Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident

Read or watch another book or documentary that seeks to explain what happened in the Dyatlov Pass incident. Compare and contrast the two texts. What details does each stress or dismiss? Why?

Why is Eichar so interested in the Dyatlov Pass mystery, given that he has no personal connection to it? Does his book offer indirect answers about why he went to so much effort to try and solve this mystery?

How does Eichar present himself as an authority on the subject of the Dyatlov mystery? As a reader, did you ever doubt his expertise? Why or why not?

How does Eichar characterize the people involved in the Dyatlov incident, including the hikers, search party members, family members, or investigators? How does this impact the reading experience?

How did the political environment in the Soviet Union in 1959 contribute to the Dyatlov Pass incident and to the investigation that followed?

What techniques from fiction writing does Eichar use to add tension, sensationalism, and suspense to his narrative?

Conduct a close reading of the final chapter of Dead Mountain. How does Eichar account for all of the strange details of the incident? How do the preceding chapters foreshadow Eichar’s conclusions?

Why did Eichar personally retrace the hikers’ steps as he researched his story? How did his physical and emotional journey parallel that of the hikers?