Dyatlov Pass incident

[c.d.]

Just watched the second part of the Discovery Channel's show ("Expedition Unknown"). They actually traveled to the site. Good Lord, was it desolate. I think they said 35 degrees below zero with really high winds. Part of the team consisted of a woman who is supposed to be the leading expert on the case and a very prominent hardcore outdoor expert. Various theories were discussed and discarded. At the end of the show came the kicker. Several documents were discovered in the archives which indicated that the lead investigator of the rescue team had already headed to the site days before the announcement of the official departure of the rescue team indicating some sort of cover up. I think the Russian military was doing some sort of rocket or chemical weapons testing and the hikers were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The show's host seemed to think that it might have been some sort of freakish weather event perhaps a small avalanche or a series of events that we will never know perhaps a collection of mistakes made by the hikers who although experienced were still very young.

The show also announced that as a result of the new found documents the Russian government is reopening the case.

c.d.

[Abby Normal]

The tent didn't collapse. It was still standing when rescuers reached the scene.

c.d.

A view of the tent as the rescuers found it on 26 February 1959

[Abby Normal]

Just watched the second part of the Discovery Channel's show ("Expedition Unknown"). They actually traveled to the site. Good Lord, was it desolate. I think they said 35 degrees below zero with really high winds. Part of the team consisted of a woman who is supposed to be the leading expert on the case and a very prominent hardcore outdoor expert. Various theories were discussed and discarded. At the end of the show came the kicker. Several documents were discovered in the archives which indicated that the lead investigator of the rescue team had already headed to the site days before the announcement of the official departure of the rescue team indicating some sort of cover up. I think the Russian military was doing some sort of rocket or chemical weapons testing and the hikers were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The show's host seemed to think that it might have been some sort of freakish weather event perhaps a small avalanche or a series of events that we will never know perhaps a collection of mistakes made by the hikers who although experienced were still very young.

The show also announced that as a result of the new found documents the Russian government is reopening the case.

c.d.

hi CD
Unfortunately the History channel has fallen prey to the whole "reality" TV/sensationalism/fake news phenomena and a lot of there programming these days reflects that. as does a lot of my previously beloved documentary channels. kind of sucks : (

Russian conspiracies/cover ups? Secret military weapons testing? freak weather event? cmon CD

[Pcdunn]

I do cover this incident briefly in my book Myths and Mysteries-The real truth in which the killings were suggested by some researchers attributed to "The Russian Yeti"

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Myths-Mysteries-Truth-Trevor-Marriott/dp/B00S6BZ1XG/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=Trevor+Marriott&qid=1567439982&s=gateway&sr=8-6

www.trevormarriott.co.uk

I saw part two of the Expedition Unknown special (must remember to watch part one via On Demand this weekend), and Josh Gates said the Yeti theory seemed to be based a blurry photo found on one of the cameras, which apparently turned out to just be one of the hikers.

It was very interesting how the other two people with Josh all had different ideas. But, surely the most interesting thing discussed was newly found evidence that local authorities knew of the incident weeks earlier than the publicly known timeline. Cover-up for a scientific accident? Well, maybe the new investigation will solve this case!

[Pcdunn]

this is what probably happened:

they had deviated from there intended path and ended up higher on the mountain slope than they wanted. it was more exposed then a big snowstorm. in the middle of the night the snow/wind/frost/ice had built up so much that the tent collapsed (no avalanche-but they might have feared one). they couldn't get out the opening (maybe it was covered with snow and or frozen shut), panic sets in-so they cut there way out and made it down to the tree line. tried to make a fire. by this time it was so cold some were probably already dying. some tried to make it back to the collapsed tent but died of hypothermia. the ones at the fire died of cold too. the remaining tried to make it further down into the forest to find better shelter/ campsite and fell into the ravine-hitting rocks and died-hence the injuries. the ones that had injuries/missing eyes/tongue etc were probably predated on and or the soft tissues rotted away. not that big of a mystery really. to me anyway.

That covers most things besides the hiker with burned feet, as if he put them into the fire.
The obvious answer to eyes and tongue missing is insect activity after death -- particularly if the bodies remained out there longer than previously believed.
I need to revisit the TV show, as I don't remember the ravine part so well. Think they did discuss if the broken bones were from a fall. One expert suggested the crushed skull and ribs could have been from the weight of the snow and ice.

[c.d.]

A view of the tent as the rescuers found it on 26 February 1959

Yes, meaning the tent did not collapse under the weight of snow as you would expect from an avalanche. Heavy winds and the tent being cut could make it look like that. The area where the tent was set up was an area that did not have a history of avalanches and the hikers were experienced and would not have set their tent up in an area prone to avalanches. The expert in last night's show measured the slope and said that the incline shown was minimal and not one that would produce an avalanche. Further, the search party saw no signs of an avalanche. Everything in the tent (food and clothes) were what you would expect to see with nothing to indicate the chaos of an avalanche.

c.d.

[Pcdunn]

hi CD
Unfortunately the History channel has fallen prey to the whole "reality" TV/sensationalism/fake news phenomena and a lot of there programming these days reflects that. as does a lot of my previously beloved documentary channels. kind of sucks : (

Russian conspiracies/cover ups? Secret military weapons testing? freak weather event? cmon CD

Hey! They were covering the various theories that have been put out there, including the far-fetched ones. This show is one of my favorites, and it is very informative. Plus, I think it is now on Discovery, not History, anyway.

[c.d.]

hi CD
Unfortunately the History channel has fallen prey to the whole "reality" TV/sensationalism/fake news phenomena and a lot of there programming these days reflects that. as does a lot of my previously beloved documentary channels. kind of sucks : (

Russian conspiracies/cover ups? Secret military weapons testing? freak weather event? cmon CD

Hello Abby,

Yes, the History channel is getting up there with professional wrestling. However, there were documents shown that indicated that the lead investigator did leave for the site days before the announcement of an official search party. So, something ain't right about the official story. Now, if the Russian government does actually reopen the case that would tend to lend credence to the conspiracy theory.

So far, no apparent and obvious explanation has panned out. I am only relaying theories that have been put forth.

c.d.

[c.d.]

That covers most things besides the hiker with burned feet, as if he put them into the fire.
The obvious answer to eyes and tongue missing is insect activity after death -- particularly if the bodies remained out there longer than previously believed.
I need to revisit the TV show, as I don't remember the ravine part so well. Think they did discuss if the broken bones were from a fall. One expert suggested the crushed skull and ribs could have been from the weight of the snow and ice.

The expert also suggested that the injuries could have been the result of a blow from a rifle butt (read Russian military).

c.d.

[c.d.]

Watched a show on the History Channel. It appears they now have evidence that one of the members of the skiing party was a KGB agent. About ten years older than the others (who were all students) and had no affiliation with their university. I don't find it surprising that the KGB would have agents in universities and it is reasonable to assume that he could have overheard their plans. One of the prevalent theories is that they camped near where the Soviet Army was testing rockets or some type of weapons. Could he have gone along (with no one knowing his true identity) just to make sure that they were really just on a ski trip and not doing any type of spying?

c.d.

[Ms Diddles]

Watched a show on the History Channel. It appears they now have evidence that one of the members of the skiing party was a KGB agent. About ten years older than the others (who were all students) and had no affiliation with their university. I don't find it surprising that the KGB would have agents in universities and it is reasonable to assume that he could have overheard their plans. One of the prevalent theories is that they camped near where the Soviet Army was testing rockets or some type of weapons. Could he have gone along (with no one knowing his true identity) just to make sure that they were really just on a ski trip and not doing any type of spying?

c.d.

Interesting, c.d.!

This latest development had passed me by, so thanks for posting.

IIRC there was always some suspicion attached to Semyon's last minute inclusion in the group.

Is this evidence that he was KGB pretty conclusive or merely speculative?

I'll have a poke about and see what I can find......

[c.d.]

Hello Ms. Diddles,

My impression from what I watched was that it was pretty conclusive that he was KGB.

c.d.

[Ms Diddles]

Hello Ms. Diddles,

My impression from what I watched was that it was pretty conclusive that he was KGB.

c.d.

Hi c.d.!

I've been poking about online, but can't seem to find this doc or anything pertaining to this new evidence that Semyon was KGB.

Can you remember the name of the documentary?

[c.d.]

Hi c.d.!

I've been poking about online, but can't seem to find this doc or anything pertaining to this new evidence that Semyon was KGB.

Can you remember the name of the documentary?

Hello Ms. Diddles,

It was from The History Channel.

c.d.

[Abby Normal]

Hi c.d.!

I've been poking about online, but can't seem to find this doc or anything pertaining to this new evidence that Semyon was KGB.

Can you remember the name of the documentary?

hey diddles
i think it was histories greatest mysteries from the history channel. i think its a pretty good series, the somerton man one is good too.
imho i think they got trapped in their tent from avalanch and or snow build up which was collapsing their tent and made them panic to get out which is why they cut there way out. once that tent was destroyed they were finished. only a matter of time until they froze to death. the ones that had blunt force trauma fell into a rocky ravine and the other gruesome injuries was from animal predation. not much of a mystery to me. i dont buy the kgb dude killed them angle. at all.