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« Last post by dankfro on September 17, 2026, 08:48:32 PM »
My theory is that: the hikers first set up their tent for the night. At one point, 7 were inside the tent and 2 were outside including the one with the camera. Perhaps he saw a light outside and was curious, maybe just coincidence. I think a Soviet bomb test then exploded somewhere relatively nearby, but not nearby enough to damage anything. Maybe a half mile, mile etc.
The group heard this and panicked thinking that it could be a nuclear test and fearing radiation fallout immediately cut their way out of the tent and headed downhill. This would make a lot of sense because two of the people in the group used to work at nuclear facilities including one during a meltdown, so it would be plausible that they'd think of this fear right away and probably shout it to the others and cause a panic. This is supported by the fact that the cold war and nuclear fears with the US were hot button fears at this point.
This is further supported by the helicopter operator's actions. He refused to be in the same aircraft as the bodies for fear of radiation contamination. He made them put the bodies in Zinc lined coffins. There were high ranking military personnel at the search site, and one does not simply say no to Soviet leadership unless they really feel strongly about an issue. This indicates there was some sort of real fear at least generally about nuclear matters.
The fact that the Soviet's decided to test the bodies for radiation is also telling, as you don't just do that randomly. If you dig into the government's actions more, it's clear they were testing in that area.
However, this wasn't the way that they died. I believe they acted out of fear of radiation (or at least another explosion), but they didn't actually die or get hurt at the tent from that. They couldn't have. They left the tent quick and then walked a mile downhill into the woods. Then built a fire and a den. Four of the people had crippling injuries and a punctured heart, where near instant death occurred, and they would not have been able to walk a mile in these circumstances. Yet the footprints in the snow show 9 people, and the tent was largely intact, so there's no way that any "catastrophe" happened at the tent site.
I think fearing either radiation or an explosion, they went downhill and once they got to the cedar tree quickly made a fire to aid their hurting group. Shortly after or maybe at the same time, some of them began to make a den like shelter nearby in the ravine. This makes sense and supports multiple things. First, it was freezing and windy that night, so a ravine would make sense to set up shop since it buffers the wind. Also, it would be the most sensible place to go if you're fearing nuclear fallout or an explosion (basements/low areas are best).
Around this time, the two men found near the fire pass away. This makes sense because the weakest would presumably remain by the fire. Their injuries were also minor compared to everyone else, with mostly scratches etc consistent with a long trek, frostbite, and possibly climbing a tree and being clumsy with limbs you can't feel. Once passed away, the others take their clothes.
This is where it gets interesting. The ravine doesn't seem steep enough to cause the trauma on the badly injured people, and they also knew the ravine was there since they built a den at the bottom, so it's very unlikely they fell into it or anything. So how did the others get their injuries?
At some point after they entered the outskirts of the woods/ravine area, I think they encountered some Mansi/Khanty tribes people and were attacked. This makes sense because the tribes people were known to be in that general area, and the Khanty in particular were known to be aggressive. The area was roughly known as a Mansi sacred site. They were known to dislike Soviets. I would assume local tribes people live in the woods, and one of the last photos taken was of a tribal sign on a wall and a notebook entry said ski tracks were noted the afternoon before they camped.
This also directly supports the bomb aspect, and vice versa. If a bomb test exploded somewhere nearby, it stands to reason that the locals would go to the area to check the area out. Upon seeing 9 Soviet's camped in the area, it's easy to see them as the ones being disrespectful and could prompt an attack. The bomb going off supports the rationale for the attack, and the attack occurring supports the notion that something big likely prompted it. It is also possible that they simply ran into the tribe while down there.
Either way, I think the remaining 7 were attacked by the locals while sitting in the den at the ravine. The locals (from 10-15 feet above) threw rocks or something hard at the campers below. Two were hit in the chest breaking over a dozen ribs. One is hit in the head. The fourth, with only minor injuries, possibly passed away prior to the attack or somehow more passively during it. The remaining three are hurt (including one with a fracture to the head) but are able enough to flee back towards the tent, figuring that this is a more immediate concern than the blast/radiation concerns. They die at various points uphill.
The tribes people then place the 4 dead bodies together in the ravine and leave, and possibly cover anything they left behind. This is all supported in a few ways. The ribs of the two very hurt people were unusually broken from the top down, which is unusual. Their palms were also intact. This doesn't happen when people fall, as they put their hands in front of them. The injuries to them are consistent with being hit from above.
The tongue and eye things could be perceived a few different ways, not changing this narrative at all. Either they were taken by scavenger fish etc in the ravine's stream, or maybe the locals took the eyes and tongue because she was screaming etc. It doesn't matter to the course of events.
The one of four that dies of hypothermia with minor scrapes also indirectly could support the scenario. We can speculate that this person also died prior to the native encounter, and the group moved the body 18 feet from their den so as to distance themselves from it. Once the other 3 were killed brutally, the natives lied them with the other body, 18 feet from the den. It's possible that the other 3 people moved their bodies together before heading uphill too, but the minor detail is irrelevant. It's also possible that while running back up the hill, the guy with the skull fracture didn't have it originally and was pursued up the hill. But this is what i think happened.
A few final thoughts: I struggled for a while to figure out why the 4 bodies in the ravine were found 18 feet from the den and not IN it. This is the best scenario I could come up with to explain that. I also struggled to figure out why only the 9 sets of footprints were noted on the hill leading down. Assuming the locals were already in the forest eliminates this question. The locals also traveled typically by skis, which wouldn't leave tracks for as long of a period as the raised footprints of the hikers.
I also didn't factor in the possible Mansi belt with tassels found at the site, since that could have been given to them along the way by someone peaceful etc. I also don't regard that controversial photo of the 'bomb' as legitimate for the purposes of my bomb rationale. Also, since the two people with radiation on their clothes worked at nuclear plants before, I attribute that to their work and not this event. I have yet to find a piece of evidence that goes against what i believe is the likely (albeit eventful) night. But I would love to hear your thoughts, and to hear any evidence that goes against this. Prove me wrong!
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