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Dyatlov Pass — What Killed the Nine Hikers?

What killed the nine hikers at Dyatlov Pass in 1959?

Competing explanations

Slab avalanche (2021 Gaume/Puzrin model) · leading
Katabatic wind / infrasound-driven panic · plausible
Military or secret weapons test · speculative

Timeline — what changed

2026-06-19 23:16 · AI update

The Wikipedia article provides details on the 2020 Russian investigation conclusion that an avalanche most likely forced the hikers to leave camp, and the 2021 EPFL/ETH Zurich study suggesting a slab avalanche could explain the injuries. This reinforces the slab avalanche hypothesis as the leading explanation, while other theories (katabatic wind, infrasound, military tests) remain mentioned but less supported.

Sources (1)