The skiers tent. Cut open from the inside.
On February 2, 1959, one of the strangest mysteries of the Ural Mountains occurred. On that night, something caused nine experienced cross country skiers to die. The evidence surrounding their deaths was baffling, and some would say bordering on the paranormal. Investigators determined that the group died of hypothermia and an “unknown compelling force”. The case file was classified Top Secret and visitors were barred from the area for the next 3 years.
The skiers were students from the Ural Polytechnic Institute and were intending to engage in a skiing expedition on Otorten Mountain in the northern Urals. The nine skiers were led by Igor Dyatlov and comprised of:
• Igor Dyatlov
• Zinaida Kolmogorova
• Lyudmila Dubinina
• Alexander Kolevatov
• Rustem Slobodin
• Yuri Krivonischenko
• Yuri Doroshenko
• Nicolai Thibeaux-Brignolle
• Alexander Zolotarev
After failing to return from the expedition on their scheduled date of February 12, 1959, the families of the missing skiers contacted the local authorities for assistance. The police and army canvassed the area with aircraft and students and teachers joined search and rescue teams.
The groups abandoned campsite was discovered on February 26th and investigators immediately knew something awful had happened.
The tent appeared to be ripped open from the inside and in the tent were the shoes and most belongings of the skiers. Rolls of film and diaries were also found that helped investigators recreate the group’s actions up until the last day the skiers were known to be alive.
On the snow covered campsite were visible footprints of the skiers, some appearing only to wear socks, while others completely barefoot, leading 500 meters away from the tent and then disappearing. The weather was cold, and walking barefoot in temperatures hovering around -30 degrees Celsius would certainly have been their death sentence.
The first two bodies to be discovered were Yuri Krivonischenko and Yuri Doroshenko. They were both found dead, barefoot and in their underwear. They were found next to a pine tree at the edge of the forest. There were indications that they made a campfire and a pile of tree branches towering 15 ft high was also found. Investigators believed the pile of timber was used to gain better visbility in an unsuccessful attempt to locate the camp site.
Igor Dyatlov, Zinaida Kolmogorova and Rustem Slobodin were the next bodies to be found. They were found between the edge of the forest and the campsite and appeared to be heading towards the camp. Slobodin’s skull was fractured, but hypothermia was ruled as the cause of death.
Another two months would go by before the final four bodies were found in a forest ravine. Nicolai Thibeaux-Brignolle was found with his skull crushed. Both Lyudmila Dubinina and Alexander Zolotarev had multiple broken ribs. It also became apparent that Dubinina was missing her tongue.
Investigators initially believed the indigenous Mansi people were responsible for these deaths, but it was eventually ruled out as a possibility. Doctors were amazed that there were no external wounds, yet the force used to traumatize their bodies was equal to that of a car crash. It was also noted that those who died first had their clothing relinquished to the survivors. Zolotaryov wore Dubinina’s fur coat and Dubinina’s foot was wrapped in a ripped portion of Krivonishenko’s pants.
To add more to this mystery, high radiation levels were found on the victim’s clothing and the first five bodies discovered had a deep orange or tan color to their flesh.
Through the course of the investigation the family and friends of the skiers never found any closure. No explanation was given to what occurred and the Soviet government closed the file and classified the investigation. It wasn’t until many decades later that the investigative files became open for review.
Once the files were declassified, another strange detail emerged. Testimony was noted from an individual camping 50 kilometers away who witnessed strange orange spheres floating in the vicinity of the victim’s campsite the night the campers died.
Multiple theories have been presented on what happened to these individuals. An avalanche was ruled out because the tent was above the snow and footprints were still visible on the ground. The perplexing question as to why the tent was cut open from the inside remains, as well as why they traveled barely dressed and without shoes.
Other theories include that the site was a military testing ground and the individuals were killed accidentally during a weapons test. Military scrap metal was located in the vicinity to enforce this theory, but the government denies any military testing occurred in that area.
Others believe this is one of the strongest examples that we are being visited by UFOs. Dubinina’s missing tongue, the strange orange color of the first five dead and the reports of the orange spheres floating over their camp site leads UFO believers to conclude this was a close encounter.
The truth may never be known as to what happened to these nine individuals, but one thing is certain, they will never be forgotten. The area where the campers spent their last  night is now officially named Dyatlov’s Pass.
References
Dyatlov Pass Incident (Wiki)
Mysterious Deaths of 9 Skiers Still Unresolved/St. Petersburg Times
Mystery at Dyatlov Pass
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claireshana on 
fallenone on 
had to be the russian military if radiation was involved.they may have also been drugged with lsd or another mind altering drug and watched to see its effects on them!