An Unsolved Outdoor Mystery

An Unsolved Outdoor Mystery

From Free Outside by Jeff Garmire

June 12, 2026 · 1h 1m

About this episode

The episode explores the mysterious Dyatlov Pass Incident and discusses various theories surrounding it.

What happens when nine experienced hikers flee their tent in the middle of a Siberian winter, leaving behind their boots, gear, and any chance of a normal explanation? In 1959, the Dyatlov Pass Incident became one of the most famous unsolved mysteries in outdoor history. A group of young hikers set out into the Ural Mountains and never returned. When rescuers finally reached the scene, they found a tent cut open from the inside, strange injuries, missing gear, and more questions than answers. Joining me is Kevin Goldberg from the Distance to Empty podcast as we break down what actually happened, the evidence, the most popular theories, and a few theories that are probably not supported by science. We discuss avalanches, military testing, Soviet secrecy, hypothermia, survival decisions, and of course whether a Yeti may have been involved. This episode is a little different from the usual Free Outside conversations, but if you love the outdoors, adventure stories, and unsolved mysteries, you're going to enjoy this one. Let us know what you think happened at Dyatlov Pass. #DyatlovPass #OutdoorMystery #FreeOutsidePodcast #DistanceToEmpty #Hiking #Backpacking #TrueCrime…

People in this episode

Host: Jeff Garmire

Guest: Kevin Goldberg

Topics covered

  • unsolved mysteries
  • hiking
  • adventure stories
  • survival
  • Soviet history
  • theories

Keywords

  • Dyatlov Pass
  • hiking
  • mystery
  • Siberia
  • survival
  • theories
  • adventure
  • true crime

Sponsors

Sawyer, Janji, CS Coffee, Garage Grown Gear

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Distance to Empty

Places: Siberia, Ural Mountains

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