John Ballen

But there's no sign of anything that could have done this damage. And so they're all deceased. And so the Soviet government, they launch an investigation. And during this investigation, they discover that there was a huge military exercise, a Russian military exercise taking place in the Ural Mountains who had no idea about these hikers.

But there's no sign of anything that could have done this damage. And so they're all deceased. And so the Soviet government, they launch an investigation. And during this investigation, they discover that there was a huge military exercise, a Russian military exercise taking place in the Ural Mountains who had no idea about these hikers.

They have no clue that the level three mountaineering test is going on. That's not even on their radar. And they're, you know, 15, 20 miles away.

They have no clue that the level three mountaineering test is going on. That's not even on their radar. And they're, you know, 15, 20 miles away.

And one of their senior commanders on the same night that it's believed the hikers all died and whatever happened to them happened, he began noticing all these strange lights in the sky over the Ural Mountains going up and down and moving all around to the point where he actually thought it was another country, a foreign country. Are they invading us?

And one of their senior commanders on the same night that it's believed the hikers all died and whatever happened to them happened, he began noticing all these strange lights in the sky over the Ural Mountains going up and down and moving all around to the point where he actually thought it was another country, a foreign country. Are they invading us?

And he literally thought it was like an invasion of Russia. And he sent out messages to say, hey, what's happening over there? Having no idea that he was pointing to the one spot where these hikers were. So during this investigation, they discover that families are clamoring for information about their lost loved ones. Nobody has any idea what's going on.

And he literally thought it was like an invasion of Russia. And he sent out messages to say, hey, what's happening over there? Having no idea that he was pointing to the one spot where these hikers were. So during this investigation, they discover that families are clamoring for information about their lost loved ones. Nobody has any idea what's going on.

And suddenly the Soviet government says, oh, we're going to shut this investigation down. All we know is that the nine hikers who died, died from an unknown, unnatural force. Sealed. Sealed.

And suddenly the Soviet government says, oh, we're going to shut this investigation down. All we know is that the nine hikers who died, died from an unknown, unnatural force. Sealed. Sealed.

And to date, even though there was actually a recent – a reinvestigation done in 2020, it's remained like one of the great unsolved mysteries in part because it's got this like, oh, the Russian government sealed it and there's more information. What do they mean unknown, unnatural force? But there's pictures of the tent, of the bodies, of all this stuff. And so I –

And to date, even though there was actually a recent – a reinvestigation done in 2020, it's remained like one of the great unsolved mysteries in part because it's got this like, oh, the Russian government sealed it and there's more information. What do they mean unknown, unnatural force? But there's pictures of the tent, of the bodies, of all this stuff. And so I –

I always thought that was a fascinating story. And I love stories like that. And I was at this water park in Pennsylvania with my family, an indoor water park. And at this point, I've exhausted the one list. Nothing's worked on social media. And this new thing, TikTok, had sort of begun to happen. I didn't really even know what it was.

I always thought that was a fascinating story. And I love stories like that. And I was at this water park in Pennsylvania with my family, an indoor water park. And at this point, I've exhausted the one list. Nothing's worked on social media. And this new thing, TikTok, had sort of begun to happen. I didn't really even know what it was.

But I was like, maybe I'll try posting on there because it's a new platform. Maybe that'll work. And I was like, but I bet I want to try something else, you know, because these ideas haven't worked. And so like in my hotel room, I tell my wife and three kids, like, go down the water park. I'll meet you down there in a minute. And I just pull out the phone and I do a 60-second rendition of that.

But I was like, maybe I'll try posting on there because it's a new platform. Maybe that'll work. And I was like, but I bet I want to try something else, you know, because these ideas haven't worked. And so like in my hotel room, I tell my wife and three kids, like, go down the water park. I'll meet you down there in a minute. And I just pull out the phone and I do a 60-second rendition of that.

And I was like, hey, you know, at the end of this, you're going to Google two words. And I tell this brief story about this crazy mystery. And I'm like, that's called the Dyatlov Pass mystery. That's the name of the pass they were in when they were found. And I post this video to my account that has no followers. It's like the Mr. Ballin account. There's a story behind that.

And I was like, hey, you know, at the end of this, you're going to Google two words. And I tell this brief story about this crazy mystery. And I'm like, that's called the Dyatlov Pass mystery. That's the name of the pass they were in when they were found. And I post this video to my account that has no followers. It's like the Mr. Ballin account. There's a story behind that.

But it's a nothing account. Post it and really no expectation that this is going to amount to anything. I leave my phone in the room because I'm going down to the water park. I can't waterproof my phone. I'll be with my kids. And when I came back up a few hours later and I picked up my phone, I couldn't even get it to turn on. Like it was like – I was like, oh, is it power dead? Yeah.

But it's a nothing account. Post it and really no expectation that this is going to amount to anything. I leave my phone in the room because I'm going down to the water park. I can't waterproof my phone. I'll be with my kids. And when I came back up a few hours later and I picked up my phone, I couldn't even get it to turn on. Like it was like – I was like, oh, is it power dead? Yeah.