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Rescue teams have safely led all of the remaining adventurers near the eastern slopes of Everest in the Tibet region to safety, including scores of native guides and livestock handlers, authorities reported. This concludes one of the most extensive search-and-rescue missions ever seen in the region.

Massive Evacuation Operation Completed

Several hundred of trekkers were found themselves stuck in heavy snow over the recent weekend in the isolated Karma valley, after an unexpectedly fierce snowstorm deposited substantial snowfall across the territory.

Snow kept coming down all day Saturday in the valley, which rests at an typical altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescue personnel had led approximately 350 hikers to a safe zone.

Earlier reports had estimated that the remaining roughly 200 individuals were expected to reach safety by Tuesday.

In total, 580 mountaineers, along with more than 300 local guides, livestock herders, and other assistants were rescued, according to authoritative statements released on Tuesday evening.

Those Rescued Describe Extreme Conditions

One Chinese trekker shared how their group had been “too scared to sleep” on Saturday, as snow rapidly accumulated around their tents, forcing them to clear it every 90 minutes. They decided to move to lower ground on Sunday as the situation became more severe.

“On the way, we came across our guide’s father, who had ventured for him. That’s when we realized the snow was intense in the valley, too; local residents, not able to contact their children on the mountain, were extremely worried.”

Climbing Plans Thwarted

The blizzard also thwarted the goals of mountaineers guided by a US-based mountaineering 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.

Visitor Growth in the Region

Karma valley was first discovered by western adventurers a century ago. In modern times, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant travel attraction, the area has brought in an increasing number of visitors. More than 540,000 tourists visited the Everest region last year, setting a unprecedented number.

Area Still Closed

The Everest region remains temporarily closed to the visitors, covering the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Broader Impact

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also affected hundreds of hikers in other parts of western China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Unfortunately, at least one individual died, due to a blend of hypothermia and acute mountain sickness.

Atypical Weather

October is typically a high season for the area, with typically sunny and mild weather, but one participant of an 18-person trekking group that got back to Qudang noted that the weather this year was “not normal.”