The Newfoundlander who was descending from the peak of Everest, as others were dying attempting the same feat, says it was chaos on top of the mountain.

Mark Ballard reached the summit early May 22 and made it back safely, but others have not been as lucky.

Nine people have died in the last week.

From the Hillary Step there is only one way to the summit, and Ballard says it took an hour and a half to work past a line up of hundreds of climbers, with thousand foot drops on either side.

Ballard posted a picture online of the massive queue waiting to get to the top.

He credits his experienced Sherpa guide with helping him bypass most of it, except on the way down, saying it’s not a place you want to make a mistake.