71: History's Mysteries pt.2: A Soviet Secret

Maia Warner-Langenbahn
Sep 18, 2024
6 min read

Updated: Jul 21

"What happened at the Dyatlov Pass?" Is one of the 20th centuries greatest historical mysteries. Dive into the chilling 1959 Dyatlov Pass saga. Picture nine seasoned hikers, led by Igor Dyatlov, slashing open their own tent in the dead of night, leaving frozen footprints, a still-glowing flashlight, and bodies ranging from textbook hypothermia to bomb-like rib breaks, singed socks, strangulation markings, missing tongues, and coffin-style snow graves. You’ll get heist-style team intros, spine-tingling diary excerpts, and a whirlwind tour of theories—paradoxical undressing, avalanches, covert Soviet weapons tests, ball lightning, UFOs, even Yeti attacks—plus no-nonsense insights from an ex-FBI agent and a Marin County coroner who flatly refuse “accident” as the answer. With key files buried, cameras torched, and NDAs locked down, every fresh clue only deepens the frostbitten mystery—six decades on, the true story of Dyatlov Pass remains entombed beneath the Ural snow in this Soviet Secret.

Our longest episode yet and we ... won't be doing this again.

Chapters/Key takeaways to listen for

[00:00:00] Catch-Up: Musubi, the puppy, the legal fight for quarantine alternatives, and what it taught about institutional overreach
[00:26:16] A Soviet Secret: Graphic details and promises “an actual history mystery,” not just vague legends
[00:37:04] Meet Your Characters: Leader Igor, “Engine” Zina, the “Brave” Yuri D., and their equally accomplished teammates
[01:01:10] The Journey: First-hand journal entries reveal camaraderie, Soviet hospitality, midnight songs, and mounting tension
[01:47:33] Into the Mountains: The eerie last frame from Krivonischenko's camera
[02:10:10] February 1st: “Evening Otorten” newspaper, complete with Yeti rumors and a tongue-in-cheek “Love & Tourism” seminar ad
[02:15:20] Missing: Worried families and the UPI sports club finally kick off a full-scale search
[02:17:15] The Tent: Search teams find the collapsed tent, flashlight still on, gear neatly stowed, footprints leading away
[02:30:50] The First 5: Five bodies found by March 6: nearly naked, hypothermia diagnoses, bizarre injuries, and a mystery that still haunts Russia
[02:43:35] The Funerals: Soviets begged for hush-hush burials in Ivdel
[02:50:29] First 5 Autopsies: Rustem Slobodin was found in a “coffin grave”
[02:57:00] Investigation: The hikers’ footprints radiate outward in steady single file, with boot prints later found nearby
[03:08:13] The Remaining 4: A Mansi hunter led rescuers to a makeshift snow den 150 ft from the cedar tree; inside lay the final four bodies
[03:21:50] Remaining 4 Autopsies: Rib fractures with hemorrhaging “very similar to the shock wave of a bomb”
[03:43:05] Analysis: Multiple blunt-force injuries and closed-casket burials point toward homicide or high-powered military tests
[03:47:38] Funerals & Case Closed: Thousands packed the graveside as KGB agents hovered, yet within days the Kremlin quietly closed the books
[03:57:20] Modern Investigation: Marin County coroner Ken Holmes calls foul
[04:17:50] Theories: The latest official Russian report claims a rare snow-slab avalanche panicked the hikers
[04:49:20] Final Thoughts: Why let the bodies go public and erect memorials on the pass

Photos Referenced:

*Dyatlov Group heading up Mt Kholat-Syakhl*

Igor Dyatlov	Zinaida ("Zina") Kolmogorova
Yuri Doroshenko	Rustem ("Rustik") Slobodin
Lyudmila ("Lyuda") Dubinina	Nikolay ("Tibo") Thibeaux-Brignolles
Semyon ("Sasha") Zolotaryov	Aleksander ("Sasha") Kolevatov
Georgiy ("Yuri") Krivonischenko	Yuri Yudin
Dyatlov Group Planned Route - explore the map yourself here	Bus to Ivdel
Dyatlov Group with the horse drawn sled on their way to the 2nd Northern from Settlement 41	Yuri Yudin's last day: Lyuda (far right) hugging Yuri Y, Igor Dyatlov back left
Yuri Yudin's last day: Zina (left) saying goodbye to Yuri Y, Semyon back right	Yuri Yudin's last day: Zina falls while hugging Yuri Y who is helping her up
Left to Right: Tibo, Lyuda, Semyon, Zina	Left to Right: Tibo and Semyon
Left to Right: Lyuda, Rustem, Tibo, Zina (kneeling) - taken by Yuri K	Example of Mansi writings on the trail

Fourth to last page written on in Zina's diary - Zina's last entry on Jan 30th	Third to last page written on
Second to last page written on - potentially translates to instructions for operating a film camera	Last page with writing in Zina's diary - translates to "Remple" - the name of the hunter who advised Igor that the route would take longer than anticipated

Igor Dyatlov (far left) giving instructions to the rest of the group as they gear up for their ascent up Kholat-Syakhl	Dyatlov Group route change - Mt Otorten at the top of the route, planned route in purple, actual route taken in blue - explore the map for yourself here
Dyatlov group heading up Mt Kholat Syakhl	Dyatlov group digging out snow to set up their tent for what will be the final time on Mt Kholat Syakhl
Frame 34 (the last frame) of Yuri Krivonischenko's Camera	The footprints found near the Dyatlov Group's tent - analysis shows the footprints are moving away from the tent toward the cedar tree and the strides are walking length
Funeral for Yuri D, Yuri K, and Zina on March 9th at Mikaylovskoe Cemetery	Zina's family surrounding the body of Zina at her funeral - taken by Zina's sister

*Dyatlov Group tent recovered - showing how it was ripped*

Frame 1 of Semyon's "Secret" Camera - the remaining frames can be seen (with discretion - there are post-mortem photos on this page as well) here — *Frame 1 of Semyon's "Secret" Camera - the remaining frames can be seen (with discretion - there are post-mortem photos on this page as well)* *here*

(Both photos above) Bulgarian forensic scientist analysis of the footprints concluding that: the footprints were probably made by shod (feed in shoes) feet, at least 2 people made the prints, the prints are walking, and the prints are moving away from the tent — *(Both photos above) Bulgarian forensic scientist analysis of the footprints concluding that: the footprints were probably made by* ***shod (feed in shoes)*** *feet, at least 2 people made the prints, the prints are walking, and the prints are moving away from the tent*

*The infamous "Russian Yeti" photo - Frame 17 from Nikolay's ("Tibo") Camera*

Frame 13 from Nikolay's ("Tibo") Camera	Frame 14 from Nikolay's ("Tibo") Camera
Frame 15 from Nikolay's ("Tibo") Camera	Frame 16 from Nikolay's ("Tibo") Camera
Photo taken by the group as they set-up the tent (Feb 1) - this ski pole circled in red can also be seen in the photo above taken around the same time	Photo taken by the search part of the Dyatlov tent (Feb 26) - ski pole in the same place as teh Feb 1 photo - the biggest argument against the avalanche theory
Memorial to the Dyatlov Group in Mihaylovskoe Cemetery - erected in 1962	Memorial to the Dyatlov Group in Mihaylovskoe Cemetery - erected in 1962

*Memorial to the Dyatlov Group on Mt. Kholat-Syakhl - erected in 1963 by Yakimenko (man who tried to put up flyers arouncing the funerals of the group and was reprimanded)*

***"In memory of those who left and did not return, we name this pass after the Dyatlov Group."***

Quotes:

"It sounds like they were set up for an evening in the tent, tore their way out of it, and walked away." - Grant Thomas
“Nothing about this is simple or clear or universally agreed upon.” - Grant Thomas
“All the footprints seem to be individual. No person is depending on another person to walk. That’s kind of the big thing.” - Maia Warner
“The family and Yuri Yudin deserved and deserve answers, and the sense of guilt from the government is apparent.” - Maia Warner

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