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Trekkers have recounted encountering "extreme" conditions after an unexpected blizzard during one of China's most crowded holiday weekends stranded hundreds of individuals on Mount Everest, triggering a large-scale rescue operation.

Evacuation Efforts In Progress

Chinese authorities reported that around 350 individuals had made their way down but at least 200 were still trapped at the Everest Scenic Area, situated to the eastern side of the mountain, on the Tibet side of the border.

Large groups of tourists had traveled to the region for "Golden Week," an week-long holiday period in China. However, Chinese authorities, who control the Tibetan Autonomous Region, confirmed intense snow had hit the area on the weekend, trapping numerous of individuals at campsites at an altitude of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"This was the harshest weather I've ever faced in all my hiking adventures, without question," 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 saw that the accumulation had nearly covered the peak," shared a hiker on Xiaohongshu. "That was the initial instance I genuinely experienced the fear of being engulfed by snow."

Eyewitness Reports

One Chinese trekker said their party had been "too scared to sleep" on Saturday as snow quickly piled up around their shelters, forcing them to clear it hourly. They chose to go down on Sunday as the weather deteriorated.

"On the way, we encountered our guide’s parent who had searched for him. It was then we discovered the snow was intense in the valley as well; villagers, unable to reach their family on the mountain, were deeply concerned."

The north and east side of Everest is more accessible than sites on the neighboring side of the border and draws large crowds of tourists for less technical trekking, not requiring ascent of the peak.

Online Documentation

Photos and video shared on the internet depicted tents buried in snow and lines of hikers moving through waist-high drifts to get down the mountain.

"The snow was extremely thick, and the path extremely slippery. Hikers stumbled frequently – a few tumbled, others were bumped by pack animals," noted a trekker, who clarified that all safely descended and were transported by bus.

Current Status

By the weekend, approximately 350 people had reached Qudang, a small town about 30 miles away from the Tibet-side starting point of Everest, "in good health," state media reported.

No fewer than 200 additional remained trapped but had been reached, the reports indicated. Media outlets reported that hundreds of rescuers had gone up the mountain to assist those trapped and clear snow from obstructing the way out.

Officials provided minimal updates or updated information about the rescue effort on the following day. It was also not clear if the weather had affected anyone on the northern side of Everest, within the same region. The region is strictly regulated by the authorities, and journalistic access is limited. The conditions also seemed to have affected local communications, with calls to local businesses failing. Several trekkers reported electricity was cut in Qudang when they reached the town.

Weather Patterns

Autumn is a peak season for the region, with typically clear and mild 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 "not normal."

"Our leader said he had never encountered conditions like this in October. And it happened very abruptly."

The regional travel department announced admissions and entry to the Everest Scenic Area were suspended from Saturday.

Broader Effects

Neighbouring countries were also hit by severe conditions. Torrential downpours triggered mudslides and sudden flooding that have closed routes, destroyed crossings, and claimed the lives of at least 47 people since Friday in Nepal.