Rescue operations are ongoing in Tibet and western China after sudden snowstorms caught hundreds of trekkers off guard over the weekend. More than 200 hikers stranded near the eastern Kangshung face of Mount Everest are expected to be fully evacuated by Tuesday, sources say. The blizzard struck during China’s eight-day holiday that began on October 1, affecting tourists and mountaineers who had come to explore the region.
Earlier, around 350 trekkers in Tibet’s remote Karma valley, at altitudes averaging 4,200 meters, were guided to safety after being trapped by heavy snowfall. Hikers recounted trudging long distances through deep snow, relying on footprints left by others to navigate out. Regional authorities assisted stranded groups in reaching the Tibetan capital, Lhasa, by Monday.
The area, first explored by Western travelers a century ago, remains largely untouched, with lush alpine forests and glacier-fed streams contrasting sharply with Everest’s arid north face. However, the extreme weather has already claimed one life: a trekker succumbed to hypothermia and acute mountain sickness in the Qilian Mountains along the Qinghai-Gansu border. By Monday evening, authorities had rescued 213 people in that region.
Elsewhere, in Xinjiang, hiking and camping were suspended in the Kanas Lake district of the Altai Mountains due to dangerous conditions. Police have intervened to prevent more than 300 hikers from entering the affected areas, and one individual showing severe hypothermia symptoms was hospitalized and is now stable. Highways across the region were cleared of ice and snow by Tuesday, allowing stranded vehicles to move safely.
The weekend blizzards underscore the risks of trekking in high-altitude, remote regions, where sudden weather shifts can endanger even experienced hikers. Authorities continue to monitor conditions closely and urge tourists to exercise extreme caution.
