In January 1959, ten experienced young skiers set out to travel to a mountain named Mount Otorten in the far north of Russia. The name Otorten translates as 'Don't go there' in the local Mansi language. One of the skiers fell ill and returned. The remaining nine lost their way and ended up on another mountain slope known as Kholat Syakhl (translated as 'Mountain of the Dead' due to the previous deaths that occurred there).
On the night of 1 February 1959 something or someone caused the skiers to flee their tent in terror by using knives to slash their way out rather than leaving by the entrance. When they failed to return, search parties were sent out and their bodies were found, some with massive internal injuries but with no external marks on them.
The autopsy stated the violent injuries were caused by 'an unknown compelling force'. The area was sealed off for years by the authorities and the deaths and events of that night remain unexplained. Benefitting from original research carried out in Russia, this book attempts to explain what happened to the nine skiers who lost their lives on the 'Mountain of the Dead', in what has come to be known as the 'Dyatlov Pass Incident'.
