Mount Everest Hikers Report 'Severe' Conditions as Large-Scale Operation Persists

Hikers have recounted encountering "extreme" conditions after an unexpected blizzard during one of China's busiest festive periods trapped numerous of people on Mount Everest, sparking a massive rescue operation.

Rescue Operations In Progress

Chinese authorities stated that around 350 individuals had descended safely but at least 200 remained stranded at the Everest Scenic Area, situated to the eastern side of the mountain, on the Tibetan side of the border.

Large groups of visitors had journeyed to the region for "Golden Week," an eight-day holiday period in China. However, local officials, who control the Tibetan Autonomous Region, said intense snow had affected the area on the weekend, trapping hundreds of people at campsites at an elevation of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"This was the harshest conditions I've experienced in all my hiking adventures, undoubtedly," a Chinese trekker stated on social media, describing a "violent convective blizzard on the eastern slope" of Everest.

"I looked up in the late hours and noticed that the accumulation had nearly covered the peak," shared a hiker on Xiaohongshu. "It was the first time I truly felt 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 chose to descend on the next day as the conditions deteriorated.

"On the way, we met our guide's father who had searched for him. That's when we discovered the snow was intense in the valley too; villagers, unable to reach their family on the mountain, were extremely worried."

The north and east side of Everest is easier to reach than locations on the neighboring side of the border and draws large crowds of visitors for less technical trekking, not requiring ascent of the peak.

Visual Evidence

Photos and video shared on the internet showed tents buried in snow and lines of trekkers moving 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 yaks," said one, who clarified that all safely descended and were transported by bus.

Latest Developments

By Sunday afternoon, about 350 individuals had reached Qudang, a small town roughly 50 kilometers away from the Tibet-side base camp of Everest, "in good health," state media announced.

No fewer than 200 more remained trapped but had been contacted, the reports said. Media outlets stated that hundreds of emergency workers had gone up the mountain to assist those trapped and clear snow from blocking the exit route.

There was minimal updates or updated information about the operation on Monday. Uncertainty remained if the storm had affected anyone on the northern side of Everest, within the same region. The region is tightly controlled by the authorities, and media entry is limited. The weather also seemed to have disrupted local communications, with calls to local businesses failing. A number of hikers reported electricity was cut in Qudang when they reached the town.

Seasonal Context

October is a peak season for the region, with usually calm and pleasant conditions, but one trekker, among 18 participants of a trekking group that made it back to Qudang, said that the climate this year was "unusual."

"Our leader told us he had not experienced conditions like this in October. And it occurred very abruptly."

The local tourism authority announced admissions and entry to the Everest Scenic Area were suspended from the weekend.

Regional Impact

Neighbouring countries were affected as well by extreme weather. Torrential downpours caused mudslides and sudden flooding that have closed routes, washed away bridges, and killed at least 47 individuals since the start of the weekend in the neighboring country.