🔗 Share this article Mount Everest Trekkers Describe 'Extreme' Weather as Large-Scale Operation Persists Trekkers have described encountering "extreme" conditions after an unexpected blizzard during one of China's most crowded festive periods stranded hundreds of individuals on Mount Everest, sparking a large-scale rescue operation. Rescue Operations In Progress Chinese authorities reported that approximately 350 people had made their way down but at least 200 were still trapped at the Everest Scenic Area, located to the eastern side of the mountain, on the Tibet side of the border. Large groups of visitors had journeyed to the area for "Golden Week," an week-long holiday period in China. However, local officials, who control the Tibetan Autonomous Region, confirmed heavy snowfall had affected the area on Friday and Saturday night, stranding numerous of people at tent sites at an altitude of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet). "It was the most extreme weather I've experienced in all my hiking experiences, without question," Dong Shuchang stated on Weibo, detailing a "intense snowstorm on the east face" of Everest. "I looked up in the late hours and saw that the accumulation had almost buried the top," shared a hiker on Xiaohongshu. "That was the initial instance I genuinely experienced the terror of being engulfed by snow." Personal Accounts A hiker from China said their group had been "too scared to sleep" on Saturday as snow rapidly built up around their tents, compelling them to clear it hourly. They chose to go down on Sunday as the conditions deteriorated. "On the way, we encountered our guide's father who had searched for him. It was then we learned the snow was intense in the valley too; locals, unable to contact their family on the mountain, were deeply concerned." The northern and eastern side of Everest is easier to reach than sites on the Nepal side of the border and attracts large crowds of visitors for less technical trekking, not requiring ascent of the peak. Online Documentation Photos and video posted online showed tents covered by snow and rows of trekkers walking through deep drifts to get down the mountain. "The snow was extremely thick, and the path very slick. Trekkers stumbled frequently – some fell, others were bumped by yaks," said one, who clarified that all safely descended and were transported by bus. Latest Developments By the weekend, approximately 350 people had arrived in Qudang, a village roughly 50 kilometers away from the Tibetan base camp of Everest, "safe and sound," official sources reported. No fewer than 200 additional remained trapped but had been reached, the updates said. Media outlets stated that hundreds of emergency workers had gone up the mountain to assist those trapped and clear snow from obstructing the way out. Officials provided minimal updates or new details about the operation on the following day. Uncertainty remained if the storm had affected anyone on the north face of Everest, within the same region. The region is strictly regulated by the authorities, and journalistic access is restricted. The conditions also seemed to have disrupted phone services, with calls to local businesses not connecting. A number of hikers said electricity was cut in Qudang when they reached the town. Seasonal Context October is a peak season for the area, with typically calm and pleasant conditions, but Chen Geshuang, one of 18 members of a trekking group that made it back to Qudang, said that the climate this year was "unusual." "The guide said he had never encountered conditions like this in October. And it happened all too suddenly." The regional travel department announced admissions and access to the Everest Scenic Area were suspended from Saturday. Regional Impact Neighbouring countries were affected as well by severe conditions. Heavy rains caused landslides and sudden flooding that have closed routes, washed away bridges, and killed at least 47 individuals since Friday in Nepal.