24 January 1959

January 24, 1959 In the city of Serov from 7-8 am until 18:30. The train station, the incident - the detention of Yuri Krivonischenko, the 41st school, the story of tourism to schoolchildren of 1st and 2nd grade. By train to Ivdel. Incident in a train with a drunk passenger.*

* On the train from Serov to Ivdel, a drunk passenger came to the group, stating that they had stolen a bottle of vodka from him and demanded to return it. He was simply ignored, although the physically fit hikers could have easily confronted him. The drunken passenger insisted on his rights and initiated a scandal. As a result, the conductor had to take the loaded citizen causing the disturbance to the police at the station. This incident is interesting not only for what was noted in the diaries, but also for the record that the Dyatlov himself made when preparing list of provisions for the trek. Yuri Yudin could not get alcohol and Igor made a record; vodka, Indian tea, matches. If for some reason the hikers did not buy vodka, then it is possible that one of them could actually have stolen from the drunk passenger. This is just a speculation.

Dyatlov Group diary

January 24
7.00 (am) We arrived in Serov (town). We traveled with a Blinov's group. They have... things for hunting and other accessories. At the station we were met with hell of a hospitality. They didn't allow us into the building. The policeman stares at us suspiciously. There is no crime or vandalism in the city, as it suppose to be in times of communism. And then Yuri Krivo started a song, the cops grabbed him and took him away.
At the attention of citizen Krivonischenko, sergeant explained that the rules of §3 prohibited all activity that would disturb the peace of passengers. It is perhaps the only train station where the songs are forbidden, so we stayed without singing.
Finally everything is settled by end fo the day. We are leaving Serov to Ivdel at 6:30 pm. We were welcomed warmly in the school near the railway station. The steward (she is also a janitor) bolied some water, and helped us with everything we needed for the preparation for the trek.
We have the whole day free. We want to go to the city, to visit the nature museum or take a trip to a factory, but too much time is passed in distribution of equipment and cleaning it.
12.00 In the interval between 1st and 2nd shifts in school we organized meeting with pupils. The room crammed with so many curious children.
Zolotaryov: "Kids, I will tell you now... Tourism is, enables you to..." Everyone is still, quiet, engaged.
Z. Kolmogorova: Tra- ta- ta- ta, what's your name, you went where, awesome, you have been camping, she went on and on...
Questions didn't end. We had to explain and show to every kid everything, from torches to tents. It took us 2 hours, and kids didn't want to let us go. They sang songs to each other. The whole school saw us at the station. Everything ended as expected, when we were leaving, the kids yelled and cried, asking Zina to stay with them. They promised to behave and study well.
In the train cart a young drunk accused us of stealing his booze from his pocket. For the second time this day the cops were involved.
Discussion about love provoked by Z. Kolmogorova. Songs, tickets check, Dubinina under the seats, garlic with bread and no water, and we arrived in Ivdel around 12am.
Large waiting room. Total freedom of action. We took shifts to watch over our stuff all night long. Bus to Vizhay leaves early in the morning.
Yudin

Unknown diary (could be Zolotaryov's)

January 24, 1959

Last night, about 9-00 we boarded the train №43. At last. There is 10 of us. Slavik Bienko [Slavik is short for Vladislav] did not go, they did not let him. We are going with a Blinov group. Fun. Songs. Around 8 am we arrived in Serov. We were not allowed to stay on the train station, the train to Ivdel is at 6-30 pm. We are looking for a room. We are trying to get into the club (to the right of the dining room of the station) and school, but fail. Finally he finds school number 41 (about 200 meters from the train station), where we were very well received.

Lyudmila Dubinina diary

24 january went to bed We arrived in Serov very early. We were not allowed in the station with the backpacks. We settled nearby the station. The boys cross the overseer, that's me, with accusations of stinginess and greed. Alas, the canteen at this point is a great luxury for us. There was one small incident - Yurka K. was taken by the police charging him with deception. Our hero decided to walk around the station handing a cap for change after singing a song. Yuri had to be rescued.
Then we managed to move to the elementary school together with Blinov group. After lunch we began to prepare the equipment. Decided to read talk to the children in 1st and 2nd grades about tourism. They liked our stories and things very much, and they became very attached to us. Time flew by till 6 pm in the company of our new young friends. The children bonded so much, especially to Zina, that they parted with tears.
In the train we all sang songs accompanied with a mandolin and just like that. Then out of the blue a young alcoholic came to the boys and accused them of stealing a bottle of vodka. He demanded her return and promised to punch them in the teeth. In the end, he did not prove or get anything and got lost. Yurka came and sang with us for a while and left. We sang and sang, and no one even noticed how we started to discuss love issues, talking about kisses in particular. We talked all kinds of nonsense, of course; everyone was interested, everyone wanted to speak out, eventually trying to out-shout each other and prove their own opinion. Sasha Kolevatov was the best in our debates. Probably he expressed not only his own thoughts but, anyway, he obviously won. We arrived at night in Ivdel and bunked at the station. We settled in the corner, spreading the tent, and laid down to sleep at once. I stayed watch. I used the time to sew overshoes and copy songs. Yurkina Olva from time to time shouted probably from boredom and hunger. I lasted till 3 am. At that time I lay down, only Borya continue to sew something for a long time, but he finally retire.
Zhenya (Evgeniy Zinovyev) often picks on me, sometimes he even says offensive things. He seem to consider me foolish. It's my fault that I like to add fuel to the fire, damn me.

Zinaida Kolmogorova diary

24.2.59. (note: the figure of the month is corrected, visible simultaneously, one on top of the other in an unknown sequence, the numbers "1" and "2")

Here we are on a trek again. Now in Serov. The entire evening yesturday till 3 AM we sang songs. With us is sr. instructor of the Kaurov sport base Alexander Zolotaryov. He knows a lot of songs, it's just happy somehow that we are learning new songs. Especially some the Zumba and others. Today I feel little sad. But it's nothing. We are on duty with Rustik. We went and talked to the schoolchildren, then they all saw us off, even burst into tears, didn't want to let us go.

Zina Kolmogorova letter

The letter is written on Jan 24th 1959 in city of Serov and sent on Jan 26 from Vizhay

Hello, my dear mom, dad, Tom, Galya and Lusya!
Greetings to you from Zina.
Well, I'm away from you again, now we are in Serov. We have a transfer here and I am writing to you. Well, how is life? Anything new? We are going camping, a group of 10 people.
The group is good. At the plant, everything is ok, they let me go. I have all the clothes I need, so do not worry about me. How do you live? Write to me in Vizhay, I am looking forward to it. Has the cow calved yet? I love milk. How's mom work? How is the dad's health? Moms? How are Galya and Lusya doing at school?

Lusya, try not to have Cs this semester. And Galya turn Ds in sports to Cs. Spend more time on the skis and you need to run more. See you soon and goodbye.
Big kisses to you all
Your Zina.
Write to me, I am looking forward to it.
Ok?

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