a version that explains ALL the facts

[ilahiyol]

Friend, if this was done by soldiers, why would they come back to the mountain and place the bodies one by one in the valley, next to the trees and on the mountainside, instead of destroying them? Then why would they try to erase all traces? Then why would they try to cut down the tent? If the soldiers or the KGB wanted to kill someone at that time, they would have killed them immediately and destroyed the bodies. Nobody would have known what happened. They would have said they disappeared or escaped. The case would have been closed. Why would the KGB or the soldiers choose the difficult, even very difficult, option instead of the easy one? This is a situation that is completely impossible under normal circumstances... It is very clear that there is a paranormal event in this case. There can be no other explanation.

[sanmigel]

Friend, if this was done by soldiers, why would they come back to the mountain and place the bodies one by one in the valley, next to the trees and on the mountainside, instead of destroying them? Then why would they try to erase all traces? Then why would they try to cut down the tent? If the soldiers or the KGB wanted to kill someone at that time, they would have killed them immediately and destroyed the bodies. Nobody would have known what happened. They would have said they disappeared or escaped. The case would have been closed. Why would the KGB or the soldiers choose the difficult, even very difficult, option instead of the easy one? This is a situation that is completely impossible under normal circumstances... It is very clear that there is a paranormal event in this case. There can be no other explanation.

The disappearance of the bodies leaves an open ending. There is no reason to stop the search, tourists become missing. They must be searched for. Every year, enthusiasts from their native institute would organize search expeditions with the probability of finding what they don't need. The disappearance of the bodies in this case raises more questions. And how, in principle, to explain the disappearance of 9 people? This is generally a residential area, not an ocean, for example. Moreover, the traces are preserved much better in winter than in summer :) (if anyone didn't know) because there's snow on the ground. And having tried to repeat the planned route, it is quite easy to restore the path of tourists (which, by the way, SURPRISINGLY, was not done), which will end.. in an interesting place. So, on the contrary, the case would have been open for years and, under the influence of the public, the authorities would have to continue the search.
in accordance with the Russian laws of that time, the case of a missing person could be terminated (and the search accordingly), recognizing him as dead after 3 years. That is, the authorities and law enforcement agencies would have been under pressure from relatives and the public for 3 years. And the law would oblige them to search.
As for "there can be no other way," it was paranormal. Prove that the above COULD NOT BE and prove that the paranormal exists.

[ilahiyol]

Friend, if this was done by soldiers, why would they come back to the mountain and place the bodies one by one in the valley, next to the trees and on the mountainside, instead of destroying them? Then why would they try to erase all traces? Then why would they try to cut down the tent? If the soldiers or the KGB wanted to kill someone at that time, they would have killed them immediately and destroyed the bodies. Nobody would have known what happened. They would have said they disappeared or escaped. The case would have been closed. Why would the KGB or the soldiers choose the difficult, even very difficult, option instead of the easy one? This is a situation that is completely impossible under normal circumstances... It is very clear that there is a paranormal event in this case. There can be no other explanation.

The disappearance of the bodies leaves an open ending. There is no reason to stop the search, tourists become missing. They must be searched for. Every year, enthusiasts from their native institute would organize search expeditions with the probability of finding what they don't need. The disappearance of the bodies in this case raises more questions. And how, in principle, to explain the disappearance of 9 people? This is generally a residential area, not an ocean, for example. Moreover, the traces are preserved much better in winter than in summer :) (if anyone didn't know) because there's snow on the ground. And having tried to repeat the planned route, it is quite easy to restore the path of tourists (which, by the way, SURPRISINGLY, was not done), which will end.. in an interesting place. So, on the contrary, the case would have been open for years and, under the influence of the public, the authorities would have to continue the search.
in accordance with the Russian laws of that time, the case of a missing person could be terminated (and the search accordingly), recognizing him as dead after 3 years. That is, the authorities and law enforcement agencies would have been under pressure from relatives and the public for 3 years. And the law would oblige them to search.
As for "there can be no other way," it was paranormal. Prove that the above COULD NOT BE and prove that the paranormal exists.

I think you're thinking incorrectly and incompletely! If the KGB had said that the young people had disappeared and run away, they could have fabricated a lot of false evidence. And they would have closed the investigation quickly. It certainly wouldn't have taken 3 years. And there wouldn't have been a need for so many discussions, forums, and investigations. The incident would have ended in 1969 and been forgotten. So, I don't think the state or the KGB had any involvement in this incident, but I'm sure they knew more than we did.

[Ziljoe]

Ilahiyol,

Just to clarify a couple of points from the forensic and historical side.

The eyes and tongue weren’t ripped out. 
The autopsy reports describe post‑mortem soft‑tissue loss caused by:

- water flow in the ravine 
- natural decomposition 
- small scavengers 
- pressure from snow and meltwater 

There were no signs of cutting, tearing, or deliberate removal. 
The tissue edges were smooth and consistent with natural processes.

On the human side of things, there’s also nothing in the case file that points to a KGB operation. No restricted zone, no classified weapons testing, no military debris, no shrapnel, no burns, no blast damage, no witness statements suppressed. The searchers, rescuers, and investigators all acted openly, and the case was handled like a normal regional investigation of the time.

And in terms of “unknown forces,” the only unusual elements documented by the people actually present were the weather conditions — strong winds, low visibility, drifting snow, and rapidly changing temperatures. Those are the factors that shaped the group’s decisions and the environment they were found in.

Whatever explanation we consider — natural, human, or something else — it still has to match the injuries, the terrain, and the documented behaviour of the group. That’s the only reason I keep returning to those elements.