The weather wasn’t great. A bit drizzly and cold. But about 1,000 people steeled themselves on Mount Everest’s eastern flank to spend the national day long weekend trekking. As he led the group along the path lined with stunning icy peaks, 32-year-old guide Shu Wei felt increasingly uneasy. He knew the weather on the mountains could be unpredictable and dangerous, but this snowfall was something else. “It had already reached up to our knees around 8pm,” he says. “And it didn’t stop snowing the entire night.” As they had set…
Tag: Mountaineering
Mount Everest rescue: all hikers now safe after days stranded in powerful blizzard
Rescuers guided all of the remaining trekkers near the east face of Everest in Tibet to safety, including hundreds of local guides and yak herders, authorities said, ending one of the largest search-and-rescue operations in the region. Hundreds of hikers were stranded in deep snow over the weekend in the isolated Karma valley after an unusually powerful blizzard dumped heavy snowfall in the region. Snow fell throughout Saturday in the valley, which lies at an average altitude of 4,200m (13,800ft). On Sunday, rescuers had guided about 350 hikers to safety.…
Mount Everest hikers describe ‘extreme’ conditions as huge rescue effort continues
Trekkers have described facing “extreme” conditions after an unseasonable snowstorm during one of China’s busiest holiday weekends stranded hundreds of people on Mount Everest, prompting a massive rescue effort. Chinese authorities said about 350 people had made their way down but at least 200 remained stranded at the Everest Scenic Area, to the east of the mountain, on the Tibetan side of the border. Crowds of tourists had travelled to the region for “Golden Week”, an eight-day holiday period in China. But Chinese authorities, which control the Tibetan Autonomous Region,…
Mount Everest rescue under way after snowstorm traps nearly 1,000 people
Rescue efforts are under way on Mount Everest after a snowstorm trapped nearly 1,000 people in campsites on the eastern side of the mountain, according to Chinese state media. Hundreds of trekkers stranded by a blizzard near the eastern face of the mountain in Tibet were guided to safety by rescuers on Sunday, as unusually heavy precipitation including rain pummelled the Himalayas. As of Sunday, 350 people had reached the small township of Qudang, while contact with the remaining 200-plus trekkers had been made, China Central Television (CCTV) reported. Visitors…