way out of the tent and flee into the freezing cold snow where they would all
perish. Their bodies would show they were ill-prepared for what had happened, as some would be
barefoot, and others would be barely dressed at all.
[2]
It wasn't until February 21 that search teams were dispatched to find the missing hikers, with
their tent finally being discovered on February 26 by fellow UPI students Mikhail Sharavin and
Boris Slobtsov.
[1]
The tent was found collapsed and covered by a light snow. It had been damaged,
seeming to have been sliced open.
[2]
On February 27, rescuers discovered footprints leading from the campsite downhill to the woods.
Near the tree line, a pine tree was discovered with its lower branches snapped off,
suggesting that it had been climbed. Beneath the tree were the remains of a small, makeshift fire,
and the lifeless bodies of Doroshenko and Krivonischenko. Dyatlov's body was next to be found,
located further up the slope, with the body of Kolmogorova found slightly closer to the tent,
suggesting both were attempting to make their way back.
[3]
On March 5, the body of Slobodin was discovered, his body laid somewhere between that of
Dyatlov and Kolmogorova's. Of the discovered bodies, all but Dyatlov were found to have been moved
after their death, having been found face down despite dying on their backs.
Due to Doroshenko and
Krivonischenko being found barely clothed, it had been assumed that their clothes had been taken by
the other members once they had died.
[3]
On May 5, the remaining bodies are all found near a hastily constructed snow shelter. Kolevatov,
Zolotaryov, Thibeaux-Brignolles and Dubinina's bodies were all found in or near running water of a
nearby creek.
[3]
By May 27, a full autopsy had been performed on each of the hikers, with the bodies and
clothes of Dubinina and Kolevatov revealing traces of radiation.
[1]
On May 28, the case was closed by lead investigator, Lev Ivanov, who stated that their demise was
caused by an "unknown compelling force". The case is not revisited until 2018.
[4]
By July, 2020, the latest investigation had ended, with the Urals Federal District concluding that
an avalanche caused the deaths of the Dyatlov expedition group.
[1]
Leader of the expedition and accomplished engineer, Dyatlov was a student of the 5th Faculty of
Radio Engineering at the Ural Polytechnical Institute.
His body was found face up in the snow, with light clothing and no shoes. There was blood on his
lips, and his hands showed injuries that are consistent with those that occur in a fist fight.
It is thought, based on the pose of his corpse that he was attempting to return to the
tent, but collapsed from exhaustion and died of hypothermia.
The tallest of the expedition team, Doroshenko was a 4th-year student of radio-engineering at
the Ural Polytechnical Institute.
His body was found beneath a large pine tree, shoeless and dressed only in underwear.
His upper lip was swollen, a grey substance was found on his cheeks, and his temple and foot had
been burned. Due to the broken branches of the tree he was found under, it has been speculated
that he may have attempted to climb it before dying of hypothermia. Evidence suggests that his
body had been moved after his death.
The youngest member of the expedition team, Dubinina was a 4th-year student at the Ural
Polytechnical Institute as an Engineering and Economics Major. She was a confident photographer
and was considered to have good mountaineering experience.
Her body was found in water at the bottom of a creek, adorned in Krivonischenko's
burned, torn trousers, with her left foot and shin wrapped in a torn jacket. Her tongue; eyes;
part of her lips; and facial tissue were missing, while she had also suffered heavy trauma to
the chest, causing her to die from internal bleeding. The coroner found that her injuries were
similar to those seen in car accidents or explosions.
Considered the group's joker and life of the party, Krivonischenko graduated from the Ural
Polytechnical Institute, having studied construction and hydraulics.
His body was found beneath a large pine tree, shoeless and dressed only in underwear.
The tip of his nose was missing, and a chunk of flesh from his knuckle was later found in his
mouth. Due to the broken branches of the tree he was found under, it has been speculated
that he may have attempted to climb it before dying of hypothermia. Evidence suggests that his
body had been moved after his death.
Kolevatov was a 4th year student as a Physics Major at the Ural Polytechnical Institute. He,
along with his fellow expeditioners had celebrated his birthday on January 30th, two days before
the incident.
His body was found in running water near a snow shelter, adorned in damaged, insulated
clothing, and missing shoes. His neck was found to be deformed; the soft tissue around his
eyebrows was missing, exposing his skull; and it is believed he died from hypothermia.
Energetic and liked by everyone, Zinaida was a 5th year student at the Ural Polytechnical
Institute as a Radio Engineering Major. She and Dyatlov were close friends, always being seen
together.
Her body was found face down in the snow, with torn clothing and no shoes. She had minor cuts
and bruises, with a noticeably fresh bruise in her lower back. It is thought, based on
the pose of her corpse that she was attempting to return to the tent, but collapsed from
exhaustion and died of hypothermia. Evidence suggests that her body had been moved after her
death.
A strong and adventurous athlete, Slobodin was a graduate from the Ural Polytechnical Institute
and was an employee of Enterprise PO Box 10. He was said to have taken a mandolin with him on
his hikes.
His body was found face down in the snow, with reasonable clothing but only one shoe. He had a
small crack in his skull. It is thought, based on the pose of his corpse that he was
attempting to return to the tent, but collapsed from exhaustion and died of hypothermia.
Evidence suggests that his body had been moved after his death.
A popular character among his fellow students, Thibeaux-Brignolles was a graduate of the
Department of Construction at the Ural Polytechnical Institute, and worked in a construction
trust in Sverdlovsk.
His body was found in running water near a snow shelter, and was better dressed for the cold
than most of his fellow hikers. His cause of death was found to have been due to major damage
caused to his head. The coroner found that his injuries were similar to those seen in car
accidents or explosions.
The eldest member of the expedition and only non-member of UPI, Zolotaryov was a graduate of the
Minsk Institute of Physical Education and was working as a senior tourism instructor at the
Kourovska tourbase in Sverdlovsk. He was a last-minute addition to the team.
His body was found in running water near a snow shelter, and was better dressed for the cold
than most of his fellow hikers. His eyes were missing, and he had also suffered heavy trauma to
the chest, causing him to die. The coroner found that his injuries were similar to those seen in
car accidents or explosions.
Known for his charisma, Yudin was a student of the engineering and economics department at the
Ural Polytechnic Institute. He had a history of poor health.
Yudin abandoned the expedition due to illness, and is the sole survivor of the expedition group.
Though Russian authorities have released their findings on what they believe happened to the Dyatlov expedition group, it can't be stated with absolute certainty what caused a group of experienced hikers to abandon their tent and walk out into the snow with no supplies and barely any clothing between them. Additional unexplained details to the story have led to a host of theories as to what happened to the group at Dyatlov Pass:
The most widely accepted explanation to the story and the one agreed upon by Russian authorities
and investigators, is that the Dyatlov expedition group fell victim to an avalanche.
It was theorised that the hikers heard the rumbling of what they believed to be an avalanche. This
caused them to immediately cut their way out of the tent to quickly escape, leaving behind their
provisions and clothing.
After the initial confusion had settled, the hikers marched downhill towards the
tree line for cover from the weather. After reaching the woods, Doroshenko and Krivonischenko who
were the least dressed of the group, would have started to suffer from hypothermia. They then
created a small fire, and to get a lay of the land, someone climbed a nearby tree to see what was
around or to find the tent. Three of the hikers decided to head back to their tent for supplies,
but would die en route, and Doroshenko and Krivonischenko would die shortly of hypothermia.
The remaining members are speculated to have received their fatal injuries from the avalanche
itself, falling into the ravine they were found in, or snow and ice collapsing on them from above
while in the ravine.
[3]
This theory has been thrown into question for a number of reasons. The area of Kholat Syakhl that
the group found themselves in has not historically been prone to avalanches, with the 30-degree
angle of the mountain slope the hikers had made camp at being considered too shallow for an
avalanche to pose a threat. It is also believed that an avalanche would have fully covered the tent
and the footprints left by the group leading to the tree line.
[5]
The idea of the hikers outrunning an
avalanche while barefoot in heavy snow isn't very plausible, and the footprints that were
discovered showed that the group had calmly walked in single file along the path of the alleged
avalanche.
[3]
In 2021, Alexander Puzrin and Johan Gaume, scientists from Zurich, Switzerland published a model in
Communications Earth & Environment where they spoke of the likelihood that the Dyatlov
hikers may have experienced a delayed slab avalanche: a smaller avalanche where the upper layer of
snow shifts and rolls after a weaker concentration of snow beneath it gives way.
[6]
The slab could
have hit their tent, injuring several members, and forcing them to cut their way out.
[7]
We believe that the strong winds brought some additional snow on top of the tent, and this led to progressive accumulation and ultimately failure of the weak layer, and the avalanche which impacted the tent and hikers.
- Johan Gaume, Vox, 2021
By the time the tent was discovered by rescuers, the snow slab could have been blown away by strong winds, erasing evidence of the disaster. Using 3D models and drone technology, they captured footage of a slab avalanche taking place on Kholat Syakhl, and went on to detail how even a minor snow slide on could cause injuries consistent with those found on the hikers. [7] Though the scientists were satisfied with their findings, even they admit it is not a certainty that this is what took place: [4]
The truth, of course, is that no one really knows what happened that night, but we do provide strong quantitative evidence that the avalanche theory is plausible.
- Alexander Puzrin, Forbes, 2021
Avalanche experts, Karl Birkeland and Doug Chabot, were skeptical about the findings of the Swiss scientists, casting their doubts on the Swiss conclusion: [8]
We believe that the avalanche hypothesis cannot be completely ruled out, but that it is not the most likely scenario.
While it may be remotely possible, we would suggest that it would be highly improbable.
- Karl Birkeland, New York Times, 2022
Richard Holmgren, a Swedish archaeologist suggests that on the night the Dyatlov expedition group
made their camp on the slopes of Kholat Syakhl, they were bombarded by katabatic winds: a powerful
"falling wind" that picks up speed and force as it travels down a gradient, creating devastating
levels of pressure in a matter of seconds.
[9]
In this scenario, it is believed that the hikers cut
their way out of their tent before it got destroyed by the katabatic winds, partially covered their
tent in snow before it got destroyed by the winds, and made their way to the tree line for cover
against the weather.
From here, Doroshenko and Krivonischenko would have died from hypothermia, having
the least clothing of all the hikers, while three of the hikers would perish on their way back to
the tent.
The remaining members are speculated to have dug a small shelter in the snow, which subsequently
collapsed and crushed them, with the force only increasing the longer their bodies lay there,
accounting for the injuries.
[7]
In my view, the katabatic scenario is the only theory that would explain all the steps.
- Richard Holmgren, Vox, 2021
A theory, posed by author, Donnie Eichar details in his book Dead Mountain: The Untold True
Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident the possibility that the Dyatlov expedition group could
have been affected by infrasound produced by a Kármán vortex street due to the topography of Kholat
Syakhl and the harsh winds buffeting it. Because of its dome-like shape, the mountain could have
caused the strong winds to warp in to a series of vortices, producing ear-splitting sounds, but
also infrasound: a low-pitched sound that cannot be heard by humans, but has been known to induce
loss of sleep, shortness of breath, and irrational fear in those exposed to it.
[10]
After spending three years reverse-engineering the incident by searching for answers in Russia and
recreating the night in question, Eichar concluded that infrasound was the most plausible theory,
one backed up by scholar Dr. Alfred Bedard of NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory:
[10]
They start to hear the winds pick up...
Then to the south they start to feel a vibration in the ground. They hear a roar that seems to pass them from west to east. They start to feel more vibration in the floor, the fabric of the tent vibrates. Another roar of a freight train passes by, this time from the north...
The roaring sounds turn horrifying, their chest cavities begin to vibrate from the infrasound created by the stronger vortex now passing. Effects of infrasound are beginning to be felt by the hikers - panic, fear, trouble breathing - as physiological frequencies are generated.
I can envision in my mind, that this would have been a truly frightening scenario... for anyone.
- Dr. Al Bedard, Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident, 2014
Eichar theorises that the effects of infrasound could have caused the hikers to cut their way out of the tent, and due to confusion, high winds, and lack of any light, they all got separated into groups. This explains some of the hikers dying from exposure, while others were injured from falling into a ravine. [10]
A number of factors contribute to the theory that a lightning strike or ball lightning caused the
deaths of the Dyatlov expedition group. Witnesses during that time period claimed seeing lights in
the sky above Kholat Syakhl the night of the incident, further corroborated by members of the local
Mansi tribe, who claimed these occurences were common in the Ural Mountains.
[11]
Upon investigation, Krivonischenko's camera was found to have taken a snapshot of what looks like
lights in the night sky.
[3]
The lightning scenario suggests that the hikers fled their tent after ball lightning got
dangerously close, causing them to head for the tree line. Burn marks found on the nearby trees, as
well as injuries found on Doroshenko and Krivonischenko are attributed to a lightning strike, while
the pulverised bodies of those found in the ravine are explained by a larger strike or an explosion
caused by a positive polarity strike. Slobodin, who was badly injured, was supposedly helped by
Kolmogorova to get back to their tent, but both died en route, with Dyatlov himself passing from
hypothermia.
[12]
To further back this claim, Lev Ivanov, the lead investigator of the Dyatlov Pass Incident during
1959, later published an article titled Mystery of the Fireballs in 1990, stating his belief
that the balls of light had something to do with the death of the hikers:
[13]
And again about the fireballs. They were and still are. It is only necessary not to hush up their appearance, but to deeply understand their nature. The vast majority of the witnesses that I met talk about the peaceful nature of their behavior, but, as you see, there are also tragic exceptions.
- Lev Ivanov, Mystery of the Fireballs, 1990
The suggestion that the Dyatlov expedition group may have acted irrationally leading up to their
deaths due to methanol poisoning is one of the more vague theories, but one that has its
supporters. The minor symptoms of methanol poisoning include poor coordination, abdominal pain,
vomiting, decreased vision, and a decreased level of consciousness.
It is thought that there are three ways in which the group may have been exposed to methanol: An
aircraft carrying iodine-131 methanol solution may have spilled some of its cargo onto the pass,
someone introduced methanol-based stove fuel to cook food, or the hikers drank their medicinal
alcohol to warm themselves.
There is no data that supports evidence of an aircraft passing the area on the night of the
incident, and the stove used by the group was said to have been only used with wood. Interestingly,
a small flask was identified by investigator Vasiliy Tempalov on discovery of the hikers' tent that
contained medicinal alcohol. Dyatlov himself also made note that Yudin was unable to obtain alcohol
for the journey.
[11]
Physicist and professor, German Erchenko believes that the Dyatlov expedition group were caught in an instance where gravity decreased due to a confluence of circumstances: [14]
A kind of corridor has formed there, in which even the attraction of the Earth has decreased. Nine tourists at that moment were in the — tent sleeping or just getting ready, but already managed to undress. And then "the unknown force" began to lift them up, tear them off the floor, and also drag them towards..
- German Erchenko, Adfave, 2015
This, Erchneko believes, would have caused those inside the tent to have been forced through it, receiving internal injuries from the high pressure within their bodies. The force could have thrown members of the group 1-1.5 kilometers distance, explaining the scattered locations of their bodies and their injuries: [14]
As they got out of the tent one after another or in groups, they were scattered through the forest. In addition, they fell into the snow from a height, being no longer able to protect themselves, they received injuries on the faces that were disfigured.
- German Erchenko, Adfave, 2015
While this is a compelling argument from a credible source, the gravity fluctuation theory doesn't account for the organised footprints in the snow leading to the tree line.
A similar incident to that of the one that happened in Dyatlov Pass, known as the Chivruay Pass Incident, saw the deaths of 10 ski hikers in Lovozero Massif, Soviet Union in January 1973. A theory, speculated by Vice President of the Astronomical and Geodetic Association of Russia, Sergey Smirnov, purports that the Divruay expedition group may have experienced a form of "Meryachenie": an illness that affects people in circumpolar regions in the winter months, often associated with shamans or Eskimos. Also known as "Arctic hysteria" or "Pibloktoq", symptoms of this strange ailment are descibed as such: [15]
Meryachenie feels like mountain sickness, lack of acclimatization that happens when you are away from your permanent place of living. Consciousness is fogging, you start feeling the influence of the place, doing things that are not normal for you. In the nearby mountain Khibinskie Tundry I had lapse of memory, I thought I had a minor heart attack.
- Sergey Smirnov, Vesti.ru, 2020
Due to similarities in both the Chivruay and Dyatlov incidents: The underdressed bodies of the
hikers; divisions of the group members; and descending down a slope in single-file, comparisons
have been drawn to the cause of the hikers' erratic behaviour before their deaths.
Arctic hysteria is a condition mostly observed in people native to arctic regions, such as Eskimos,
rather than hiking visitors. The cause of the condition is uncertain, though Rachel D. Higgs, an
undergraduate student at Macalester College summises a number of reasons in her college article,
Pibloktoq - A study of a culture-bound syndrome in the circumpolar region, such as stress,
malnutrition or outside stressors.
[16]
During the investigation of the Dyatlov incident, it was speculated that the indigenous Mansi
tribe, whose territory includes Kholat Syakhl, may have murdered the hikers. A Mansi chum (a
tipi-like structure) was found a short distance from the location that the Dyatlov expedition group
set up their tent, with a trail leading to the chum just 200m past the hikers' camping ground. The
grievious injuries found on the hikers may have been attributed to local hunters who would
supposedly have known the area and known how to cover their tracks after commiting such a murder.
[11]
To add fuel to this theory, it is believed that sacred Mansi grounds were dotted around the Ural
Mountains, with the Mansi being a particularly mystic group of people. If the group were to stumble
upon such culturally significant territory, it could have led to a conflict, supporting the idea
that the group may have been forced from their tent and marched down the hill in single-file before
being killed.
However, according to the witness testimony of Anyamov Andrey Aleekseevich, a Mansi, there are no
sacred areas near where the hikers were camping, and due to none of the hikers' belongings being
stolen, a motive for Mansi to have committed the crime has never been substantiated.
[17]
In The Pass of Dyatlova, author Aleksey Rakitin suggests that some of the members of the
Dyatlov
expedition group may have been undercover KGB agents seeking to uncover a cell of CIA agents.
Certain details about the group lend credence to this possibility: Zolotaryov, a military trained
adult who fought for the NKVD, was added to the expedition last minute; Krivonischenko worked at
plant Mayak which underwent a nuclear disaster in 1957; and Kolevatov previously worked at a
top-secret atomic facility known only as "PO Box 3394".
Rakitin goes on to point out that the meeting of such a group must have been more than coincidence,
and has the air of the KGB surrounding it. He summarises his theory with the idea that the true
objective at Dyatlov Pass was to hand-deliver radioactive materials to CIA operatives, something
went wrong at the meeting, and the CIA killed the group of hikers.
[18]
In 2018, Vladimir Nagaev, a KGB veteran, head of the faculty of the Military Medical Institute and
candidate of Medical Sciences published The Half-Life of the Khibina Group: a series of
books revealing that the hikers died while participating in an important scientific experiment.
[19]
The Otorten Mountains were known to have been used to launch meteorological rockets, one of which
could have collided with one or more radiosondes: a balloon-like probe filled with a radioactive
isotope, spilling the contents over the pass. These highly toxic chemicals could have been absorbed
into the bodies of the hikers, killing them, but leaving little to no evidence due to oxidation.
Evidence in favour of this theory lie in the bodies of the hikers, with their organs showing some
signs of toxic damage that line up with certain sulphur compounds as well as the discolouration of
their skin resembling those suffering from phosphorous poisoning.
[11]
Finally, Yuri Ivanov's mentioning of the burn damage to the tree line, describing the shape falls
in line with the destruction of a radiosonde:
[20]
It wasn't in the usual sense an explosion of a shell or a bomb. It was different, as if a balloon had burst. The fact, that at the edge of the forest, where the hikers so hastily ran away from the tent, the tree branches were as if singed. Not burnt, not broken, but singed.
- Yuri Ivanov, Myster of the Fireballs, 1999
It's also worth noting that searches for the missing group were delayed, possibly to wait for the radioactive materials to decay and become inert.
A popular theory is that the Dyatlov expedition group fell foul of Soviet soldiers simply for being
in the wrong place at the wrong time.
One version of the theory suggests that the group, who were taking photos, were seen photographing
something they shouldn't have and were killed for the evidence. Another version posits that the
group were mistaken for gulag escapees and hunted down, while another is that the group were
killed in a military "clean-up" operation.
[11]
Kizilov Gennadiy Ivanovich, a journalist from Yekaterinburg, voiced his opinion that the scene at
Dyatlov Pass was staged, explaining how the bodies had been moved from their original point of
death by soldiers to where they were found in order to cover up locations of a secret missile base.
He goes so far as to detail how "staged workers" showed up on the scene before search parties
arrived.
[21]
A few additional details lend themselves to the conclusion of military intervention, with the
footprints in the snow leading from the tent to the tree line seeming as if the hikers were marched
down the slope at gunpoint. The injuries sustained from the hikers may have been from violence
caused by such soldiers.
[3]
Pathologist, Eduard Tumanov believes an altercation of some sort took place, either between members
of the Dyatlov expedition group themselves, or with outsiders. He based his belief on findings, or
lackthereof, from the autopsy reports.
[11]
Certain details were missing from the autopsy reports, such as details of the spine being
completely omitted, and burn marks being nondescript. Tumanov believed that fire was used to
torture at least one of the hikers.
[22]
Tumanov's opinion was that the bodies needed to be exhumed and subjected to a new autopsy analysis
in order to get a full indication of cause of death:
[23]
Since the autopsy was not complete enough, in violation of the order of forensic examinations, then, accordingly, there is a high chance that we will see the injuries that were originally missed. And this can radically change the situation.
- Eduard Tumanov, YouTube, 2022
There have been differing reports as to whether or not alcohol was found upon discovery of the
Dyatlov hikers' tent. Yuri Yudin later claimed that the group did not bring alcohol on the
expedition, despite a small flask being found by investigator Vasiliy Tempalov that contained
alcohol, and despite Dyatlov himself listing vodka in the provisions list.
[24]
[25]
Injuries sustained on the Dyatlov expedition team before death indicate bruising and minor
abrasions in-line with blunt force, such as a fist, tree branch or weapon of some sort. Dyatlov
himself featured bruising on his knuckles from what seemed like a fist fight.
[11]
The inter-personal relationships of the hikers have been explored in-depth, with their journals
being scoured for additional details, and some speculating that there were love interests
among the group, or that Zolotaryov may have become enraged with his fellow hikers.
[26]
[27]
There are a number of indicators that could suggest animals were the cause of the Dyatlov
expedition group's demise. Tracks identified as those belonging to wolves and wolverines were found
in the Auspiya area, according to the witness testimony of Anyamov Andrey Aleekseevich, a Mansi
native.
[17]
It's believed that the Dyatlov expedition group were cutting loin and eating when something made
them abandon the tent, suggesting a possible animal attack. Damage to the tent could have been
caused by a wolf or wolverine, and the discarding of clothing could have been due to a foul odour
secreted by wolverines when threatened.
[11]
A theory, posed by researcher, Aleksander Konstantinov suggests that a deer, which may have been
following a trail, accidentally stumbled upon the group as they camped, essentially crushing some
of the hikers and destroying a large portion of the tent:
[28]
All the most severe injuries on the hikers could have been caused by one deer.
- Aleksander Konstantinov, Ural Stalker, 2015
Damage to the bodies of the hikers, such as the missing eyes of Dubinina and Zolotaryov, can be explained by animals tracking down the corpses in the snow and devouring some of them. This would also account for the moving of the bodies post-mortem, though this has no bearing on cause of death.
In 2014, the Discovery Channel aired a documentary entitled Russian Yeti: The Killer Lives
that explored the possibility that the cryptid known as a "Yeti" was responsible for the deaths of
the Dyatlov expedition group.
[29]
A yeti is a bipedal mammalian creature resembling an ape. It is often
depicted covered in thick, white hair; and may or may not have claws, sharp teeth and ridged horns.
Its imposing size dwarfs that of a humans, and is believed to be incredibly strong.
Similar to "Bigfoot", the Yeti is an elusive cryptid, but is said to be found in mountainous, snowy
regions. The idea that the hikers encountered something threatening, causing them
to flee their tent and ultimately killed has been considered, with some of the scene explainable by
a such a creature.
Injuries sustained by the hikers, such as bruising, internal bleeding and crush damage could be
attributed to blunt-force trauma, potentially from something large attacking them. This could also
explain the bruising found on Dyatlov's hands, as if defending himself from something.
[29]
The scattering of the bodies across the mountain pass may have been from something large
man-handling the group, or simply the hikers running away from their pursuer.
The biggest piece of evidence that has fuelled the yeti theory stems from photos recovered from
Thibeaux-Brignolle's camera, which reveal a dark figure lurking in the distance, seeming to be
watching or stalking the group. Additionally, it was found that the hikers were writing a
faux-newspaper while they travelled, which included details on what the hikers had done, but also
contained the line "the Yeti lives in the Northern Urals, near Mount Otorten".
[30]
Who or what the
figure that was photographed is has been contested in many discussions due to the lack of context,
and it's thought the newspaper line was likely mere parody.
The theory that the Dyatlov expedition group encountered something extraterrestrial all hinges on
the mysterious lights seen in the sky around the same time the incident took place.
Lead investigator, Lev Ivanov made a statement during an interview in the 1990s that he noticed
that the pine trees in the forest that the hikers took refuge amongst were burnt:
[13]
When already in May we examined the scene of the incident with E. Maslennikov, we found that some young trees on the forest tree line have traces of burning, but they are not in concentric shape or any other system. There was no epicenter. This once again confirmed a source of heat ray or completely unknown to us energy acting selectively - the snow was not melted, the trees were not damaged. It seemed like when the hikers walked on their feet more than five hundred meters down from the mountain, someone dealt with some of them as direct targets.
- Lev Ivanov, Mystery of the Fireballs, 1990
The heated beams that Ivanov describes are sometimes cited for causing the burn marks found on some
of the bodies, and possibly even the hikers' irradiated clothing.
In Keith McCloskey's book Mountain of the Dead: The Dyatlov Pass Incident, a shift foreman
named Yuri Yakimov describes his experience that took place in 2002 at an open-pit mine in the
north Urals. His story details his encounter with strange lights, pointing out the similarities to
those said to be floating around Dyatlov Pass:
[31]
It was as if someone was sitting in a car with halogen headlights and was moving it around wildly. The light bounced up and down the side of the dump. The distance from the source of the light to the side of the dump that it was illuminating was about 100m...
Suddenly a beam of light from the unknown source started turning in my direction and shone on me across the forest...
The light itself was as bright as day and it seemed as if the trees had no shadows.
- Yuri Yakimov, Mountain of the Dead: The Dyatlov Pass Incident, 2013
Yakimov goes on to detail how the lights seemed to pursue him: [31]
I looked again in the direction of the source of the strange light and saw how the beam of light from the source again started moving towards me. I noticed a couple of flashlights had separated from the source and were moving in my direction. At first there were two of them and they seemed to be swinging. They moved fairly quickly across the forest towards me. I turned away then looked up again. Now there were four or five of them, maybe more. They struggled through the forest as if enveloping tree trunks. It was as if several people with strong torches were moving through the thick forest trying to spot me.
- Yuri Yakimov, Mountain of the Dead: The Dyatlov Pass Incident, 2013
The injuries to the bodies of the hikers have been compared to those found on dead cattle that are
sometimes found with surgical-like wounds or pieces of their anatomy missing, often attributed to
extraterrestrial activity.
[3]
The hardest piece of evidence comes from a photograph taken on Krivonischenko's camera, which
shows what looks like lights in the night sky.
[11]
