Dyatlov Pass

In 1959 on the 28th January, nine cross country skiers went out on an expedition. They were headed for the Otorten mountain range, which is in the Northern Urals in Russia. They were led by an Igor Dyatlov 23, whose name was later given to the area after the incident that took place some 50 years ago.
On February 2nd 1959 the team were crossing an area known to the local Mansi tribe as Kholat Syakhl, translated to mean the Mountain of Death. The group set up camp on that night and were never seen alive again.

The skiers were expected to complete their expedition by February 12th and it was prearranged that Igor Dyatlov would contact the sports club they belonged to on doing so. On receiving no word from Igor the club sent word to the authorities and a search party was organised.

On February 26th the search team found the groups tent partly covered by snow, the tents had been ripped open from the inside and most of the groups belongings were said to be still inside, footprints found around the camp showed that some of the skiers had left wearing only socks or barefoot, this combined with the amount of equipment left behind suggested they had left in a real hurry.

The search continued, some two km away the first two bodies were found, barefoot and only in their underwear, evidence of a fire was found, branches had been pulled from a nearby tree although firewood seemed readily available at ground level . Three more bodies were found back towards the tents location as though they had been heading back, it was reported the first five people found had all died of hypothermia although one did have a fractured skull it was not considered the cause of death.

After another two months searching the final four bodies were found near a ravine, they were well clothed but were said to have suffered traumatic deaths. one suffered a crushed skull, one was missing a tongue and the other two had multiple broken ribs, but strangely no external wounds were found on the bodies, there clothes however were said to have contained high levels of radiation. It was also later reported that the skin of the bodies was orange in colour and looked burnt and the hair on some had turned grey, but this was not in the original report.

In May 1959 the inquest into the death of the skiers concluded that due to the absence of a guilty party the groups death was the cause of a compelling unknown force. It was also reported that local Mansi tribes had seen strange glowing orbs in the sky over the mountain range on the night that the group died.

So why did the group leave the tent in such a hurry ? Were they scared by strange lights in the sky.  What caused the condition of the bodies, how accurate was the investigation were certain facts omitted ? Could there be a logical explanation for these events or was there a more sinister force at play. This was not the first incident in the so called Mountains of Death, according to folklore nine Mansi tribesmen died there in mysterious circumstances which is how the mountain got its name, nine skiers died in 1959 and in 1991 nine died in a plane crash. So my advice if you are going to visit the area only take seven or less friends.....