The dark legend of Dyatlov Pass: Russia's biggest unsolved mystery
Pereval Dyatlova is a mountain pass at an elevation of 831m (2,726ft) above the sea level, located in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia. The pass got its popularity after the dead in strange circumstances of 9 hikers. It’s a place shrouded in unsolved mystery since 1959.
Nestled in the northern Ural Mountains, the road to the summit is totally unpaved. It is usually impassable in winters. 4x4 vehicle with high clearance required and snowmobile recommended. The route to reach the pass is difficult to find. From Ivdel, a town in Sverdlovsk Oblast on the Ivdel River, near its confluence with the Lozva River, a minor road runs towards Ushma, a nomadic village of Sverdlovsk Oblast. It’s 125 km long via Severnyy, Burmantovo and Vizhay. From Ushma, the last 35.59 km (22.12 mi) are too steep, so it’s necessary to walk. The weather is extreme with heavy snowfalls and subzero temperatures.
It's a must-see place for every extreme traveler. Along the way you’ll find the remnants of some Gulag camps. Ideal time to travel is daylight. Not advised night drive. The road is totally impassable after rains. Wet conditions may make for tough driving along the muddy road. The pass got famous after the unsolved deaths of nine ski hikers in 1st of February, 1959. They all appeared dead in strange circumstances and it was impossible to determine the causes of their death. Information about the case was classified by the Soviet authorities until the 1970s. The pass is named after Igor Dyatlov, the group's leader.
Pic: Владимир Харламов