🔗 Share this article The World's Highest Peak Hikers Describe 'Extreme' Conditions as Large-Scale Rescue Effort Continues Hikers have described encountering "harsh" conditions after an unexpected snowstorm during one of China's most crowded festive periods stranded hundreds of people on Mount Everest, sparking a massive rescue operation. Rescue Operations Underway Officials in China reported that approximately 350 people had made their way down but at least 200 remained stranded at the Everest Scenic Area, located to the east of the mountain, on the Tibetan side of the border. Large groups of visitors had traveled to the area for "Golden Week," an eight-day festive break in China. However, local officials, who control the Tibetan Autonomous Region, said intense snow had hit the area on Friday and Saturday night, stranding hundreds of individuals at tent sites at an altitude of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet). "This was the harshest weather I've ever faced in all my trekking adventures, undoubtedly," Dong Shuchang stated on social media, describing a "violent convective blizzard on the east face" of Everest. "I looked up in the late hours and noticed that the snow had almost covered the top," said another trekker on a social platform. "That was the first time I genuinely experienced the terror of being buried alive." Personal Accounts A hiker from China said their group had been "too frightened to sleep" on Saturday as snow quickly piled up around their shelters, compelling them to remove it hourly. They decided to descend on the next day as the conditions deteriorated. "During the descent, we met our guide’s parent who had come looking for him. That's when we discovered the snow was heavy in the valley as well; villagers, unable to reach their family on the mountain, were deeply concerned." The north and east side of Everest is easier to reach than sites on the Nepal side of the border and draws large crowds of tourists for less technical hiking, not requiring ascent of the peak. Online Documentation Photos and video posted online showed tents buried in snow and rows of trekkers walking through waist-high drifts to get down the mountain. "It was very deep, and the trail extremely slippery. Trekkers often slipped – a few tumbled, others were bumped by pack animals," noted a trekker, who added that all safely descended and were picked up by bus. Current Status By the weekend, about 350 people had reached Qudang, a small town about 30 miles away from the Tibet-side base camp of Everest, "safe and sound," official sources reported. At least 200 more were still stranded but had been reached, the updates indicated. Local news reported that scores of emergency workers had gone up the mountain to assist those trapped and clear snow from obstructing the exit route. Officials provided 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 strictly regulated by the authorities, and media entry is restricted. The weather also seemed to have affected local communications, with calls to local businesses failing. Several trekkers said electricity was cut in Qudang when they reached the town. Seasonal Context Autumn is a peak season for the area, with typically calm and pleasant conditions, but Chen Geshuang, one of 18 participants of a trekking group that returned to Qudang, commented that the weather this year was "unusual." "The guide told us he had not experienced such weather in the fall. And it happened very abruptly." The regional travel department announced ticket sales and access to the Everest Scenic Area were suspended from the weekend. Broader Effects Adjacent nations were also hit by severe conditions. Torrential downpours triggered landslides and sudden flooding that have closed routes, washed away bridges, and claimed the lives of at least 47 people since Friday in Nepal.