Frozen, and for what?

The BBC has an article about some hapless climbers:

At least twelve people have been killed and many more are missing in blizzards in the Himalayas in Nepal, officials say. Trekkers were trapped in heavy snowfall as they returned from the Thorung La mountain pass on the Annapurna Circuit, in the Mustang district (see map).
Nepalese, Polish, and Israeli citizens are reported to be among the dead. Nearly forty others were rescued. Meanwhile five more climbers are presumed dead after an avalanche in the nearby Manang district. Officials say four were from Canada and one from India. Three Nepalese farmers have also been killed in a separate avalanche in the same area.
Analysis by Phanindra Dahal, BBC Nepali, from Kathmandu, Nepal:

2014 has not been good a year for Nepal's trekking and mountaineering industry. An avalanche on Mount Everest in April killed sixteen Sherpas and resulted in a near complete halt to expeditions to the world's highest peak during the spring season.
The latest disaster comes during the peak trekking period. Thousands of tourists head to Nepal in October, many to enjoy its high altitude mountain passes and pristine beauty. The freak heavy snowfall caught the trekkers off guard.
The tragedy will badly hurt Nepal's tourism, with officials worried about the wider negative message it sends. Trekking and mountaineering are the key backbones of the industry and the major foreign exchange earner for Nepal.

Officials have said that the unexpected snowfall was probably caused by the tail end of Cyclone Hudhud, reports the BBC's Phanindra Dahal in Kathmandu. Hudhud hit south-east India earlier this week, and satellite pictures now show it moving away from Nepal towards China.
The bad weather hit a resting place nearly fifteen thousand feet above sea level, not far below the Circuit's highest point, the Thorung La pass. The trekkers who were killed or remain missing were on their way down.
An army official co-ordinating the search operation said two military helicopters had been sent from the capital of Kathmandu to assist the rescue operation.
Correspondents say the latest disasters are another massive blow to Nepal's trekking industry which plays a vital role in the country's economy. Thousands of trekkers visit the Annapurna region every October, when weather conditions are usually favorable for hiking trips.
Nepal's high peaks attract some of the world's best climbers, but trekking is generally safe, and appeals to masses of ordinary outdoor enthusiasts.

Rico says he's never been partial to the cold, he would go to Nepal to see the Gurkhas, but not climb mountains, and he wonders why people think this stuff is fun...