The World's Highest Peak Trekkers Describe 'Extreme' Weather as Large-Scale Rescue Effort Persists

Trekkers have described facing "extreme" situations after an unseasonable snowstorm during one of China's most crowded festive periods stranded numerous of individuals on Mount Everest, sparking a massive rescue effort.

Rescue Operations Underway

Officials in China stated that approximately 350 people had made their way down but at least 200 were still trapped at the Everest Scenic Area, situated 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 eight-day holiday period in China. However, Chinese authorities, who control the Tibetan Autonomous Region, confirmed heavy snowfall had affected the area on the weekend, trapping numerous of people at tent sites at an altitude of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"This was the harshest conditions I've experienced in all my hiking experiences, undoubtedly," a Chinese trekker stated on social media, detailing a "violent convective blizzard on the east face" of Everest.

"I looked up in the middle of the night and noticed that the accumulation had almost buried the top," said a hiker on Xiaohongshu. "That was the first time I truly felt the fear of being buried alive."

Eyewitness Reports

A hiker from China mentioned their group had been "too frightened to sleep" on Saturday as accumulation rapidly built up around their tents, compelling them to clear it every 90 minutes. They decided to go down on the next day as the weather deteriorated.

"On the way, we met our guide's father who had searched for him. That's when we discovered the snow was heavy in the valley as well; locals, unable to contact their family on the mountain, were deeply concerned."

The north and east side of Everest is more accessible than sites on the Nepal side of the border and draws high numbers of tourists for easier trekking, without summiting the peak.

Visual Evidence

Images and footage shared on the internet showed tents covered by snow and rows of trekkers moving through waist-high drifts to get down the mountain.

"The snow was very deep, and the trail extremely slippery. Trekkers often slipped – some fell, some were jostled by yaks," noted a trekker, who clarified that all safely descended and were transported by bus.

Current Status

By the weekend, about 350 individuals had reached Qudang, a small town roughly 50 kilometers away from the Tibet-side starting point of Everest, "safe and sound," state media announced.

At least 200 more remained trapped but had been contacted, the updates indicated. Local news stated that scores of rescuers had ascended the mountain to help people and clear snow from obstructing the exit route.

There was minimal updates or new details about the operation on Monday. It was also not clear if the weather had impacted individuals on the north face of Everest, within the same region. The area is strictly regulated by the Chinese government, and journalistic access is limited. The weather also seemed to have disrupted phone services, with calls to local businesses 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 area, with typically calm and pleasant weather, but one trekker, among 18 members of a trekking group that returned to Qudang, said that the climate this year was "unusual."

"Our leader told us he had not experienced such weather in October. And it happened very abruptly."

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

Broader Effects

Neighbouring countries were also hit by extreme weather. Torrential downpours triggered landslides and sudden flooding that have blocked roads, washed away bridges, and killed at least 47 people since Friday in Nepal.