February 17, 2021

Dyatlov Pass Conspiracy Theories Laid to Rest... Or Not?


Dyatlov Pass Conspiracy Theories Laid to Rest... Or Not?
This statue in Yekaterinburg honors the nine victims of the mysterious Dyatlov Pass incident. Wikimedia Commons user Dmitry Nikishin.

The mystery of what happened to the nine Dyatlov Pass hikers remains popular despite happening over 60 years ago – in 1959. Russians love a good conspiracy theory and have proposed that the group was killed by yetis, UFOs, or Soviet nuclear experiments. But a paper released in the journal Communications Earth & Environment supports authorities' 2020 conclusion that it was probably just an avalanche.

First, why do Russians doubt it was an avalanche? When authorities first arrived on the scene, there was no evidence of one. The mountainside the group camped on had a slope of less than 30°; most experts agree that bunny hills do not have avalanches. Injuries were inconsistent with avalanche: missing eyeballs, eyebrows, and tongues, and radiation on clothing. Locals reported seeing "glowing orange spheres" over the site.

Scientists Johan Gaume and Alexander M. Puzrin concluded that a slab avalanche likely led to the hikers' demise. The group carved out a place for their campsite in the snow, and higher snow could have weakened enough to slide over snow below it, especially in high winds. The researchers modeled 400 kilos (880 pounds) dropping on the sleeping campers.

Lucy Ash of the BBC contacted hikers' family members to discuss these findings – none of whom accepted them. They are convinced that the hikers were so skilled that they would not have set up camp so irresponsibly.

Something tells us that we have not heard the end of the Dyatlov Pass mystery.

Just in case the researchers are correct, if you are ever stuck on a snowy mountain and need to make camp, make yourself a "snow cave" rather than cutting into the slope.

You Might Also Like

Cold Case
  • March 01, 2019

Cold Case

A mysterious tragedy that killed nine students in the Urals in 1959 is suddenly making headlines in Russia.
Case Closed on Dyatlov Pass?
  • July 20, 2020

Case Closed on Dyatlov Pass?

Was it aliens? Secret nuclear testing? Bigfoot? The Russian Prosecutor-General's office claims to have solved one of Soviet Russia's most perplexing mysteries.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

At the Circus

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
Survival Russian

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.
The Little Humpbacked Horse

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.
Murder and the Muse

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.
A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.
Moscow and Muscovites

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.
The Samovar Murders

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955