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Rescue teams have successfully guided all of the last adventurers near the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in Tibet to safety, including hundreds of local guides and yak herders, local government reported. This concludes one of the most extensive search-and-rescue missions ever undertaken in the area.

Massive Rescue Effort Concluded

Several hundred of trekkers were found themselves stuck in deep snow over the recent weekend in the secluded Karma valley, after an unexpectedly powerful blizzard dumped heavy snowfall across the region.

Snow kept coming down throughout Saturday in the valley, which rests at an average altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, emergency teams had guided approximately 350 hikers to a safe zone.

Earlier reports had estimated that the last group of roughly 200 hikers were anticipated to reach their destination by Tuesday.

In total, 580 hikers, coupled with more than 300 escorts, animal handlers, and other crew members were evacuated, according to official statements released on Tuesday late in the day.

Survivors Describe Severe Situations

One from China trekker described how their group had been “too scared to sleep” on Saturday, as snow rapidly accumulated around their tents, forcing them to remove it every 90 minutes. They opted to go down on Sunday as the weather became more severe.

“On the way, we encountered our guide’s father, who had come looking for him. That’s when we realized the snow was deep in the valley, too; villagers, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned.”

Expedition Plans Disrupted

The snowstorm also thwarted the objectives of alpinists guided by a United States expedition company to reach the top of Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the frontier between China and the nation of Nepal.

Tourism Increase in the Region

Karma valley was first explored by western adventurers a century ago. In recent years, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a prominent travel destination, the area has brought in an rising number of tourists. More than 540,000 sightseers traveled to the Everest region last year, establishing a new record.

Region Still Off-Limits

The Everest region is still temporarily off-limits to the public, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Broader Impact

The significant snowfall over the weekend also influenced numerous of trekkers in other parts of western China, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Sadly, at least one traveler lost their life, due to a combination of exposure and acute mountain sickness.

Unusual Weather

October is typically a busy season for the area, with usually clear and mild weather, but one member of an 18-person trekking group that got back to Qudang noted that the weather this year was “unusual.”