🔗 Share this article The World's Highest Peak Trekkers Report 'Extreme' Conditions as Massive Operation Continues Trekkers have described facing "harsh" situations after an unexpected blizzard during one of China's most crowded festive periods stranded numerous of people on Mount Everest, triggering a massive rescue operation. Evacuation Efforts In Progress Officials in China reported 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 tourists had journeyed to the region for "Golden Week," an eight-day festive break 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 individuals at campsites at an elevation 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 said on Weibo, detailing a "intense blizzard on the eastern slope" of Everest. "Glancing upward in the late hours and saw that the accumulation had almost covered the peak," shared another trekker on Xiaohongshu. "That was the first time I truly felt the terror of being engulfed by snow." Personal Accounts A hiker from China mentioned their party had been "too frightened to sleep" on that night as accumulation quickly piled up around their shelters, compelling them to clear it hourly. They decided to go down on Sunday as the weather worsened. "On the way, we met our guide’s parent who had come looking for him. It was then we discovered the snow was heavy in the lowlands too; villagers, unable to reach 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 draws high numbers of tourists for easier hiking, without summiting the peak. Visual Evidence Photos and video posted online depicted shelters buried in snow and lines of hikers walking through deep snowbanks to descend the mountain. "It was extremely thick, and the path very slick. Hikers stumbled frequently – some fell, some were jostled by pack animals," said one, who added that everyone made it down and were picked up by bus. Latest Developments By Sunday afternoon, approximately 350 people had arrived in Qudang, a village about 30 miles away from the Tibet-side starting point of Everest, "safe and sound," official sources announced. No fewer than 200 additional were still stranded but had been contacted, the reports indicated. Media outlets reported that hundreds of rescuers had ascended the mountain to help people and remove accumulation from blocking the exit route. Officials provided minimal updates or new details about the rescue effort on Monday. Uncertainty remained if the storm had impacted anyone on the northern side of Everest, also in Tibet. The region is tightly controlled by the Chinese government, and journalistic access is restricted. The weather also seemed to have disrupted local communications, with attempts to contact shops not connecting. A number of hikers reported electricity was cut in Qudang when they reached the town. Weather Patterns October is a busy period for the region, with typically calm and pleasant weather, but one trekker, among 18 participants of a trekking group that made it back to Qudang, commented that the weather this year was "unusual." "Our leader said he had not experienced conditions like this in October. And it occurred all too suddenly." The local tourism authority said ticket sales and access to the Everest Scenic Area were suspended from the weekend. Broader Effects Neighbouring countries were affected as well by extreme weather. Torrential downpours caused landslides and flash floods that have closed routes, washed away bridges, and killed at least 47 people since the start of the weekend in Nepal.