Two Girls One Ghost, Episode 349 — The Khamar-Daban Incident

Release Date: November 23, 2025
Hosts: Corinne Vien & Sabrina Deana-Roga

Episode Overview

In this chilling episode, Corinne and Sabrina explore the enigmatic and terrifying Khamar-Daban Incident—one of Siberia’s most baffling unsolved mysteries. Drawing comparisons to the infamous Dyatlov Pass tragedy, the hosts delve into the disturbing deaths of six experienced hikers in 1993, centering on survivor Valentina, whose traumatic experience raises more questions than answers. The episode also features a listener’s unnerving encounter in Yellowstone National Park, pushing the boundaries between the explainable and the supernatural.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Haunted Listeners and Podcast Warnings

[02:04-03:12]

• The hosts joke that their podcast episodes seem to "haunt" listeners, recounting stories of many reporting car problems after their Hinsdale House episodes.
• Quips about warning listeners against "adventuring," hiking, and entering the woods precede the episode's main mystery.

Quote:
"We haunted our listeners like no other. And this is why when we say, don't listen to an episode while driving..."
— Corinne (02:17)

The Khamar-Daban Mystery: What Happened?

[03:31–05:19]

• The incident took place in August 1993, in the Khamar-Daban Range, a remote mountain area in southern Siberia.
• Lyudmila Korovina, an experienced, highly respected survivalist, led six young hikers from Kazakhstan on a week-long trek.
  • Group included: Tatiana Filippenko, Alexander Kryshen, Dennis Shrachkin, Valentina Utrichenko (the survivor), Victoria Saltsova, and Timor Bapanov.
• Lyudmila, deemed a "master instructor," enforced boot-camp-style survival challenges in harsh conditions.

Quote:
"If you're going to go mountaineering... she was a very disciplined and trusted person... master instructor in hiking and survival."
— Sabrina (06:52)

The Tragedy Unfolds

[09:27–15:44]

• The hike begins uneventfully with good progress and spirits.
• On August 4th, a sudden storm forces the group to camp on an exposed slope.
• Next morning (August 5th), Alexander exhibits violent symptoms: screaming, blood from mouth/nose, convulsions.
• Quickly, others exhibit similar signs—seizures, frothing, self-harm in agony (Tatiana repeatedly bashes her head on a rock).
• Within 10 minutes, six out of seven are dead; only 17-year-old Valentina survives, traumatized and alone in the wilderness.
• Valentina escapes, survives several harrowing days, and is eventually rescued by kayakers.
• Rescue is neither immediate nor easy—authorities are slow to respond and initially skeptical.

Quote:
"She just witnessed all of her friends die this horrific, violent death. And now she's alone in the Siberian wilderness, just out there with, like, bodies surrounding her..."
— Corinne (13:55)

Aftermath: Autopsy & Official Confusion

[17:51–22:11]

• Bodies are found 19 days later; grisly details reported.
• Official cause of death: hypothermia for six, heart attack for Lyudmila; survivor’s testimony contradicts these findings.
• Autopsies report pulmonary edema (fluid in lungs), signs of internal bleeding, pronounced malnourishment—all inconsistent with timing and survivor report.
• Malnourishment is strange for a week-long trip with highly-trained hikers.

Quote:
"The official cause of death was hypothermia. What, for six of them? No. I don't buy it."
— Corinne (19:10)

The Theories — Rational, Paranoid, and Supernatural

[26:02–36:41]

Official Theories:

• Government sticks to hypothermia, closes case.
• Some speculate on hypothermia-induced irrationality (paradoxical undressing, hallucinations), but hosts dismiss this given the rapid onset of symptoms and bleeding.

Scientific/Rational Theories:

• Potential poisonous mushroom or berry ingestion (though unlikely all but one ate them).
• Water contaminated by Soviet-era industrial or chemical waste (possible, but not conclusively supported by evidence).
• Secret military chemical testing—possible nerve agent exposure.
  • Could connect to documented Soviet "chemical defense" programs, but details remain murky, complicated by lack of direct evidence and Cold War-era secrecy.

Supernatural & Indigenous Lore:

• Host recounts local Buryat beliefs: the mountains are home to potent spiritual entities—guardians and sometimes malevolent forces.
• Rumors of "dangerous spirits," odd feelings of dread, mysterious orbs, and anomalous screams heard in the mountains post-incident.
• Parallels with Dyatlov Pass and other Siberian tragedies fuel further supernatural speculation.

Quote:
"They believe the mountains are alive. Not metaphorically, but, like, literally alive. And that there are spiritual entities living here, Guardians of balance..."
— Sabrina (29:18)

Conspiracy Corner:

• Suggestions of electromagnetic anomalies, Soviet nerve agent tests, and military cover-ups.
• Hosts debate plausibility; acknowledge how murky information can be when researching Russian mountain lore, especially for Westerners.

Quote:
"Apparently the tests were not always accounted for. There wasn't really good reporting done... people are wondering like, is this what happened here?"
— Sabrina (34:10)

Parallels to the Dyatlov Pass

[36:42–38:47]

• Recap Dyatlov Pass (1959): Similar pattern of sudden, violent, unexplained deaths among experienced hikers; rumors of avalanche, radiation, and supernatural causes.
• Recent research suggests specific environmental avalanche, but that explanation doesn't neatly transfer to Khamar-Daban due to absence of snow and other differing conditions.

Quote:
"Remote mountain range, very experienced hikers... very sudden violent deaths and no clear cause."
— Sabrina (37:20)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• "Sometimes the most prepared people still... were human." — Corinne (13:44)
• "After all that, that might have come to her mind. And so I have no idea what she actually did to survive..." — Sabrina (17:24)
• "We're not in the US for this one. Instead we're going to be talking about six young hikers screaming, blood streaming from their noses and mouths..." — Sabrina (03:33)
• "To treat the mountain with respect. And if the indigenous people say, don't go into the mountain, definitely be very careful..." — Sabrina (31:12)

Listener Story: Yellowstone National Park Encounter

[46:41–60:12]

A Real-life Encounter with the Unexplainable

Anonymous Listener Submission

Summary:

• Listener, their sister, and a friend stay behind while co-workers embark on an experienced group hike in Yellowstone.
• When the hikers return hours late, the trio sets out in the night to check on them.
• At the trailhead, they experience supernatural silence—no night sounds at all.
• A bizarre, non-animal, non-human but "almost human" laugh echoes, sending them running in terror.
• Their friends arrive back at the dorms soon after, reporting nothing unusual—just a late finish due to delays.
• The groups never heard each other, despite physical proximity.

Quote (Listener):
"A human laugh. Except it wasn't human. This was ten times louder than any person could possibly laugh. And it sounded almost identical to a real laugh, but twisted, exaggerated, wrong."
— Anonymous Listener (53:32)

Host Analysis:

• Hosts suggest connections to "flesh pedestrians" (their term for cryptid/skinwalker-like entities) and the supernatural—especially given the silence, displaced time, and eerily mimicked laughter.
• Deep unease about how sound didn't carry, and hikers' unexplained hours-long delay.

Notable Timestamps

• 03:31 — Introduction to Khamar-Daban incident & initial setup
• 09:27 — Group sets out, storm strikes, timeline to tragedy
• 11:32 — Alexander's agonizing symptoms begin
• 13:55 — Valentina, the lone survivor, flees
• 17:51 — Recovery of bodies and inconsistencies in autopsies
• 26:02 — Beginning of theory discussion ("Theoryland")
• 29:18 — Indigenous spiritual explanations
• 34:10 — Military and chemical weapon conspiracies
• 36:42 — Dyatlov Pass comparison
• 46:41 — Listener story: Yellowstone encounter
• 53:32 — The inhuman laugh at the trailhead
• 58:24 — Listeners' group never hears the searchers, timeline anomaly

Final Thoughts

• Hosts remain unconvinced of hypothermia as a cause and lean toward a physical (toxin, nerve agent) or, secondarily, supernatural explanation.
• Both note the uniqueness and horror of the Khamar-Daban tragedy.
• The episode blends careful research, dark humor, and an appreciation for both rational and paranormal explanations.
• Listener stories add a contemporary, relatable, and deeply creepy edge, reinforcing the recurring show theme: nature’s mysteries may sometimes be best left unexplained.

Closing Quote

"The Kamar Daban Incident remains one of the most baffling mysteries. There's horror, there's blood, and there's one lone survivor. Which makes you wonder: what is hiding in these mountains, and will you ever be safe?"
— Sabrina (44:15)

For more listener tales and deep dives into the world’s strangest supernatural mysteries, check out further episodes of Two Girls One Ghost. And be careful where—and how—you listen!