đŸ”— Share this article The World's Highest Peak Hikers Describe 'Extreme' Conditions as Massive Operation Persists Trekkers have recounted encountering "harsh" conditions after an unexpected snowstorm during one of China's most crowded holiday weekends trapped hundreds of individuals on Mount Everest, triggering a massive rescue operation. Rescue Operations Underway Chinese authorities reported that approximately 350 people had descended safely but at least 200 remained stranded at the Everest Scenic Area, located to the east of the mountain, on the Tibetan side of the border. Large groups of visitors had traveled to the area for "Golden Week," an eight-day festive break in China. However, Chinese authorities, who administer the Tibetan Autonomous Region, said heavy snowfall had affected the area on Friday and Saturday night, stranding numerous of people at campsites at an elevation of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet). "It was the harshest conditions I've experienced in all my trekking adventures, without question," a Chinese trekker stated on social media, detailing a "intense blizzard on the east face" of Everest. "Glancing upward in the middle of the night and noticed that the snow had almost covered the peak," said another trekker on Xiaohongshu. "That was the first time I genuinely experienced the terror of being engulfed by snow." Eyewitness Reports A hiker from China said their party had been "too scared to sleep" on Saturday as accumulation quickly piled up around their shelters, compelling them to remove it hourly. They chose to go down on Sunday as the conditions worsened. "On the way, we encountered our guide's father who had come looking for him. It was then we discovered the storm was intense in the lowlands 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 sites on the neighboring side of the border and attracts large crowds of visitors for easier trekking, without summiting the peak. Online Documentation Images and footage shared on the internet showed tents covered by snow and lines of trekkers walking through deep snowbanks to get down the mountain. "The snow was very deep, and the path extremely slippery. Trekkers stumbled frequently – some fell, some were jostled by pack animals," noted a trekker, who clarified that everyone made it down and were transported by bus. Current Status By Sunday afternoon, about 350 people had reached Qudang, a village about 30 miles away from the Tibetan starting point of Everest, "in good health," official sources announced. At least 200 additional were still stranded but had been contacted, the updates said. Media outlets stated that hundreds of rescuers had gone up the mountain to assist those trapped and remove accumulation from obstructing the exit route. There was minimal updates or updated information about the rescue effort on the following day. Uncertainty remained if the storm had affected anyone on the north face of Everest, also in Tibet. The region is strictly regulated by the Chinese government, and journalistic access is limited. The conditions also seemed to have disrupted local communications, with attempts to contact shops failing. Several trekkers said electricity was cut in Qudang when they arrived. Weather Patterns October is a busy period for the region, with typically calm and pleasant conditions, but Chen Geshuang, one of 18 participants of a hiking party that made it back to Qudang, commented that the climate this year was "unusual." "The guide said he had never encountered conditions like this in October. And it happened all too suddenly." The regional travel department announced ticket sales and entry to the Everest Scenic Area were halted from Saturday. Broader Effects Neighbouring countries were also hit by extreme weather. Torrential downpours caused landslides and sudden flooding that have closed routes, washed away bridges, and killed at least 47 individuals since Friday in Nepal.