Everest Blizzard Strands Hundreds: Hiker Recounts Digging Out With Cooking Pots
Everest Blizzard Strands Hundreds: Hiker Recounts Digging Out With Cooking Pots
Hundreds of trekkers faced a harrowing ordeal on Mount Everest’s Tibetan side this past weekend after a rare October blizzard struck, leaving many stranded. As of Monday morning, approximately 350 trekkers have been safely evacuated to Qudang township, with over 200 more awaiting rescue, according to Chinese state media CCTV.
Among those caught in the sudden whiteout was 30-year-old Feng Holiday, who along with her group, had to improvise for survival. What began as a scenic trek through the Gama Valley on October 1 quickly turned treacherous when the blizzard hit three days later. With tents collapsing and trails buried under unusually heavy snowfall – estimated at over 3 feet at the summit – Feng found herself digging out her buried teammates with nothing but cooking pots.
The storm, marked by thunder and lightning, was particularly unexpected for October, typically a clear season after the monsoon and coinciding with China’s Golden Week holiday. Trekkers reported unprecedented conditions, with one guide stating he had “never encountered such weather in October.” The risk of hypothermia was severe in the wet and cold mountains.
After a “scary” night, Feng and her friends made their own way down the mountain on Sunday morning, eventually reaching safety where government officials and locals were waiting. The Everest incident comes amidst a week of extreme weather across the wider Himalayan region, including floods and landslides in Nepal and India that have claimed over 70 lives, and the death of a South Korean trekker on Nepal’s Mera Peak.
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