🔗 Share this article The World's Highest Peak Hikers Describe 'Severe' Weather as Massive Operation Persists Trekkers have recounted encountering "extreme" situations after an unseasonable blizzard during one of China's most crowded holiday weekends stranded numerous of individuals on Mount Everest, triggering a large-scale rescue effort. Rescue Operations Underway Chinese authorities reported that approximately 350 people had descended safely but at least 200 were still trapped at the Everest Scenic Area, situated to the east of the mountain, on the Tibetan side of the border. Crowds of tourists had journeyed to the region for "Golden Week," an week-long holiday period in China. However, local officials, who administer the Tibetan Autonomous Region, said intense snow had hit the area on Friday and Saturday night, trapping hundreds of people at campsites at an altitude of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet). "This was the most extreme weather I've ever faced in all my hiking experiences, without question," Dong Shuchang said on social media, describing a "violent convective snowstorm on the east face" of Everest. "Glancing upward in the late hours and saw that the snow had almost covered the peak," shared a hiker on Xiaohongshu. "It was the initial instance I genuinely experienced the terror of being engulfed by snow." Eyewitness Reports A hiker from China said their party had been "too frightened to sleep" on Saturday as snow quickly piled up around their shelters, compelling them to clear it hourly. They chose to descend on Sunday as the weather worsened. "During the descent, we encountered our guide’s parent who had come looking for him. It was then we learned the snow was intense in the lowlands as well; locals, unable to reach their family on the mountain, were deeply concerned." The northern and eastern side of Everest is more accessible than locations on the neighboring side of the border and draws high numbers of tourists for easier trekking, not requiring ascent of the peak. Online Documentation Images and footage shared on the internet depicted tents covered by snow and lines of hikers walking through waist-high drifts to descend the mountain. "The snow was very deep, and the trail extremely slippery. Hikers often slipped – some fell, others were bumped by pack animals," noted a trekker, who added that all safely descended and were transported by bus. Current Status By Sunday afternoon, approximately 350 people had arrived in Qudang, a small town roughly 50 kilometers away from the Tibetan starting point of Everest, "safe and sound," state media announced. At least 200 more remained trapped but had been contacted, the updates said. Local news reported that scores of rescuers had ascended the mountain to help people and remove accumulation from blocking the way out. There was minimal updates or new details about the rescue effort on the following day. It was also not clear if the storm had affected individuals on the northern side of Everest, within the same region. The area is tightly controlled by the authorities, and media entry is restricted. The conditions also seemed to have affected local communications, with attempts to contact shops failing. Several trekkers said electricity was cut in Qudang when they arrived. Seasonal Context October is a busy period for the region, with typically calm and pleasant weather, but one trekker, one of 18 participants of a hiking party that returned to Qudang, said that the weather this year was "unusual." "Our leader said he had not experienced conditions like this in the fall. And it happened very abruptly." The local tourism authority said admissions and access to the Everest Scenic Area were halted from Saturday. Broader Effects Adjacent nations were affected as well by severe conditions. Heavy rains caused mudslides and flash floods that have closed routes, washed away bridges, and claimed the lives of at least 47 individuals since Friday in the neighboring country.