July 20, 2020

Case Closed on Dyatlov Pass?


Case Closed on Dyatlov Pass?
Mysterious deaths? A grainy black-and-white photo? Russia? Sign us up for the documentary! Public domain.

Russian officials formally closed their investigation into the Dyatlov Pass incident, claiming that the cause of the mysterious deaths of nine hikers was an avalanche, after reopening the case last year.

The report, delivered on July 11, seeks to conclude the case once and for all, attributing the strange circumstances of the hikers' demise to natural forces.

In February of 1959, nine students of the Ural State Technical University set out on a hiking expedition in the Ural Mountains, near Yekaterinburg. Their torn tent and frozen bodies were found a few weeks later, half-clothed and some with traumatic injuries. A Soviet inquest at the time found that an "unknown, compelling force" caused the group to leave their tents in the middle of a -40-degree-Celsius night, wearing only their underwear and socks, after which they died of hypothermia.

The avalanche theory explains away some of the mystery, but it's way less fun than some of the crazier ones out there.

We aren't saying it was aliens, but it was probably aliens.

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

White Magic
June 01, 2021

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

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.

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

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