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Hikers have described facing "harsh" conditions after an unexpected blizzard during one of China's most crowded holiday weekends trapped hundreds of people on Mount Everest, sparking a large-scale rescue effort.

Rescue Operations Underway

Chinese authorities reported that approximately 350 people had descended safely but at least 200 were still trapped at the Everest Scenic Area, located to the eastern side of the mountain, on the Tibetan side of the border.

Large groups of visitors had traveled to the region for "Golden Week," an eight-day festive break in China. However, local officials, who administer the Tibetan Autonomous Region, confirmed heavy snowfall had affected the area on Friday and Saturday night, trapping hundreds of individuals at tent sites at an altitude of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"It was the harshest conditions I've experienced in all my trekking adventures, undoubtedly," a Chinese trekker stated on Weibo, describing a "violent convective snowstorm on the east face" of Everest.

"I looked up in the late hours and noticed that the snow had almost buried the peak," shared another trekker on Xiaohongshu. "It was the first time I truly felt the terror of being engulfed by snow."

Eyewitness Reports

One Chinese trekker mentioned their party had been "too scared to sleep" on that night as accumulation quickly piled up around their shelters, forcing them to remove it hourly. They decided to go down on Sunday as the conditions deteriorated.

"During the descent, we met our guide's father who had come looking for him. That's when we learned the snow was heavy in the lowlands too; 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 Nepal side of the border and draws large crowds of visitors for less technical trekking, without summiting the peak.

Online Documentation

Photos and video posted online showed tents buried in snow and rows of trekkers moving through deep snowbanks to get down the mountain.

"The snow was extremely thick, and the trail extremely slippery. Hikers stumbled frequently – some fell, some were jostled by yaks," said one, who clarified that all safely descended and were picked up by bus.

Latest Developments

By the weekend, approximately 350 people had arrived in Qudang, a village roughly 50 kilometers away from the Tibet-side base camp of Everest, "safe and sound," official sources reported.

At least 200 more were still stranded but had been reached, the updates said. Local news reported that hundreds of rescuers had ascended the mountain to assist those trapped and clear snow from obstructing the way out.

Officials provided minimal updates or updated information about the operation on Monday. It was also not clear if the weather had impacted individuals on the northern side of Everest, also in Tibet. The area is strictly regulated by the Chinese government, and journalistic access is restricted. The conditions also appears to have have affected local communications, with calls to local businesses failing. A number of hikers said power was out in Qudang when they reached the town.

Seasonal Context

October is a busy period for the region, with typically clear and mild weather, but Chen Geshuang, one of 18 participants of a trekking group that made it back to Qudang, commented that the climate this year was "not normal."

"The guide told us he had not experienced conditions like this in the fall. And it occurred very abruptly."

The regional travel department announced ticket sales and access to the Everest Scenic Area were suspended from the weekend.

Broader Effects

Adjacent nations were also hit by extreme weather. Heavy rains triggered landslides and flash floods that have closed routes, destroyed crossings, and claimed the lives of at least 47 individuals since Friday in the neighboring country.