Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident

Donnie Eichar

Oct 2013 · Chronicle Books

About this ebook

The New York Times and Wall Street Journal Nonfiction Bestseller that explores the gripping Dyatlov Pass incident that took the lives of nine young Russian hikers in 1959.

What happened that night on Dead Mountain?

In February 1959, a group of nine experienced hikers in the Russian Ural Mountains died mysteriously on an elevation known as Dead Mountain. Eerie aspects of the mountain climbing incident—unexplained violent injuries, signs that they cut open and fled the tent without proper clothing or shoes, a strange final photograph taken by one of the hikers, and elevated levels of radiation found on some of their clothes—have led to decades of speculation over the true stories and what really happened.

Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident delves into the untold story through unprecedented access to the hikers' own journals and photographs, rarely seen government records, dozens of interviews, and author Donnie Eichar's retracing of the hikers' fateful journey in the Russian winter.

An instant historical nonfiction bestseller upon its release, this is the dramatic real story of what happened on Dead Mountain.

GRIPPING AND BIZARRE: This is a fascinating portrait of young adventurers in the Soviet era, and a skillful interweaving of the hikers' narrative, the investigators' efforts, and the author's investigations. Library Journal hailed "the drama and poignancy of Eichar's solid depiction of this truly eerie and enduring mystery."

FOR FANS OF UNSOLVED MYSTERIES: Unsolved true crimes and historical mysteries never cease to capture our imaginations. The Dyatlov Pass incident was little known outside of Russia until film producer and director Donnie Eichar brought the decades-old mystery to light in a book that reads like a mystery.

FASCINATING VISUALS: This well-researched volume includes black-and-white photographs from the cameras that belonged to the hikers, which were recovered after their deaths, along with explanatory graphics breaking down some of the theories surrounding the mysterious incident.

Perfect for:

• Fans of nonfiction history books and true crime
• Anyone who enjoys real-life mountaineering and survival stories such as Into Thin Air, Buried in the Sky, The Moth and the Mountain, and Icebound: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World
• Readers seeking Cold War narratives and true stories from the Soviet era

Ratings and reviews

It's been two days since I finished the book and I still think the author got it wrong with his explanation on what happened that night. I think he disregarded the photo of the blurred white light too easily and the cut in the tent from the inside is the big one from me. These were professional hikers and they were in -25 degree temperatures. There is no way in the world they were cutting a hole in their tent unless someone or something was trying to get into that tent..

If you are a mystery fan, a scientist, or outdoor adventurer this is a book for you. Though short I found it very compelling, and could not stop reading it. I believe the author has made a very accurate account, managed to navigate a torrid of useless and crazy theories, and come up with the most plausible hypothesis I have ever heard. I really suggest that one should first spend some time reading or checking You Tube to really get the most out of this. The book will not be the same without the mystery swirling in your sub-concinous

The author has done extensive research, but his conclusion fails on three points. His conclusion cannot explain why there were crushed ribs/skulls of the victims without any external injuries, the issue of the missing tongue and why there was an orange glow coming off the victims bodies at the funeral. Also there were insufficient number of picture plates in the book. Expected more from the book.

About the author

Donnie Eichar is a critically acclaimed film and TV director and producer. He lives in Malibu, California.