The World's Highest Peak Hikers Describe 'Severe' Weather as Massive Operation Persists

Hikers have recounted encountering "harsh" situations after an unexpected blizzard during one of China's most crowded festive periods trapped hundreds of individuals on Mount Everest, triggering a massive rescue effort.

Evacuation Efforts In Progress

Chinese authorities stated that approximately 350 individuals had made their way down but at least 200 were still trapped at the Everest Scenic Area, located to the east of the mountain, on the Tibetan side of the border.

Large groups of tourists had traveled to the region for "Golden Week," an week-long festive break in China. However, local officials, who administer the Tibetan Autonomous Region, confirmed 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).

"It was the most extreme conditions I've ever faced in all my trekking experiences, without question," Dong Shuchang said on Weibo, detailing a "intense snowstorm on the eastern slope" of Everest.

"I looked up in the late hours and saw that the snow had almost buried the top," said another trekker on a social platform. "That was the first time I genuinely experienced the fear of being engulfed by snow."

Eyewitness Reports

One Chinese trekker mentioned their party had been "too frightened to sleep" on that night as accumulation rapidly built up around their tents, forcing them to remove it every 90 minutes. They chose to go down on the next day as the weather worsened.

"On the way, we met our guide’s parent who had come looking for him. It was then we learned the snow was heavy in the valley as well; villagers, unable to contact 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 attracts large crowds of tourists for less technical trekking, without summiting the peak.

Visual Evidence

Images and footage shared on the internet showed tents buried in snow and lines of hikers moving through waist-high snowbanks to descend the mountain.

"The snow was extremely thick, and the path very slick. Trekkers stumbled frequently – some fell, others were bumped by pack animals," said one, who added that everyone made it down and were transported by bus.

Current Status

By Sunday afternoon, about 350 individuals had arrived in Qudang, a village roughly 50 kilometers away from the Tibetan starting point of Everest, "safe and sound," official sources reported.

At least 200 additional were still stranded but had been contacted, the reports said. Media outlets stated that hundreds of emergency workers had ascended the mountain to assist those trapped and remove accumulation from obstructing the way out.

There was little official reporting or new details about the operation on Monday. It was also not clear if the weather had affected anyone on the north face of Everest, also in Tibet. The area is strictly regulated by the authorities, and media entry is limited. The weather also appears to have have affected local communications, with attempts to contact shops failing. A number of hikers reported power was out in Qudang when they arrived.

Seasonal Context

Autumn is a peak season for the region, with usually calm and pleasant weather, but Chen Geshuang, one of 18 participants of a hiking party that made it back to Qudang, said that the weather this year was "not normal."

"The guide said he had not experienced such weather in October. And it happened all too suddenly."

The regional travel department said ticket sales and entry to the Everest Scenic Area were suspended from the weekend.

Regional Impact

Neighbouring countries were affected as well by severe conditions. Torrential downpours caused landslides and flash floods that have closed routes, washed away bridges, and claimed the lives of at least 47 people since the start of the weekend in Nepal.