Mount Everest Trekkers Describe 'Extreme' Conditions as Large-Scale Operation Persists

Trekkers have recounted encountering "harsh" situations after an unexpected blizzard during one of China's most crowded holiday weekends trapped numerous of individuals on Mount Everest, sparking a massive rescue effort.

Rescue Operations In Progress

Officials in China stated that around 350 individuals had descended safely but at least 200 remained stranded at the Everest Scenic Area, situated to the east 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 festive break in China. However, local officials, who control the Tibetan Autonomous Region, said heavy snowfall had affected the area on Friday and Saturday night, trapping numerous of people at campsites 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 adventures, without question," Dong Shuchang said on social media, describing a "intense blizzard on the east face" of Everest.

"I looked up in the middle of the night and noticed that the accumulation had nearly covered the peak," shared another trekker on a social platform. "That was the initial instance I genuinely experienced the terror of being buried alive."

Eyewitness Reports

One Chinese trekker said their group had been "too frightened to sleep" on Saturday as accumulation quickly piled up around their tents, forcing them to clear it hourly. They decided to go down on the next day as the conditions worsened.

"During the descent, we encountered our guide’s parent who had come looking for him. It was then we discovered the storm was heavy in the valley too; villagers, unable to contact their family on the mountain, were deeply concerned."

The north and east side of Everest is more accessible than locations on the Nepal side of the border and attracts high numbers of visitors for less technical hiking, without summiting the peak.

Visual Evidence

Images and footage shared on the internet depicted shelters buried in snow and rows of hikers moving through waist-high drifts to descend the mountain.

"It was very deep, and the trail very slick. Hikers often slipped – some fell, 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 arrived in Qudang, a village roughly 50 kilometers away from the Tibetan base camp of Everest, "safe and sound," state media reported.

No fewer than 200 additional remained trapped but had been reached, the reports indicated. Local news reported that hundreds of emergency workers had ascended the mountain to help people and clear snow from obstructing the exit route.

There was little official reporting or updated information about the rescue effort on the following day. It was also not clear if the weather had affected individuals on the north face of Everest, also in Tibet. The region is tightly controlled by the Chinese government, and media entry is restricted. The weather also seemed to have affected local communications, with attempts to contact shops 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 clear and mild conditions, but Chen Geshuang, among 18 participants of a hiking party that returned to Qudang, commented that the weather this year was "unusual."

"The guide told us he had not experienced conditions like this in the fall. And it happened all too suddenly."

The local tourism authority announced ticket sales and access to the Everest Scenic Area were halted from the weekend.

Regional Impact

Neighbouring countries were affected as well by extreme weather. Heavy rains caused mudslides and sudden flooding that have blocked roads, destroyed crossings, and killed at least 47 individuals since Friday in Nepal.