G. K. Grigoriev "Snowstorm in the Mountains" - 2

© Denis Milkov

Russian

Scan 1

Snowstorm in the Mountains
(cover)

Scan 2

Around this mountain 1079 in the Ural Range the pipe is western and eastern winds. I have heard about this more than once from years. geologists and S. Kurikov

Notebook - 9

About the death and search for the bodies of 9 mountaineering students in the spring of 1959, Ivdel

Scan 3

Com(?) N5 - D. arrived forensic medical expert Boris Alekseevich Vozrozhdenniy
Ivanov Lev Ivanovich - Ivanov Lev Nikitich - assistant to the regional prosecutor who is conducting the investigation
Nikolay Ivanovich Klinov - regional prosecutor
Vasiliy Ivanovich Tempalov the prosecutor of the city of Ivdel - a good man, not like Ivanov

Vol-2 Snowstorm in the Mountains - 2

Started March 1, 1959
finished
Ivdel

Finished March 5, 1959

Scan 4

To do

1. Try to get there
2. See the bodies
3. Read the diaries
4. Find out how the search began-
5. Talk to the students-

Other

1. Call Ios(?). V.P.
2. -_"- Geological Expedition Dmit. Aleks.
3. call home
4. paper books and for(?)note(?)
5. mark groups
6. read in post(?)
7. refill pen
8. ord. trousers(?)

(1) 1/III About the tent
- We arrived at 4 o'clock terribly tired. I don’t feel like going down and I don’t want to do anything. Getting colder,
- Jan 31 last entry by Igor Dyatlov. They dug a hole 1.5 meters in the snow and set up a tent and went to bed in their sleepwear. Zolotaryov, Krivonischenko, Kolmogorova and Dyatlov are found.
The prosecutor says that the blizzard tore the tent. Someone went out to patch up the tent. But the angle is 45°. Someone went out to mend. He screamed and (the rest) rushed to save him. This could be the reason why they jumped out, but what

Scan 5

is the reason to go out barefoot.
These hikers didn't register in Ivdel and did not appear(?). Another group was from the UPI, they also went to Otorten and, having lost their way, went to Bayanovka. 2 women and 7 men
Akselrod - chemical engineering student. Malsennikov - engineer in UZTM ( ed. note - Ural Heavy Machine-Building Plan aka Uralmashzavod).
There is an accusation that Mansi are to blame. That there is a mountain of worship and Mansi killed them because they desecrated their worship place. Also that prison escapees did it.

(2) 2/III Communication with the tent
- Raup, Raup, kayomka here, Kayomka here. Nothing heard. Radio check. Come in. And no answer.
- Вас не слышим Raup, Raup! I am Kayomka. Can't hear you. Use telegraph.
- Raup - tent call name. Kayomka - -"- Iv. airfield.
- Raup, Raup, Raup. Kayomka here. Come in - average(?) voice, the airfield dispatcher speaks into the microphone, shouting at medium volume.
The weather is twilight, we rarely see spots of light in the northern sky(?). The warming machine is buzzing again, sending warm air under the hood of the car.

Scan 6

I can’t barely hear anything. Let’s use the telegraph.
- Forecast on the(?). Over. (at the airport near the aircraft where occasionally twists(?), play in(?))
- Something was said I understood only one word blizzard (Already swirling around the windows of the control room) The telegraph operator writes the number 8. 8 points overcast, visibility less than 1000, in some places the cloud cover is broken. Then he repeats everything. He says - you brought the weather. (January-February in the mountains is not bad. March is worse.)
(got up in the morning and found snow on the porch of the hotel(?) )

(2) Weather forecast.
Tolya about the weather forecast (?) (note radio operator Tolya Feb 17, 2001)
- In the mountains today, cloud cover is 300-600 m. Tolya gives weather. Beyond the mountains, low cloud cover, it approaches the mountains and will be hazy.
- Today is a day off.
- Warm front is expected tomorrow.

(3) Continue to call a tent
(- Life is full with pain, why read about more pain.)
- We can You can not allow weather the planes to fly
- No. We can send on weather

Scan 7

reconnaissance.)
Now (???) my old callsign comes in, but it jams, and nothing is heard clearly.
- I ask the weather to repeat from beginning to end
Telegraph operator with headphones at the device with a piece of paper, a dispatcher with a microphone, two bent over standing near them.
- I do not understand your forecast. Clogs up. Please repeat.
- I repeat the weather. Snowstorm, wind up to 8 m, visibility 50-80 mt. In the mountains there is no visibility. Did I understand that? - says the telegraph operator.
- Got your confirmation. Repeat the last - telegraph operator.
- What kind of helicopter do you have. Everywhere (?) There is no weather. Not yet.
- Raup, Raup, Kayomka here. follow up for (?) entries. Come in.
- I got it. Follow. Head Comrade Maslennikov will get your latest telegram. Head of regional party committee is flying. We will discuss your plan.
Agreed to:

1. Continue the search for the dead comrades and find them whatever it takes
2. Replace tired comrade especially from the group of Comrade Slobtsov. We believe that Comrade Slobtsov himself may be (?) and (?) 1-2 more

Scan 8

people from his group
(???) advisable(?) to leave on the search

3. Please take measures to replace (?) Mansi Kurikov’s group
4. Radio operator (??) remains(?)with you
5. Сsummarize the action plan. If there is (?) weather, two helicopters will be sent to you. They will deliver 12-15 people. Busygin fighters with probes. If it succeeds on the second flight will be sent sappers with a mine detectors.
6. You should be evacuate bodies and 5-6 tired comrades. If there will be a second flight(?), then send everyone you think(?) Is not necessary
7. According to Sverdlovsk, the weather will be bad for a long time (Wind 8 meters per second in the area of the tent, in the mountains 30 meters)
   - Roger. Until 15:00 to places(?) time. Please confirm.

(From the other side the exchange was by telegraph. From here with a microphone)
(They talk with Sverdlovsk on the phone. They transmit everything and talk about finances, the pilots who arrived, that they were removed from the flight and they have no money.)

Snow is up to 1.5-2 meters there, people are tired and their mood is to stop searching.

Scan 9

But we substitute them from the local population, from among the Mansi. A general arrives here to manage affairs. Let them take over the collateral and present us with an invoice. So long. I have everything.

(4) From the long-term forecast for March in the Urals
March 1-11, cloudy weather with clearings. At the beginning of the period without precipitation, in the following time, snow, blizzard. The wind at the beginning of the period is northeast and east, in the last west and northwest, 3-7 m/s, sometimes up to 10-12 m/s.

At the beginning of the period, the temperature in air decreases from 5-10 m to 13-18°C, subsequently the temperature rises to 2-7°C, and at the end of the period it decreases again to 10-15°C.

(5) Conversations in the traffic controller. Head of the institute
From the south-west there is a cyclone of warm air.
- If they decided to stop the search, then they must have thought everything through. They are strong, hard guys. If they decided this, then the conditions there are very harsh.
- Today they will not be searching there.
- The bodies will have to be taken out faster. They are binding them. They will have to get out all the that they had with them.
(One comrade from the institute flies to(?) Sverdlovsk)

Scan 10

If we don’t find the remaining bodies now, then in spring everything will be carried away by the water there (????).

(6) This is like a joke. ++
On alert to help radio operators ? one large helicopter was called from N. Tagil to Ivdel. He, having a walkie-talkie, did not know whether there is an airfield here or not, and landed on the island of the Ivdel river, afraid to sat down on the ice. Then the pilots began to ask the population where the airfield was. And only having learned where the airfield, flew to the airfield.

(7) A group of soldiers in the search

1. To be well equipped
2. Rotation in 10 days, (????) supplies. Probes, weapons, one rifle. You will answer to Maslennikov. It is necessary to maintain the spirit. In the presence of good weather you should be(????), the task is to find the dead comrades. You will be given sappers. You must be well equipped for bad weather, but if it worsens you will be dismissed. On every ten men there will be two spare pair of skis. Medicines 200-300 gr of alcohol against frostbite. Antibiotics against fever, tonsillitis, iodine, bandages.

- We have great hope in you. There the alpinists are tired.
- Take 400 m rope in case you need it.
- I had to, comrades searchers

Scan 11

act under mountain conditions(???) in conditions. But (????) in (????) I have good skiers.

(8) Landing side near the tent
The helicopter landing site is 500 m from the tent on a small area on the ridge. You fly 300 meters from the ground and suddenly a field protrudes from the stones on the hill. The stones are icy. There was a wind and the helicopter was shaking, the situation was changing. The helicopter was traveling at a speed of 150 km. Suddenly, the middle helicopter slowly approached the site. The pilots (?) felt that the ends of the propeller had broken. Complicated landing.

Helicopter commander Victor Vasilyevich Potyazhenko - deputy commander of the squadron.
scheme - Lozva, tent, helipad [see drawing on scan 11]
2nd Mihail Ivanovich Novikov, navigator. The commander flies the plane, the navigator helps.

Scan 12

(9) In the helicopter
High. The pressure on the device has dropped. The pilot on the ground, looks and the navigator prompts. The screw is buzzing. It was evident that the earth was blowing snow. Clouds coming down the mountains. The top is completely in the clouds. The speed showed 40-50 km. The helicopter stood on the site, and the device showed a speed of 40-50 km. So the wind was blowing with such force. The light (?) Was hard to see. People were in the camp. An alarm was given in the camp and they thought in it that the helicopter would not land. The camp was 1.5-2 km at the bottom, in the valley of the Auspiya river. The helicopter was 300 m higher on the hill. Mountains at the level of (????) 800 m. Bread. The rise (?) In the tent met (?) (???) with the detachment (?) and the navigator. Board mechanic (?) Koldun Val.Petrovich (???) covered the box. Doors opened 3 times. 3 times were with the help (???). The helicopter was rocking

Scan 13

and pulled up the mountain. With ra(?) (???) add some gas and went up. It remains for the pilot to find for himself and the helicopter in the air.

I didn’t see the bodies. The flat area is 10 m and then the steepness (?) Increases and the rise (?) To 30°. On the site they saw a blowing snow. There was a window in the clouds. They, so as not to stumble upon the mountain, gained altitude and turned around and went to the airfield by radio compass. 70 km flown. clouds dispersed and (???). When they climbed - 6 km with cloud cover, the mountains were closed and the heights (?) Of Otorten and Oyko-Chakur 1279. These mountains shone in the sun.

Fly. Communication(?), ? microphone and ??. Дkept in touch through the command radio station. Through a connected? connection (???) flight and report?

Scan 14

When they were sitting on a hill, the helicopter rocked strongly. Rotor (???) wind. The helicopter landed for Akselrod’s group along the way. Landed on high 800m (???)
The weather was cloudy. For unloading(?) they are in a hurry, ski in their hands, shovels and a one after another went to look for the camp site. They went down. They had to go around the rock? to touch down. (???) place (???) at the river (?) (???) go 2km, down 300-400m. It was impossible to land. They touched the front wheels and sat down. The rear did not touch.

(10) Forecaster
In Otorten, the wind carries clouds, the wind is up to 10 m here. There are 3 times stronger in the mountains. The speed of the cyclone is 20 km. The temperature there is -8°C. It will be icing.

(11) When that plane helicopter landed in the saddle, it was a blowing snow,

Scan 15

blizzard

(12) At the airport
The wind is thrashing the covers of the helicopters. They are all on cables. 3 masters of sports, who have been in this place before, flew from Moscow to Sverdlovsk.

(13) Zhenya Venediktov master forestry
They left 25/I watched the movie "Symphonie in Gold" in District 41. From 41 to 2 Northern 22-25 km. From Ivdel to the 2nd Northern 150 km. This winter 3 hiking groups passed through our village. I saw how in the evening Yudin from the group of the deceased returned skiing back. One group of the Pedagogical Institute left when it was -18°, and the next day -39°. They went to Chi mountains Chistopol. They returned and two had frostbite. One girl (there were 5 women 5 men) had frostbite on her feet so that she could not walk and then cried for a long time.

(14) About the helicopter, the compass. Paragraph N4 in the story

(15) Conversation with Vasiliy Ivanovich Tempalov, Ivdel prosecutor

24/II reported that hiking group was missing

Scan 16

Arrived from Sverdlovsk. We decided to call a detachment and search. Gathered in (????) and decided to search. They decided to drop off groups on Mt Otorten and 1079 (??) by 11 km. One (?) final destination of Mr. Otorten needed to find traces. Have they been there. 2nd 1079 m. Mansi were sent. They left 3 people (?) to look for them. They are close to 5-6 km. (???) they’ll find a little to report. Mansi discovered a tent. Then they sent people. The dog found out the smell of the girl’s clothes under 20 cm cover. The second body was found with a ski pole by the Slobtsov group(?). None of the bodies was visible(?).
Protocol. Under the cedar from a height of 2-2.5 m, branches (?) are broken off and spread at a distance of 4-5 m. The tent is pitched 300 m from the top. 45° slope (?) mountains (?) 500 m. 45°, and there (????) 2.5 km. Mountain is hard. You go and there are no traces left. We had to punch with a stick(?) at a distance of (?) 300 m.

Scan 17

from the tent stones of weathered rocks protrude 50-40 cm(?). And how (????) and east (?) mountain. Below is crust, where (????) snow blows. A lot of snow down the slope. The river Auspiya is a tributary of Lozva. (Auspiya (?) almost didn’t freeze further). In the forest тwo bodies were found behind a small river there is a large cedar, around 4 trees 7-8 cm. They are cut off with a knife (?) and broken off. On a cedar up to 2 m. the dry branches are broken off. Some branches were damaged, but could not be broken. Near the cedar (????) pit with the remains of branches, (???)? charred. (???). Near the fire (???) shirt. They lay next to each other heads towards the mountain. 1 m from the fire. One was face up, the other (???) down. All the bodies (???), they were crust (???) They had shirts dressed normally (?) Or he went for firewood. Or if someone had two shirts and they took it off to make a fire. In the ruble 8 rubles. (shirt removed).
1 Krivonischenko in a shirt trousers and swimming trunks are torn(?) head thrown back(?), eyes closed, lips compressed(?) ice formed near his mouth from breathing. The right hand is thrown back behind the head. The wrist is raised above his chest. Right leg extended, the other bent,

Scan 18

sock on one. The other barefoot. On the back the skin is torn and hemorrhage (?),? fingers blood, index finger skin is torn, bruising (?) on left (?) arm.
2nd face down, in a shirt the cotton material is thinner (thicker?), in blue leggings, underneath underpants. The feet are in woolen socks, on top knitted (?). The underpants are torn (?). The ear and nose are in the blood, lips are bloody (?). On the left hand, the middle finger is bloodied.
Dyatlov is 500 m from these bodies strictly southwest on the line from the tent face up, face (?) (???) hands are pressed to the chest. Left hand hand pressed (?) birch (?),? near the nose, mouth(?) on the face (?) ice. Head naked, dressed in fur jacket, underneath a sweater, under it a checkered shirt (?), ski pants, underpants. On the right woolen sock, on the left cotton sock. There is ice on the face and under the chin.
Farther to a height of 500 m. from this body (???) the corpse of Zina Kolmogorova. In the snow on a mountainside, in the radius there is not a single birch (???) dwarf.

Scan 19

Head towards the tent. (The corpses break off like crystal. They froze) facing the ground on the right side. Hands under the chest, head to the right side. The right foot rests on (????), the left foot also rests (?). Either she lingered or climbed uphill. On the head, a pink hat wool (?) (???) tied. Dressed in fur jacket, underneath is a shirt (?), checkered shirt (?) on (???) leggings. Woolen socks on the feet. Face in blood abrasions. On the back are abrasions and blood, it could (?) (????) from the clothes.
How could it happen? Why are they disrobed.
The tent was (???) and interfered(?) (???). They dug up the tent from a 50cm hole. Front (???), west (?) no wall (?) Ski poles secured (?) the tent. Only the rings (?) insert (?). Under the tent (???) there are 9 pairs of skis in the tent. jackets, blankets, part of the upper trousers, 8 pairs, boots (?), clothing bags, groceries, crackers, sugar 10-15 kg.
Maslennikov says that they left part of the products in the previous campsite. 25kg per hiker. They have 5 (???) found 3 pairs of boots (???), films (?). The diaries were in personal.

Scan 20

belongings. Dyatlov has a daily itinerary. Jan 31 there is a route. A route has been prepared for the ascent of height 1079. Their path is not about (?). Dyatlov kept diary every (?) day, others missed. He has one notebook pers(?), another is (?) for the whole group, where each (?) for himself.
The wind howls, we are far in the north, imagine (?) ourselves in such good(?), - Dyatlov January 31.
3 diaries found. Dyatlov described the route (?) for himself. In the usual (?) diary, writes (?) one and the same (?) for Jan 31.
Someone urinated near the tent. Or this (?) person (???) and everybody after him and (???) by (???).
The tent is torn in several places up to a meter. Tent (????). All the time (?) (???) there daily (?) changes. Snowstorm. When (?), where it is empty, where it is thick. Some (?) sticks (?) that hold the tent are broken. There were pins on the tent, but tears were new. They have (???). If they had not left the tent, they would have remained(?). The stove is in its bag.
Someone was blown away. He cried out. They thought he was attacked by

Scan 21

animal or someone. They rushed to his rescue. They flew head over heels over the crust, then come the stones. They could stop on the stones. Traces start from there. Deformed tracks. What are they wearing is impossible to tell. Traces probably (?) At a time when they are behind (???) the mountain. Footprints down. There is no drop there.
In a tent 200 m from the tent
scheme - tent - 200 m - Wolves [see drawing on scan 21]
Now taking off the skis, then putting on (?) (?????). The stones on the mountains are etched by the wind.
scheme - 1079, tent, Kolmogorova Z., Dyatlov, Lozva river direction,
line between the pass and the boot rock, 2 search tents, written "2 km" [to Dyatlov tent], 8p. and 30p. [p. = people, the number of searchers]

Scan 22

They ?? comb through 300 m x 2.5 km. The depth is up to 2 m. The wind carries snow and the situation is changing rapidly. The place is very dangerous. Even in Ivdel, there was such a wind that I went for (???) and had to come back. In such a wind, they would have frozen in a tent. Such a wind there is piercing even on on a sunny day. They made a tent in good weather. From the camp to the place of death, people now walk 3 km. They walked until their feet froze, then [a small incomprehensible scheme] climbed.
The campfire the two were very healthy. They are all experienced. Hikers had 1 class quialification. They climbed and decided to wait. It was a mistake that they paid with their life)
- Our weather report is not suitable for those mountains. There is its own weather.
- We (???) the mountain after Akselrod group(?)
- The helicopter attempted to land 4 times. It bent, was blown away. It sat for a moment and them tipped again on its side. We landed on the mountain. The people below

Scan 23

had to go for 2 hours, and after 30-40 m the helicopter (???) was already here. And fly (?) (????). Rocks are like a maze. As if someone had laid the stones. (???) in 5 m (?). Blowing them out.
Where we landed first(?) (???) snow (???) on stones and big red cranberries. We tried theme, didn't have a taste, not (???), not sweetness. Dried out. Died
Dyat Important(?) diaries and route and diaries.
composition of the group. Route (???) list(?)

Scan 24

Things were hard to take apart. They froze.
Scheme of movement(?)
38 - 14 km per day
15/II Ascent on Oyka Chakur
11/II on Otorten, or January(?) planned for how many days(?) 28/I from Vizhay(?) 12/II to Vizhay (?) return (?)

(16) Sibagatulin
The girl went out to urinate. She rushed. She screamed. Everyone jumped out. This is during sleep. Her body crippled here (?). The wind got into the tent and began tearing it
- the forest didn't give birth to me, but Ya - Mansi say. [Ya in Mansi means river] (When Kurikov found, then they started throwing people out of the camp, from the institute. There was a walkie-talkie with Kurikov)
- I won't make a mistake, I know everything. Messages should go through me, said Kurikov.
Kurikov sent
- Tent found(?) and corpse
member expert
- Stop the search: snowstorm. Tolya received.
And Tolya told us.

(17) Found the labaz of the dead.
Mandolin (?), 1 (?) pair ski, food, Dyatlov insolated boots.

Scan 25

Weighing 65 kg 18 items in total. Spare batteries and a flashlight. The labaz was buried 400 m from the camp where our people lived. If there are no meat products, then the labaz is dug in the snow. It was found so close to the camp where 34 people lived. They’ve been stamping around there for 10 days and couldn’t stumble upon it. That's how the wind covered everything.

(18) About the Colonel and other leaders of the search
Colonel Ortyukov is the leader. There were others from the institute. There was headquarters. The public prosecutor Nikolay Ivanovich Klinov, assistant prosecutor Ivanov is a forensic scientist who flew to the camp, deputy chairman. Regional Executive Committee Pavlov, Head of department of science of the regional committee Chernysh, the general arrives - head of military department of UPI. Two helicopter crews and one aircraft, all military, were called up. [written between the lines - "Boris Aleksandrovich Vozrozhdenniy - expert"] They often play chess at the airfield(?). The entire small airfield is working for the search.

(19) About me
I heard about 9 missing people on the second day of my stay in Ivdel. It captivated me so much that I became more and more interested in search.
- 9 I can't get them out of my head - said to Malyshev
When 27 / II returned from hydrolysis and found out that they had found a tent and 4 dead(?)

Scan 26

bodies, I could no longer do my job and on the morning on next day I left for the airfield. An hour later I was already on a plane. When I saw tents from an airplane, people, then me (???) and more (???) didn’t think of anything else. I asked the colonel, asked many helicopter. But they fworried about me I didn't want to take the risk. They said why do you want to go, you shouldn't write about this in the paper. I said that I will write a story and the end will be different. The next day were the elections. I was at the election till 7pm (???) and at 7:30 pm I was already with the pilots of colonel Otorten(?) at the airfield. There (???) are still unknown (?) and more noticeable (?) (???) there than in in the search, than by the election.
I wrote my piece about the elections till 3am in the room(?) (???) at the airfield and submitted to my editor in Sverdlovsk. The next day, March 2, again left for the airport in the morning. I considered Assistant Prosecutor Ivanov, who flew to the search camp, the luckiest man on earth. It’s time to go home, the materials I collected about the hydr.[olysis] were getting old. I North mine, Polunochnoe, but I can’t get out of the airfield. I know that I don’t have to go there, but I hurry (???). When they find the rest, then I would go home. After all, it will come [be published] from the editorial office. In my head day after day grows, like (???), a story about the nine.

Scan 27

I have never in my life seen these guys and girls who died, but I loved them so much, I feel so sorry for them, and this love and pity are growing every day. So they (????) write in memory of them a story (???) which became the goals of those who came to the airfield. And in the side of the camp, where these corpses, not only not
- There is another goal, the colonel put me on it, does not let me go to the camp. Tomorrow I’m going to the airfield again, and in the evening (???) I need (???) and (???) for work.

(20) Message Communication with the camp Sappers
- Why sappers with mine detectors?
- Suddenly a button, a watch on his wrist and a corpse we find.
- What are you talking about, Ural mountains are full of iron, mine detectors will be find it(???)

(21) Contact with the camp
- Wind 2, on the mountain 8-10 m/s. Mountain clouds.
- Cloud cover 6-8 points, at the mountain level. 1200-1500; visibility 5-7 km. West wind 2m per second

(22) Diary of Zina Kolmogorova. North Ural, trek III category of difficulty, leader Dyatlov.

Scan 28

24.1.59. 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 Aleksander Zolotaryov. He knows a lot of songs, it's just happy somehow that we are learning new songs. Especially something called 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.

25 January 59. Arrived in Ivdel at midnight, spent the night at the train station pitching a tent on the floor. Yes, we have already been spotted 2 times by the police. Once Yuri Kriv was taken to the police station. He wanted to raise money for candy. It was funny. Then on the train Serov-Ivdel reached Ivdel, spent the night at the station, in the morning got on a bus, drove to a hotel in Ivdel. Then we took the bus and drove off. We are 20 people, backpacks and skis. Had to pile up on 3 levels, but we sang songs all the way. Arrived in Vizhay. First we stopped at the same club where we were 2 years ago. Then we were taken to the hotel. The whole evening there was a discussion about love about friendship, about dances and other things, etc. I talked a lot about things which are completely unfamiliar to me and I scarcely do, but I tried, sincerely. But this is all nonsense. But again the words of Volt come to mind. How well did he say it. We went to see "Symphonie in Gold" so powerful! So great!

26 January 1959 We slept in beds. We got up

Scan 29

late, very late. Rustik and I are on duty. We went into the dining room. And then we waited for the car and drove off. Today the road is not so beautiful, there is less snow. We are driving off road now. Drove for a long time. I, as always, was approached by some countryman. We arrived at the 41st settlement. Workers are simply working here, not prisoners, but recruits. There are many smart ones. We were accommodated in the small room of the driver. Today is the last day of civilization. Rustic plays the mandolin very well, I really enjoy listening to him.

Today I wore Yuri's mittens, but how I did not want to! I was told that is not good not to accept them, so I took them. We talk. Not much.

27 January 1959 Today is the first day of our journey. The backpack is not much but somewhat heavy. Yes, Yura Yudin is leaving us today. His sciatic nerves inflamed again and he is leaving. Such a pity. We distributed his load in our backpacks. It turns out that on the last day we see some kind of civilization,stove, people, etc. Today we arranged out backpacks to go on horseback and we are waiting them to be ready, and we will go skiing. Everyone is singing, the workers living in barracks, did not go to work, they sing. We sit and write songs.

Many workers are very talented, intelligent people. Especially "the beard", his beard is ginger, ginger, and his eyes are also ginger, and brown. The guys sing well. And Rustic plays the mandolin very well. Today was the last day me and Lyuda slept in beds.

Tonight we are going to be in a tent, apparently. Now we are in the 41st quarter, today our goal is to reach

Scan 30

the 2nd Nortern. They say, there is a hut there, but no one lives in it. Hurry to the road, to the skis... How about we go? I'm lately somehow very deeply affected by music, guitar, mandolin and other. Yesterday saw 3 movies here "On his own", "Est takoy paren" and "Sympnonie in gold" again. I want to see "Symphonie in Gold" even more times.

Talaya, a river, many huts

ya - river
sos - brook, together
together pashte, - ruma [incomprehensible two lines] pache-ruma - hello friend
nyor - stone, if there nyor is added to the peak - the peak is bare
oyka - man
yanihum - man big
man - small
ekva - female
ekvat - alone
oyrish - a girl

From Burmantovo to Volenpaul on a plane (and further the Mansi words and translation)
Tyumen region Berezovsky district, village Nyaksimvol (to Nikolay Grigoryevich Ognev Ivan Ivanovich Rudik (He was in front with a beard)
The whole day went, in front of the horse, behind the horse on the river Lozva. They often flew to ice, cleaned skis. They came already in the dark for a long time looking for a hut with windows and doors. 2nd North is an abandoned village, nobody lives here at all, and what beautiful places! It's just Chusovaya. The stones on the banks are some cliffs, limestone, white. Today we go a few km along the Lozva River,

Scan 30

and then we pass to the Auspiya river.

28 January 1959. Uncle Slava is leaving today on his horse, and Yura Yudin is leaving too. He took a few samples. I saw this type for the first after the drilling. There is a lot of chalcopyrite and pyrite.

Last night the boys made stupid jokes. In my opinion, if we don't pay attention to them, maybe they will be less rude. And so far, nothing. It's time to go out, but they are still digging and digging. I do not understand what's taking so long.
The first 30 minutes are over. Of course, the backpack is somewhat heavy. But it's possible to go. The first day is always difficult.

left forward Sasha Kolevatov tested his device, then quit.
Second stop. It was much easier to go yesterday without backpacks
snow, snow, snow, snow on the banks frozen river snow snow. Boundary stone.
Lunch was an hour at 4 pm. After lunch we did just one more hike and stopped to rest. I mended the tent. We lay down to sleep. Igor was rude the whole evening, I just couldn't recognize him. I had to sleep on the wood near the stove.

29 January 1959 Today is Yurka's birthday (note: Yuri Doroshenko). We go first to Lozva then we turn to Auspiya. Surroundings are beautiful. Along the Auspiya Mansi have passed. A trail is visible, grooves, a path is visible. We often see Mansi signs on the trail.

Scan 32

I wonder what they write about? Now the Mansi trail goes south.

Now we sit the three of us: Rustik, Yurka and I Waiting for the rest. For the night stopped near the ski tracks. We are burning firewood with Yurka. We talked about the past. Such a playboy.

30 January 1959 We go on Auspiya cold (ayserm). Mansi trail ended. Pine forest. There was sun in the morning, now is cold (ayserm). All day long we walked along Auspiya. Will spend the night on a Mansi trail. Kolya didn't get to be a watchman so me and Rustik will stay on duty today. Burned mittens 2 and Yurkin's quilted jacket. He cursed a lot. Today, probably, we will build a storage.
(This is January 31. Whit this the diary ends)

The brighter, the greater diaphragm number, if the diaphragm is lower, there will be less light on the film, the shutter speed is longer. Aperture - closed

[the text of the diary here is same as the text of the original diary of Kolmogorova]
they spent the night on January 31; came out 31.1 and died on Feb 1
End of diary

(23) March 3. Helicopters are returning.
There was a rumble. One appeared in the distance, then a second helicopter. One brought the soldiers to replace. They sent another one to lift the bodies. Two relatives

Scan 33

arrived. Professor - father and the sister of one. The landing site was cordoned off. Few are allowed
- hush hush? - ??? relatives are torn

Comes in for a landing. Brought a stretcher?
Taking out(?) the bodies. Lied in the snow. In woolen socks, cotton. Socks are burnt. ???? Hair in ice, snow. She was covered with sheets and put on a stretcher in a lorry. Yarovoy - correspondent "Na Smenu" arrived. The spirit of students is low. The landing site is not conveninet. It takes an hour to go down, an hour to get up and search 1-1.5 hours. A good day is a bad day.
Mandolin in a bag, which was at the labaz site of the dead.

[see drawing of the helipad layout on the pass on scan 7]
The pilots say that there is such a wind and one helicopter could not land. The wind threw the helicopter onto the rocks. It rose and made a new approach. He was given several rockets before to found the landing site. The helicopter shook and rocked. The soldiers quickly jumped out and began to load the bodies. Hikers approached.
- Is it always like that?
- If it's good, - the hikers answered the soldiers.
One returned without unloading. Flown over one mountain, we lost contact with the airfield.
After the flight, the general, who flew in today from Ural Military District, gathered the pilots and consulted about the flights further.

Scan 34

The pilots in a hurry brought lunch from the kitchen and they flew again. They took mine detectors with soldiers, 3 masters of sports from Moscow and products. One helicopter did not fly. It broke down and they had to drive to Polunochnoe to weld a part. But Victor Vasilyevich [Potyazhenko] flew. When he flew up to the landing site, everything was in a fog. They gave him signals with rockets and he made an several attempt. People from the earth heard him, but because of the clouds they did not see him. And suddenly he was above the ground.

- Well, he’ll probably land on us, - someone said.
Victor Vasilyevich is an experienced military pilot. He trained in a helicopter in the mountains, flew at night, loves to fly his aircraft and can land in such difficult conditions. Victor Vasilyevich is a full, tall, simple. In general, all the military are very simple and kind. And of the others, everyone is treating me well. Only the assistant regional prosecutor Ivanov promises one thing and does another

(24) March 3. Belonging of the dead
On the morning of March 3, A. M. Vishnevskiy [Head of the department of physical training in UPI], Nikolay Fyodorovich Pletnev [Deputy Director of UPI] and I protocoled the belongings of the dead, which were sprawled in the labaz of the airfield. They were all frozen, packed with snow. Vishnevskiy carried one backpack after another, and I wrote what was in them. In backpacks, woolen and thin cotton socks for several pairs, matches, films, cans with condensed milk, bags of different cereals, crackers, in one bag there are several tangerines. There is garlic. Ski ointment, a jar of petroleum jelly.

Scan 35

There is a small rubber hedgehog in one backpack. Whose is it and why [is it brought]? Many backpacks have notebooks, but clean ones or with notes of different formulas, phones, addresses. These notes were made at the institute.

Only in Zina Kolmogorova’s backpack was a diary preserved. I rewrote it later. When I was copying the diary, my lips whispered: "Zina, dear, I have never seen you, but I feel so sorry for you." In all backpacks there are pieces of rock with traces of pyrite. Vishnevskiy said that these could be used to start a fire from a spark if matches were dampened. I objected to him, seeing that this is a core that is taken by geologists from wells in the 2nd Northern mine. He did not agree. But when I read the diary, I was convinced that I was right. In one backpack there is a notebook with the inscription "To Sasha Kolevatov" for the diary, but it is blank, not a single word in it. Found a purse with documents, money, a pencil. Several diaries were still there, at the place of death, that prosecutor Tempalov took with him.

Girls', probably, - said Vishnevsky, taking out a baby blue woolen mitten from the backpack. Mugs, cups, spoons, 2 flasks came out. Metal container with films. There are 20 films in it. A small stove in a duffel bag and folding pipes in it, a wire. In Zolotaryov's backpack a notebooks with new songs and hikers' songs. There are 8 pairs of boots,

Scan 36

old blankets. Saw, 3 axes. Screws, candles, flashlights, one with dynamo.

All storm jackets (9) are made of dense material that are worn over everything. First aid kit, rope, screwdriver. Here are masks, slippers that are worn inside the boots. Helmet-hats, gloves. There are sweatshirts, ski pants. One bra. There is a pocket watch in the pocket of one backpack, which stopped at 2:15. Glasses, torn Dyatlov's fur jacket and many others. You look at all this and wonder how did they carry all this. And there are 65kg of cargo more at the storage that was found. They were loaded like horses. The "Iron Guys". Vishnevskiy said that hikers from the institute often go hiking. Once a year they go on a big hike. They always celebrate the New Year somewhere on a camping trip, in the forest, in the mountains.

With sad, gray faces, we sorted all out and recorded. Then they put everything in a corner of the labaz and covered the things that looked bad. Vishnevskiy took the letter, the purse, money, diaries and watches.

(25) - Board 340, bort 340. Calling board 340, - the airfield traffic controller shouted into the air, calling the helicopter, which went into the mountains, flew over it and could not be heard

(26) Conversation with Yuri Evgenievich Yarovoy 10 years later he wrote the book "The highest category of difficulty" [comment added later by either Grigoriev or Pechurkina?]
He is a mountaineer, working as editor in "Na smenu" He was dropped at the camp with the rest of the searchers. He returned today, March 3, together with Ivanov

Scan 37

and 4 bodies on a helicopter. Here they were unhappy that he was back, they wanted him to be there.

- Well, you had to keep the spirits up, and you are back, - the colonel told him.
He stayed there from March 27 to March 3 with a camera, he was well dressed as a hiker. He told me some things. Firstly, I didn’t advise me flying there, that I will only freeze in my clothes, that the soldiers were sent without winter hats and masks, that they would freeze there. Here is his story:
Hikers from the institute found 3 bodies. Dyatlov was half over blown with snow and the other two were the same. A dog found Zina. And the tent was found by the hikers. The Mansi there are too lazy to work. Except Stepan Kurikov no one goes in search and sleep in the tent.

Plan of the area [see drawing on scan 37]

When the guys arrived, they were eager because they hoped to save their comrades. Then, when they saw the corpses, they were a little depressed. But still, seeing that many products were not there, there was hope that the rest are

Scan 38

alive and hurry to find them. But then, when they found the labaz, everyone lost heart, their mood fell. And they began to search for dead bodies.
At first, they were torn, did not eat, worked until exhausted. Then, when they realized that they were dead, the tension eased. There was silence everywhere. The traces of the struggle of two for life acted especially hard. After all, they tore their pants on themselves, throwing them into the fire so that it would not go out. They fought for their life.

There are 36 people in total. Of these, 4 are Mansi. Among the 36 is the team of the tracker of the local Captain Chernyshev. Tents (there are 2) are in the coniferous forest. Cedar, birch, spruce. Beautiful places. There is wind in the mountains, and silence in the tent. But once it was raging. The tent was so shaky that they thought the stove would fall. Everything was cracking, it was a storm.

The doomed went into a snowstorm and apparently missed the route. They did not cross the pass and did not go down to the Lozva valley, but went along the pass to the mountain and did not reach 300m to the top. They got tired, it became dark and there was nothing to do, how to spend the night. They made the tent well, from the top of the mountain they dug it in the snow and filled the gap with snow . So the wind only licked the roof. The tent is torn and cut with a knife. This is evident because the gap is not along, as the guys could, but obliquely. They cut it with a knife (probably, those who cut branches on a cedar for a fire cut. They grabbed the knives

Scan 39

maybe for defense. From whom to defend? Maybe a wolf pack. But they would eat them. (Maybe the remaining 5 are eaten). The question of why they fled the tent certainly worries everyone. The camp is talking only about this. They will gather in the tent in the evening and just talk about it. Hundreds of different assumptions are made, but no one believes in any.

- Everyone is crushed by the realization that they are not looking for the living, but for the dead.
The camp rises at 8 am, eats and goes in search. (Tents set up camp already dark at the fire) From the camp to the search site is 3 km. At 9-10 am people go to search. With great difficulty climb the pass. 1.5km to get on top. They will sweat so that the sweaters were wet. The wind is so strong that the pants are ripping off at the pass. You often fall on the ascent. Then we get down, stand in a row elbow to elbow and probe with sticks every 0.5m. The sticks pierced the snow. These are 20-25 people. This is how they roll. The stick often hits in ??? stone under the snow. And with the thought that this is a corpse, we start digging with a shovel, expecting to see the dead man. But again a stone.

So in the wind, in a blizzard, we work for several hours, then we go back, everyone is tired, spirit is dead, we often fall. Sometimes in a blizzard you can't see a person 2-3m away. One ???

Scan 40

everyone goes with his pace. When the assistant prosecutor arrived he grabbed his chest. They sat him down, then showed him the way. We go without skis . In the forest, snow is waist-deep and skiing is very difficult. The wind is damp, the clothes on you on the mountains are icing up, icicles straight down. Then in the tent clothes melt and get everything wet. Storm jackets do not freeze.

On the pass, a solid crust. Blizzard knocks you down. In the tent at the camp we sleep in sleeping bags.
At the search site there are 3 ridges of stones. The height of the stones is 15 meters. Here you hide behind it from time to time. The weather is changing fast. The forecasts could be good here, and there is a blizzard, a strong wind.

The dead left the last camp site at 3:30 pm. And they got up to the place where the tent stood not earlier than 5-6 pm. At that time it was already dark. They were tired and therefore could not go further. And they decided to spend the night here. The tent was set up soundly. In the tent usually the two sleeping at the two ends do not undress [because it is cold]. And the middle und rest undress. There are no attendants at night. If someone has to be on duty, then the next day he will be tired and everyone will have to fall behind.

The searchers in the camp are in a very bad mood. They have one solution: quit the search and leave. Students didn’t even

Scan 41

want to approach the corpses of their comrades.
- You, alone, should not fly there without preparation. It can end very badly for everyone. Moreover, people that are not mountaineers are considered a burden and welcomed. This is how they treat the assistant prosecutor, - Yarovoy concluded his narration.

We walked along the quiet Ivdel street (on the outskirts it was melting, the sun was peeping through the shroud of clouds and Yarovoy was happy that he had flown away and got out of there. He did not even hide this joy from me, but could not tell. But after his warning and his story I still wanted to get there. True, now there are no tent or bodies there, but still saw a lot for the story. From his account of events I still learned, albeit superficially, a picture of life and searches at the camp. He has notes, he hasn’t read a single one to me. Of course he is going to keep a lot for himself. Also, probably, he is going to write something and make it faster than me.

But the leaders didn't consider abandoning the searches. Although the camp offers to continue again in May. In May, not all the snow will be melted and it will be easier to find them. This is not true.

(27) 4.03.59 Talk on a walkie-talkie by telegraph with a camp 18¹⁵
The weather is very nice. The search continues, 31 people worked from half past nine to six. We walked 300m with a width of 250m.

Scan 42

Another group began to probe around the cedar area. There were found a handkerchief, two and a half pairs of socks, a tattered cuff of a sleeve of a gray sweater. Nothing more can be said.
Three people prepared a platform for a helicopter right at the tent, an area of 50 by 50 was cut down. They climbed the crest of the slope, under which the Dyatlov’s tent was pitched, and also to 1079. No traces of the ascend were found. Mine detectors do not give anything, the lieutenant colonel immediately switched to the probes. In addition to the two military groups of Chernyshev and Shestopalov, the Akselrod civic group was organized. The entire camp consists of 34 people. Report the results of the investigation of Dyatlov’s belongings, maybe this will help the search. What was the weather like February 1? Maslennikov
Answers on questions:

1. All traces of the Dyatlov group found in the search area were photographed. There are no wolf tracks here.
2. My deputy Captain Chernyshev is ready to take command at any time.
3. Bread was delivered to the entire detachment for 10 days. It lies on a pass stale. No sausages for lunch at the search

Scan 43

camp. The remaining products are enough. I will report a shortage in 2 days.

4. The team works purposefully, in accord. No one else is requesting to go home, except me. Maslennikov.

Found Dyatlov group satirical leaflet "Evening Otorten" dated February 1 (пометка от 14.2.90: ? ++++++)

(28) The city is filled
with various gossip and rumors about the death of students. The wives of the officers who are there on the wanted list came to the leaders of the search commission. They begged the leaders to let their husbands write letters and send them with a helicopter to make sure that the husbands were alive. They also asked them to quickly replace their husbands, are they more there ???
People gathered in the diner, hotel, on the street, in the store - everywhere you hear people talk only about this. Now I hear a loud voice in the corridor:
- Did someone kill them? Mansi on the prayer mountain.
- The Belgians were found in Antarctica, but here they can’t.

(29) About the ridge
Just like on a higher peaks, on the ridge, if a snow gale begins to spin, storm is coming, run down into the forest.

(30) Conversation with Brusnitsyn
Vadim Dmitrievich and his comrades who flew in from the

Scan 44

scene.

1) A helicopter arrives.
Far in the sky, against the background of bright clouds, one dot appeared, then the second - they were helicopters returning from the pass. Then these wonderful machines ??? frightening, ugly, one after another raising a whole snowstorm around them, sat on the airfield. I wonder when one sat down, the other wanted to sit beside him, but then, literally ??? as a bee rose a little and, going around the first, went to another landing site. Helicopters take off very interestingly. At first, the main giant blades slowly start. Spin, forming inverted? cup. Then it gets stronger and stronger and this cup turns into ??? ??? a circle. With increasing speed, the circle turns into ??? set giant plate. Still ??? the machine will swing, move and gradually rise. At night, lights burn at the ends of the blades and a beautiful circle of fire is formed.

2) Skiers arrived.
The helicopters doors opened and students who came flying from the search began to crawl out with backpacks and skis. They were replaced by soldiers and civilians from Ivdel.

They are all overgrown, most beards are light, smelling of needles and smoke. Here is a portrait of one

Scan 45

of them, which is the most typical in terms of clothing. In boots (slippers are worn inside them, a woolen insole is laid), leggings, then trousers made of military canvas cloth, storm jacket from the same material. A backpack on his back, a woolen helmet-hat on his head, ??? the hood of the storm jacket. Some kind of smoked face, probably from the wind. A sparse reddish beard, tired look, spiritually dead.

3) About the pilots
All the guys admire the work of the pilots. Vishnevskiy talsk about this and others too. They are heroes. When the helicopter landed in small clouds for the first time on the pass, a group of deer rushed 200-300m from it. The pilot saw them from the cockpit. They graze there. There are less snow on the mountains, so they feed on moss, branches from cranberries and ???. There are a lot of traces of moose in the forest, which was confusing at first.

- Seeing the plane through a small clearing, we began to lay out the signal. We threw ourselves into the snow, got down again, looked up, looked, but the plane never saw us. This was an 8 seater An-2 plane.

- A pilot leads an airplane between the mountains, there flies between two peaks. On the plane as a gust of oncoming wind flies, everything will tremble, the motors begin

Scan 46

to work somehow intermittently. As the plane in this case goes forward faster, so it pushes to the bottom, to the ground.

4) Search area and camp [see drawing on scan 46]
From the camp to the place of the search you need to go through the pass for 1h 20min. They used to go like this. They went skiing through the forest to the pass. They [the skis] were left there and climbed without them to the pass, to proceed with the search. Now they have trodden the trail and go without skis. It's true that the path is over blown.
The camp consists of one tent and a group of cedars are fending off the wind from the windy side. There is a stove in it. Raw firewood burns well. At first, when the flame in the pipe buzzed, we thought it was an airplane.

5) How did the search begin
February 23 in the mountains landed Slobtsov group of 9 people and two guides

Scan 47

They began searching for Dyatlov group camp site, then broke up into 3 groups and went searching. One group went to the Otorten region, the other to this pass.

6) How did they find the tent and the bodies?
The 3rd group, rising to the pass, saw a small corner. With them was Mansi Stepan Kurikov group. They went up there. Near it in direction to the top of the peak stood an ice ax. The handle was sticking out of the snow. Reported by radio about this to Ivdel. There were no people in the tent, they began to look for them.
Another group came. Found the camp fire. They dug out some snow and found an arm thick firebrands. The fire is near a cedar, on which at the height of 5 m all branches are cut and broken off. Some of them were found far, 5m from the cedar. Apparently there was a storm, and these crumbs for the campfire, which were difficult to get, the guys didn't gather them all and burn. Around the cedar to distance several meters the trees are broken. Apparently, it was night, a storm, and they were afraid to move on. Broken, trimmed with a knife 10 arm thick pine branches. Probably, Dyatlov was at the fire and started to make his way towards the tent. The fire was also made to signal to others where to go. Dyatlov lay near a birch, shielding himself with his hand.

Scan 48

Those who found the bodies, had been on hikes with them more than once, eaten from the same cup. Then, seeing the corpses, they lost heart. Cleared the snow from their faces and recognized them. In general, it was difficult to identify them, their faces were beaten. Others probably froze elsewhere all together.

The first days the searched with sticks were conducted in places where it was likely that the bodies to be. Then with the probes and became selectively. Now they have divided the area into squares and alternately feel them. In the valley, where the snow blows from the mountains, the probe doesn't reach

(31) - Patriots, mother f****rs, - the Colonel said in front of the newcomers when they [the hikers] were about to fly to Sverdlovsk. It turns out that he allowed the parties to fly out, and they all went. There were 2 people left from the institute and the Colonel cursed where are their friends and why aren't they looking for them. And Maslennikov, out of his mind, asked to leave too. Only the military, Ivdel civilians and masters of sports remain. Yarovoy said that the students were even afraid to approach the corpses of their comrades. Yes, and he himself [Yarovoy] flew away against Colonel's the will.

I remembered myself at the age of 18, comrades on the front, and thought that we were different back then.

(Note written vertically: They fly away on a plane. They wanted to take things so they won’t wait for us? Helicopter in an hour)

Scan 49

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