Rescue teams in China are racing to clear roads and evacuate stranded trekkers on the eastern slope of Mount Qomolangma, or Mount Everest, four days after a sudden blizzard buried campsites under deep snow and trapped hundreds of holiday travelers.

As of Tuesday, at least 350 people had been brought to safety and contact restored with roughly 200 more. Hundreds of villagers worked alongside emergency crews to dig through thick snow, and snowplows reopened key access roads to the Everest Scenic Area, officials said.

The blizzard began Saturday, bringing the heaviest National Day holiday snowfall in years and cutting visibility to less than a meter, according to domestic media. That afternoon, the Everest Scenic Area was temporarily closed after icy roads made vehicle access impossible.

October is normally one of the best months for trekking in the region, with dry air and little snow, but this year’s storm struck just as holiday crowds filled the trails. Several veteran guides told National Business Daily they had “never seen such an extreme snowstorm.”

By Sunday night, several camps on the eastern slope reported hundreds of people stranded under heavy snow, with tents buried more than a meter deep.

Photographer and hiking enthusiast Dong Shuchang told National Business Daily that his group was caught in the blizzard after climbing about 1,000 meters to the first campsite on Saturday.

“The rain gear and shell jackets couldn’t stop it — the snow and freezing rain turned to ice on my body. My outer jacket was coated in a layer of ice,” he said. Guides spent that night digging out tents and clearing snow, but by noon Sunday they began retreating and met rescue teams clearing a path up the mountain.

Rescuers said operations were concentrated in Gama Valley in Qudang Town, Tingri County — one of the “world’s top ten classic trekking routes.” The valley rises from 2,100 to more than 5,000 meters, with yaks and horses as its only transport.

An official who coordinated vehicle dispatch, identified by the pseudonym Yi Xi, told domestic media that five 29-seat buses were sent Sunday night but could only reach the foot of the valley. Unlike technical climbers who summit Everest, the eastern slope attracts less-experienced hikers on commercial tours costing about 10,000 yuan ($1,400) each.

“Many tour groups take anyone who pays, without checking experience,” said Xiao Ming, a trekking guide quoted by domestic media. “Proper procedure means confirming a participant’s high-altitude trekking background, camping skills, and ability to carry loads for at least five days. But to make money, many groups skip that — leading to altitude sickness and hypothermia cases.”

By Monday morning, trekkers who reached designated evacuation points had been moved to hotels in Qudang Town and nearby areas, local authorities said. All rescued individuals were reported to be in stable condition.