Unraveling the Dyatlov Pass mystery: Free program set for Oct. 18 in Shreve

The County Line Historical Society of Wayne/Holmes will host Adam Doc Fox, who will present a talk on the Dyatlov Pass Incident on Oct. 18 at 1 p.m. at the historic Shreve Presbyterian Church, 343 N. Market St., Shreve.

What really happened at the Dyatlov Pass Incident? Nine explorers died in the Ural Mountains of Siberia in February 1959. The bizarre way in which they perished has been tied to UFOs, KGB/CIA conspiracies, murder by the natives, infrasound, avalanches and a Yeti, to name a few theories. This story will take attendees down a rabbit hole that knows no bottom because none of the facts add up to a concrete conclusion.

One of the biggest oddities was the tent was cut from the inside. Reports have the weather ranging from minus 15 F to minus 40 F with strong wind gusts. The footprints leading away from the tent show hikers without boots, as toe prints were seen in the snow.

What would make nine experienced hikers cut a hole in their tent; leave coats, hats, boots and survival gear behind; and walk single-file down a tundra slope for a mile in the middle of the night to the tree line in brutal weather?

Fox has scaled the highest points in each of the contiguous United States, a feat known as highpointing. He also holds the highest level of rock certification from the American Mountain Guides Association. Fox is a mountaineer, climber, columnist and an Ashland native who has been writing for Richland Source properties.

Completing his undergrad work at the University of Cincinnati, Fox then moved to Spain, Colorado and San Diego before returning home to Ohio. Fox has done graduate nondegree work at Ohio State and Harvard. He has been in the thank-you credits for films that have premiered at Sundance, SXSW and Tribeca. His cold case work on the Dyatlov Pass landed him on the History Channel's "History's Greatest Mysteries," explaining his theory as to what happened to the dead hikers. He is happily married, and they have two young boys.

The free program will last about one hour. Parking is available across North Market Street from the church. For more information about the County Line Historical Society of Wayne/Holmes, visit County Line Historical Society of Wayne/Holmes on Facebook or email countylinehistoricalsociety@gmail.com.