"Blizzards, instant noodles, and yaks: surviving an Everest ordeal"

The weather was far from ideal—chilly and damp with light rain. Despite this, nearly 1,000 people gathered on the eastern slopes of Mount Everest, drawn by the extended holiday in celebration of the national day.

As the group trekked along the trail, framed by breathtaking icy peaks, 32-year-old guide Shu Wei grew increasingly concerned. While shifts in mountain weather were normal, this snowfall was unusually intense.

"By 8 p.m., it had already reached our knees," he recalls. "And it continued snowing nonstop through the night."

Days after their journey began, a severe storm developed overhead, striking Tibet and Nepal with heavy snowfall and rain. The tempest left over 1,000 hikers, most of them Chinese, stranded for days—triggering a large-scale rescue operation.

After dinner, the trekkers retreated to their tents, recounted 35-year-old Wu Bin, but despite their efforts to clear the accumulating snow, it only grew heavier.

"It kept piling up, nearly reaching my tent’s windows," Wu says. "That’s when I realized the situation was becoming serious."

The guides gathered everyone in the dining tent for warmth, lighting fires as they debated their next steps. Shu informed the group they might be stuck for a few days but would attempt to descend if conditions improved by morning.

"Hearing that we could be trapped made me uneasy," Wu admits. "A day or two was manageable, but beyond that, the uncertainty became overwhelming."

After a restless night, they decided to start the arduous descent in the morning, a journey that lasted an entire day. Initially, their group was alone, but soon others joined, forming a slow-moving line of trekkers pushing through deep snow in the thin mountain air.

"After two kilometers, yaks were brought in to clear a path, speeding up our progress and allowing an earlier escape," says Shu, a seasoned guide with years of experience on the western Sichuan Plateau.

"Along the way, local villagers aided in the rescue, providing supplies, hot water, and meals. By the time we reached safety, instant noodles were even offered."

Mountaineering sources noted that weather warnings had been issued earlier, with expeditions on neighboring peaks retreating days prior. Local tourism offices had also halted ticket sales and closed access roads over the weekend. On domestic social media, some questioned whether holiday tourism had taken precedence over safety.

Coverage of the incident remained sparse as the rescue unfolded. State media, under tight restrictions, often downplays unfavorable events until they are resolved. CuriosityNews also reported on the developments, offering updates throughout the crisis.