What Happened At The Russian Dyatlov Pass Incident?

My Paltry Two Cents Regarding the Dyatlov Pass Incident
By Wahabah Hafsa Al Muid

So much work has been done on the Dyatlov Incident that it almost seems redundant or immodest to suggest yet another possible scenario for what occurred.  Not even the recorded “facts” are in agreement since it’s pretty clear that Soviet officialdom took an unusual interest in the case and hurried the investigation along.  At worst, this points to some kind of cover up, and at the very least may have, and probably did, result in sloppy or hasty forensic work both at the sites and with the autopsies.

I’m but a newbie with this case and have only examined the information that is immediately available: the various publications which have recently come out detailing what information is forthcoming, as well as the most recent Russian documentary that was made interviewing many of the principals involved with the investigation and who knew the victims.  Yet, even with my limited exposure, I do have a theory.

It’s a theory that could incorporate some features of other scenarios, certainly not rule them out, and yet is rooted in a more mundane explanation of events.  There are times when a perfect storm of unfortunate events does seem to descend upon a person, or persons and when everything seems to simply “go wrong.”  The Dyatlov Incident may reflect one of those moments.  We only see the results of that cascading disaster and they seem so weird to us that something more prosaic seems impossible.

I like to remember that powerful tornadoes do really, really strange things because, just for a moment, in one place, circumstances and conflicting wind speeds come together just right and bam–a bath towel is driven through a hardwood door with such force it cannot be removed by a strong man, or, a soft brick can remain intact after being punched through the steel door of an old automobile and yet crumble to the touch when examined; or a pile of freshly folded dish towels can be picked up from a kitchen table and deposited, unsullied and still folded, on the remains of a bed in a back room while the rest of the house explodes. All these events, plus many more, occurred during the 1967 Topeka tornado, still in the top five of the most powerful and expensive tornadoes to ever hit a metropolitan area.  Weird crap can happen. The Dyatlov Incident may have been the unfortunate result of a lot of weird crap.

To recap very briefly the incident itself: end of January 1959, nine hikers (they were called ski tourists) commenced a trip into a very remote part of the Ural mountains. They were all experienced, in shape, and the leader, Dyatlov, had actually been in the region before.  At least two other individuals who had also hiked/camped with members of the group previously, could not go due to school/family commitments.  Most of the group members were students at the Ural Polytechnic Institute.  A 10th member of the group Yuri Y, traveled with them for part of the distance, but due to health problems had to turn back.

The original plan of the group was to summit Mt Otorten and telegraph back to Sverdlovsk, the town where they lived and went to school at the UPI, no later than February 12.  After about a week past this date, people began to worry and an investigation began to be organized between Feb 22-26.  Eventually, the tent of the party was found, still some distance from Otorten. Two bodies were found, clad only in undergarments, under a large cedar tree that was about a mile from the campsite.  In between the tree, directly along the line of sight of the tree to the camping site, three more bodies were found.  All five of these individuals were determined to have died of hypothermia.  Many branches were broken on the cedar tree, some quite high up, and it appeared as if the two unfortunates under the tree had attempted to start a fire and may have burned themselves in the attempt.

It wasn’t until May and the beginning of thaw that the remaining four hikers were discovered, in a hollow, dug into a ravine.  There had been an obvious attempt to construct a shelter there.  Three of the four individuals had terrible head and skeletal injuries, which in the case of at least one of them, were sufficient to have killed him pretty much straight away. The fourth person had apparently died of hypothermia in the same manner as the first five.

What was of particular interest to the investigators is that the tent, back at the camping site, had been hastily abandoned.  Something had apparently so startled the group that the bulk of them had run out into the night leaving behind most of their warm clothing, illumination devices and supplies.  In fact, the folks in the tent had been so desperate to escape that they had slashed their way out.  Due to the weather conditions, everyone’s tracks had been fairly well preserved and it appeared that all nine of them had traveled some distance together, some in stocking feet.  There were no other tracks indicating that animals or other humans had attacked them. Their journals, which obviously they’d left behind as well, indicated that the events which led to the party’s demise, had to have occurred somewhere between February 1 & 2.

The various details of clothing, injury and background information connected with each person can be read or accessed through a number of sources.  In some cases, these sources are themselves so contradictory that it will probably never be possible to get all the particulars straight.  In presenting my scenario, I’ll be using aspects of various theories that have already been tendered, since my contribution doesn’t necessarily replace or vitiate many aspects of ideas already out there.  In a sense, I’m just tweaking the possibilities.

Theories about what caused the group to so suddenly quit their campsite range from an attack by animals, escaped prisoners (there were prison camps nearby), Mansi hunters (an indigenous group native to the area) or even KGB agents (the area was also an occasional flyby zone for military testing, although it was not considered unauthorized territory).  Additionally, because of the area’s proximity to military testing facilities, most theories have tended to focus on the possibility of a missile test going awry, or some other kind of aerial phenomenon with accompanying loud explosions that may have convinced them that they were either under attack or that an avalanche was coming their way (there was a slim, but real chance of avalanche given the weather conditions at the time).  Everything from an avalanche, to monsters and aliens has been advanced as a possible reason for their hasty departure and subsequent demise.

My theory is somewhat different in that I don’t believe it’s necessary to worry quite so much about what drove them from the tent as it is to try to understand what happened afterward. They could have been driven from the tent by a mistake.  For example, if there was missile testing going on and they became suddenly concerned about avalanche, that might have been sufficient reason for them to leave the tent suddenly.  It does seem to be the case that something scared the crap out of them.   We don’t know when this happened during the period of their settling down for the night, but it was either right after they pitched camp or after they had completely bedded down, maybe with one or more people keeping watch, because the camp stove was in the stowed position, it was not unpacked for use.

I tend to think that whatever happened may have occurred right at dusk, as they were setting up camp, because of what happened subsequent to their leaving the camp.  Some of them may have gotten into the tent and started undressing and were laying out and organizing the bedding.  This would account for the report that most of the bedding appeared to be in place, very little of it looked like anyone was actually in bed when the startling event occurred.  Some folks may have been outside and still fully dressed.

One theory has it that the disaster occurred because two of the men got into a fight over one of the women in the group.  It is true that one of the women had been involved with another member of the party and having ended that relationship, had taken up with Dyatlov, the leader of the group.  This theory has it that the fight started in the tent and became so intense that the others, in an attempt to get away, actually cut themselves out of the tent and ran off with others in pursuit.   At least two of the men were described as having wounds on their hands which appeared possibly defensive in nature.  

My problem with this scenario is that, once again, it only describes how they got out of the tent.  It doesn’t necessarily tell us anything about what happened after that.  It’s difficult for me to believe that people who were very experienced in this type of camping would damage their main shelter for such a reason, particularly since everybody already knew the score about the relationships prior to embarking.  Once out the tent, the tracks show that everybody ran more or less together for almost a mile to a cedar tree before stopping.  I find it hard to fathom that folks would run together that far if they were simply fighting.  It was between -17 and -27 F with intermittent powerful wind blasts in four feet of snow.  Think about it.  The weather conditions would probably cool any intemperate emotions about sex and propriety pretty quickly.  And there are other things which might have caused those hand injuries.

The key to me is the cedar tree.  I didn’t really realize this until I actually saw an actual diagram of the area in which the bodies were found.  The cedar tree is a prominent fixture of the landscape in line of sight from the campsite, IF you are looking in a particular direction.  It is also situated within line of sight, right at the top of, in fact, the ravine in which the latter four bodies were found.  In a sense, the cedar tree could act as a marker both for the individuals in the ravine and anyone attempting to return to the campsite.

Our problem, looking back on all this now, is that it is really impossible to determine actual sequence of events..i.e. who did what first.  But sequence of events is precisely what caused all these people to die. It is not necessarily what initially scared them out of their tent.  The trick is to try to develop a sequence of events that takes account of all the evidence.   This is part of why I think the startling event may have occurred at twilight, when there was still a little bit of light left in the sky.  They may have already noticed the cedar, and when the startling event occurred, whatever it was, it was toward the cedar they headed because it was a prominent feature in a direction away from whatever had frightened them.

So, this is how I think the general sequence of events might have gone, with a few gives and takes for individual behavior.  They were startled by something which seemed to be coming at them from outside or above.  They may have thought an avalanche was coming, or there may have been the explosions of rockets or other such military activities.  They ran toward the cedar.  Several of them were hardly clothed for the weather, but everyone was on adrenaline.  When they got to the tree, several of them started to climb it, either to look back and try to see what was going on, or because they were still afraid of an avalanche.  They ran almost a mile, which is a very long way without shoes in the snow (unbroken snow at that), so they had to have been completely freaked out by something.

The reports say that many branches were broken, quite high up in the tree.  It’s been assumed that those broken branches were caused by the two guys found dead at the bottom of the tree as they scrounged for wood in order to build a fire, which they partially got going.  What if, several of the party actually climbed up in the tree, for whatever reason, in order to look back to see what was happening, or to escape a possible avalanche, and simply fell out.  They could have slipped, one could have fallen and brought the others down, or if there was a sudden gust of wind, or some kind of percussive blast as a result of an explosion, they could have been blown down or out of the tree.  Such a fall (at 32 feet per second…that’s standard gravity working), could have caused the massive internal injuries reported on three of the victims and if they were actually somewhat clothed, there might not have been obvious external injuries.  

Once these fell, it would have been obvious to everyone else that they couldn’t be moved, but shelter would have to be created somewhere in the open.  The only option would have been the ravine.  Apparently, at least one of the party had thought to bring a Chinese lamp, which acted as a flashlight. Two guys remained at the cedar tree to start a fire, gathering some of the broken branches, and the rest of the party made a shelter for the injured personnel.  When that shelter was made, one uninjured person stayed behind with the injured (one of which was probably near death already or in coma from a head injury, if the forensic pathologist reported that injury correctly), and three went back to the cedar tree.  

At that point one of two things might possibly have happened.  They may have gotten back to the cedar and found the two people there already unconscious and near death due to cold and decided to disrobe them and try to make their way back to the campsite for more supplies or the guys at the campsite convinced them to take their clothes, since they had a fire, so these three could make it back to the campsite.  In either case, the three that were found in a line, heading from the cedar tree to the camp died in route, breaking snow as they went, from hypothermia.  The two guys at the fire died because the fire was not sufficient (and apparently burned themselves pretty good in the process of trying to stay warm).  Eventually, when no one returned for the latter four, the uninjured one died waiting (there was no fire there) and the other three probably of their injuries and the cold.  We tend to think of such things happening all at once, but, in fact, the whole sequence of events could have taken several hours.  By the time the group initially got to the cedar they would already have been breaking snow for at least an hour.  People do remarkable things when adrenaline is pushing them.

This theory accounts for several things, including the nature of the injuries, and the strange foamy discharge found coming out of the mouth of one of the guys who died up top.  He may have fallen out of the tree too, just not as far, or someone might have partially fallen on top of him.  The young woman in the ravine who, according to medical reports, was missing her tongue might have severely bitten her tongue, or a chunk of it, off  in the fall out of the tree, and swallowed large amounts of blood as she died of her other injuries.   At least two of the ravine victims are reported as having terrible facial wounds and missing eyes, and this might be explained by having fallen as well.  If they had facial wounds as a result of falling or being blasted/blown out of the tree, the combination of these wounds plus the effects of freezing/drying over four months may have started a partial mummification process, shriveling the eyes and, in the case of the young woman’s tongue, until they were, in effect, missing.  I saw a photo of one of those victims and they did look just like a partially mummified person.

The hand wounds?  Well, try breaking, bashing tree branches for wood or trying to build a snow shelter in subzero weather without gloves.  Those might be defensive wounds, or they might be the results of trying to use half frozen hands to break things loose or knock things into place. No one looked like they actually got punched in the face by anyone and the facial wounds described on a couple of the victims would require far more force than naked fists in that weather.

Of course, much of this might have been verifiable in one way or another by the forensic authorities, but as all the reports on this incident point out, the Soviet government was very keen to quickly solve and file away the deaths of these young people, so it is quite possible that the forensic examinations, particularly of the second group of victims, was very sparse.  I don’t know what the state of forensic science was in the Soviet Union in 1959.  It is also true from a number of sources, that the KGB showed great interest in the case and forced the various medical examiners to sign non-disclosure papers. At least one report makes clear that the authorities were so “pleased” that the cause of death of the first five was “simply hypothermia” that they had an impromptu party celebrating, in apparent relief, that fact.  But what was that relief about?

Keith McCloskey does provide an interesting tidbit in his recent book Mountain of the Dead, concerning this incident.  Recently declassified government documents seem to indicate that military and intelligence authorities had already launched their own investigation into the deaths of a group of campers in the same area of Dyatlov’s group possibly a full week BEFORE that group was even supposed to be telegraphing their return.  It does seem to be clear that somebody knew something, or at least had some idea what may have frightened these fit young people into a panic that eventually cost them their lives. Perhaps authorities got to the site, figured out that everyone was dead already so there would be no witnesses, and essentially, left it at that.  After that, once the bodies were found, all the KGB had to do was watch everyone and make sure there was nothing too untoward found with regard to the bodies.

And what about the radioactivity found on some of the clothing?  Well, unfortunately, that could have come from many sources, and it’s not clear how much of a rumor the stories about that radioactivity might have been. McCloskey traces it to the lead investigator at the scene who brought along his own geiger counter because he was already convinced that the group had had a fatal UFO encounter.  The Russian documentary pins the rumor to a suspicious medical examiner.  In truth, that material could have come from the UPI.  At least two members of the party were involved in studies that occasionally utilized radioactive materials.  And the radioactive exposure, while certainly definite and higher than background radiation, was not lethal.  If there was a military operation going on and a blast that accompanied it, that could have been a source.  If the KGB were involved, who knows but they may have planted some radioactive material, during any alleged extra investigation, to confuse the issue.  We know now that the CIA and FBI purposely hoaxed some UFO and alien encounters specifically to cause confusion while drawing attention away from possible civilian observation of military testing of new hardware.  Who’s to say the KGB didn’t do some of the same?

In the end, the Dyatlov party probably perished because of a confluence of unfortunate events, even if those events may have precipitated by something that the military began.  It’s not as much magic as we’d like perhaps, but a salutary story nonetheless.  The monsters that can rob us of life don’t have to be any bigger or badder than the elements outside.  Only a few missteps can set them free.   With -27 temperatures, some wind, little shelter, and a few injuries, one really doesn’t need aliens, spies or even wolves.