The territory at the foot of the Kikhpinych volcano in the Kronotsky Nature Reserve represents a rare environment where local wildlife perishes annually due to toxic volcanic fumes. The site was discovered 41 years after the establishment of the protected area, with the initial discovery recorded on two separate dates. On July 28, 1975, volcanologists Vladimir Leonov and Viktor Deryagin located the valley while exploring the canyon of the Geysernaya River. Three days later, on July 31, forestry ranger Vladimir Kalyaev and a group from the Regional Tourism Council reached the location from the opposite direction.
Known as the Valley of Death, the area spans approximately 2 kilometers in length and 100–500 meters in width. It is located 7 kilometers in a straight line from the Valley of Geysers. Animal fatalities occur here because of a high concentration of gases, primarily hydrogen sulfide, along with carbon dioxide, carbon disulfide, and other chemical compounds. The toxic fumes settle directly above the ground, causing the deaths of mostly small mammals and birds that enter the zone.
Visitors can observe the landscape of the Valley of Death from an observation deck during helicopter tours. Additionally, a hiking trail connects the Valley of Geysers to the site. The round trip takes a full day to complete. To ensure safety from the toxic gases, the pedestrian route is specifically laid out to pass exclusively along well-ventilated slopes – a measure that protects tourists from the dangerous ground-level accumulations.