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Search parties have escorted all of the remaining trekkers near the east-facing slopes of Everest in Tibet to a secure location, including scores of regional escorts and yak herders, officials stated. This marks the end one of the largest search-and-rescue missions ever seen in the region.

Large-Scale Rescue Effort Concluded

Hundreds of hikers were found themselves stuck in deep snow over the weekend in the isolated Karma valley, after an exceptionally fierce blizzard unleashed significant snowfall across the territory.

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

Previous accounts had suggested that the last group of roughly 200 individuals were expected to reach safety by Tuesday.

In total, 580 trekkers, along with more than 300 escorts, livestock herders, and other crew members were rescued, according to authoritative statements released on Tuesday night.

Those Rescued Describe Extreme Conditions

One from China traveler shared how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow rapidly accumulated around their tents, forcing them to clear it every 90 minutes. They chose to descend on Sunday as the weather worsened.

“On the way, we encountered our guide’s father, who had come looking for him. That’s when we found out the snow was deep in the valley, too; community members, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were extremely worried.”

Expedition Schedules Thwarted

The blizzard also thwarted the plans of climbers escorted by a American expedition company to reach the top of Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the frontier between the People's Republic of China and Nepal.

Tourism Increase in the Region

Karma valley was first discovered by foreign explorers a century ago. In the past few years, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a major travel draw, the area has drawn an growing number of tourists. More than 540,000 sightseers visited the Everest region last year, setting a new record.

Region Remains Closed

The Everest region remains for the time being inaccessible to the visitors, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Broader Effect

The intense snowfall over the weekend also impacted hundreds of hikers in other parts of western China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Sadly, at least one traveler died, due to a mix of exposure and acute mountain sickness.

Atypical Weather

October is typically a peak season for the area, with usually sunny and mild weather, but one trekker of an 18-person expedition team that made it back to Qudang noted that the weather this year was “atypical.”