Return to Dyatlov Pass

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In February 1959, nine experienced Russian skiers set off on an expedition in the Ural Mountains. When an expected telegram didn’t arrive from group leader Igor Dyatlov on February 12, and there was still no word from the skiers by the twentieth, searchers left on a rescue mission.

Once they reached the campsite on Dead Mountain, they witnessed a scene horrific enough to give them nightmares for the rest of their lives.

Something had panicked Dyatlov and his friends, who fled their tent by slashing it open with knives. Some of the group was in their underwear and socks, while others had bare feet. The temperature was estimated to have been -13°F when they ran into the snow.

A few of the bodies were recovered right away, while others took months to find. All of the Dyatlov group had suffered extreme trauma, and four of the bodies were crushed so badly that doctors compared the extent of their injuries to those sustained from being hit by a car.

Russian authorities eventually ruled that a “compelling natural force” had caused the deaths. To this day, the tragedy remains a mystery. It is known as the Dyatlov Pass Incident.