E. Buyanov - Mystery of the Dyatlov group death

Gora (Mountain) 1097 (and on small-scale charts 1096,7) – in transfer from vogulsky (Muncie) of language the fatal name «Mountain of dead persons» ("Holatsyakhl" or "Holat-Syakhyl") has Gore Holatchakhl. However, according to other accord, the version of its name was not so such ominous: «Auspi-Toomp», or «The bald mountain on Auspiya» (the mountain which has not been covered with the wood). Also there is one more version of an origin of the name without the letter «T»: the mountain «Hola-Chakhl» that in transfer from the mansi meant «The average mountain», – the average mountain of sources of Lozva (this explanation is given by Karelin, – the expert on local toponymics).

There are the hypotheses connecting the name of the mountain of "dead persons" with burials available there, but locals reported nothing about them. There were also the hypotheses connecting the name of the mountain and with death of nine Muncie still during ancient times, and with death of «9 Red Army men» during civil war. These assumptions too aren't confirmed with any exact data yet. Near the mountain Holatchakhl no sacred or ritual places under certificates of locals existed, and isn't present.

Two links in Auspiya's upper courses found nothing. Slobtsov's link moved towards the mountain Holatchakhl to the pass on Lozva's sources, and his search appeared successful.

Slobtsov wanted to see «this Otorten», to see possible options of movement to its top. Assumed that failure of DyatlovDyatlovthe Dyatlov group could occur on Otorten because of a collapse of snow eaves or group falling in «failure», – this hypothesis was stated by forester Pashin ("Ivan"). Whether there are eaves on Otorten, and whether there is there "failure"?

Excerpt from Slobtsov's story:

«… The coordinated search plan assumed regular radial deviations from the main direction by groups of two-three people for the purpose of detection of traces or places of parking of DyatlovDyatlovets. Next day ski traces and some signs of stops and parking which we isn't so sure started to come across to us, but nevertheless carried to DyatlovDyatlovsky group as no other tourists in this area should be at this time. After the second spending the night in a valley of the river of Auspiya and loss of traces of unknown group, we decided to make radial searches by small groups on two-three persons. Our way with Sharavin and hunter Ivan lay on the pass in a valley of the river of Lozva and further on ridge from which hoped in the field-glass to consider Otorten's mountain. On Sharavin's pass, looking through in the field-glass east slope of ridge, saw on snow the something similar to filled-up tent. Decided to rise there, but without Ivan. He told that not very well feels and will wait for us on the pass (we understood that it is simple afraid). As approaching tent the slope became more abruptly, and the crust is more dense, and we had to leave skis and the last tens meters to go without skis, but with sticks.

At last, rested against tent, we stand, we are silent and we do not know what to do: the tent slope in the center is broken off, inside the snow, any things, skis stick out, at an entrance will thrust during snow an ice axe, people it is not visible, terribly, already horror!. ("" Rescue efforts in the The Northern Urals, February, 1959, DyatlovDyatlov's pass», the EKS magaZina, No. 46, 2007).

Group of tourists on a search route in a taiga of a valley of Auspiya: Mikhail Sharavin (at the left), Vladimir Strelnikov, Boris Slobtsov (in the center), Vyacheslav Halizov (on the right with the card). V. Brusnitsin's photo from 25.02.59)

Were after all and suspicions that someone attacked DyatlovDyatlovets. What there, in tent?.. Whether there are in it people, live or lost? The stress and internal tension captured rescuers – all remembered «instructions» undesirability of contacts to strangers and observance of measures of care. Warned that in the area there can be convicts, wild animals. And didn't understand everything, what for trouble, – why DyatlovDyatlovThe Dyatlov group was gone?..

The tent stood in the destroyed condition, covered with snow. Outside stuck out only a corner over the resisted rack from an entrance turned to the pass, fabric scraps in the middle (acting from under snow), pair of skis, an ice axe and separate edges of ski sticks on which delays fastened. This tent was the long, double, sewed joining of two tents lodges. The back rack failed, – the fallen part of tent behind was closed by a snowdrift. Didn't keep it in the middle and two racks from the skis, thrust at an entrance in tent (according to Sharavin). Rescuers carefully examined tent inside through a rupture of a roof. Furrow snow in and along tent, using an ice axe which stood at its entrance. People inside didn't appear. The external slope of a roof of tent appeared is broken strongly off, large pieces of a roof were absent. The entrance in tent in its gap from a slope had a fur jacket which force pressed into slope snow.

Participants and heads of search groups

Participants of searches and consequence. From right to left: Koptelov, Lebedev, Halizov, Tchernyshov, Sogrin, Atmanaki (below), Brusnitsin (behind), Axelrod, Slobtsov, Tipikin (below), Sharavin? (for Sharavin), Cheglakov,? (for Cheglakov), Ivanov (wearing spectacles),? Anyamov

From above in tent the blankets thrown in a disorder which crumpled and have frozen together rolled. On a forward rack in tent Slobodin's jacket-storm from which pocket took a box from under sugar candies fruit drops hung. In a box there were documents, train tickets and money. Traces on snow at tent didn't notice, – traces were visible and began in 15–20 m from tent, and order directly down, to the wood. Attentively these traces Slobtsov and Sharavin didn't begin to study and didn't begin to dig out an entrance, – they hurried up to return on the parking before dark and to manage to report to companions about the find. Searchers felt better, without having found in tent of victims and in the absence of robbery signs as money, alcohol and valuable things were in tent. Having taken a box with documents, a flask with alcohol, an ice axe and the camera as "material evidences", Slobtsov and Sharavin on skis returned to the camp.

Earlier Slobtsov had no radio communication, but at 13.00 26.02 radio operator Egor Nevolin of a northern geological expedition of Sulman approached to Slobtsov's camp (a call sign: «Border», Nevolin's call sign: «Raup», Ortyukov's call sign: "Mole"). Nevolin reported at 13.00 about connection of groups on Auspiya. And about 18.00 Nevolins reported in a search staff on a find of tent of DyatlovDyatlov Slobtsov's group. Already in the dark four Muncie – Kurikova and Nikolay Anyamov with a cervine team too left to camp on Auspiya. On a radio communication session with a staff at 23.00 rescuers specified an arrangement of tent of DyatlovDyatlov and camp of searchers at the mountain Holatchakhl. The staff instructed Slobtsov to prepare a platform for helicopter reception, to choose a place for the equipment of big camp on 50 people and to be since morning on communication.