The Pass (Wattys 2019)

Author's Note: The Dyatlov Hikers

The story you are about to read is based off of the real story of one of Russia's most famous cold cases: the Dyatlov Pass Incident.

In January of 1959, ten hikers, lead by Igor Dyatlov, went out into the wilderness of the Ural Mountains to summit Otarten Mountain. The route was considered grade 3, the hardest level. If they were successful, they would all be considered master mountaineers. However, before they could set out on the hike, one would have to turn back due to a flair-up of his rheumatism at the last outpost before the summiting.

This would be the last time they were seen alive.

In the middle of February, about a week after they were due back, search parties went out to look for the hikers. Most were confident that they were still alive: after all, they were all very experienced hikers.

In the end, all nine hikers were found dead, barely clothed, with their tent ripped open from the inside on a mountain called Kholat Syakhl, a name that roughly translates to Dead Mountain. One was missing her tongue, and a few exhibited injuries akin to being hit by a car on the freeway, but without external signs. Some also had higher than normal radiation levels on their clothes, and some close to the site reported seeing odd orange lights in the sky. The investigation would eventually conclude with the following finding: "a compelling, natural force forced the hikers to abandon their tent." At the open-casket funerals, family members would recall the bodies looking unnaturally aged, and many reported that they also had an unnatural tan to their skin.

To this day, the case has never been solved, and many of the documents related to the case are still classified.

The following story is one person's interpretation of what might have happened. As an alternate history, certain details have been changed for storytelling purposes. The reader may wonder what is true and what isn't at their leisure.