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Emergency crews have safely led all of the remaining trekkers near the east-facing slopes of Everest in Tibet to safety, along with numerous of native guides and yak herders, officials reported. This concludes one of the largest search-and-rescue missions ever conducted in the zone.

Large-Scale Evacuation Effort Completed

Hundreds of hikers were left stranded in thick snow over the recent weekend in the isolated Karma valley, after an exceptionally powerful snowstorm dumped substantial snowfall across the area.

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

Initial updates had estimated that the remaining roughly 200 travelers were projected to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 trekkers, along with more than 300 guides, yak herders, and other crew members were rescued, according to official announcements released on Tuesday evening.

Survivors Recount Extreme Conditions

One Chinese trekker shared how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, forcing them to shovel it every 90 minutes. They decided to go down on Sunday as the situation worsened.

“On the way, we met our guide’s father, who had set out for him. That’s when we found out the snow was deep in the valley, too; community members, incapable to contact their children on the mountain, were very anxious.”

Expedition Plans Thwarted

The snowstorm also disrupted the plans of climbers led by a American climbing firm to ascend Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the frontier between China and Nepal.

Visitor Increase in the Region

Karma valley was first visited by international travelers a long time ago. In modern times, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a prominent travel attraction, the area has drawn an growing number of visitors. More than 540,000 visitors traveled to the Everest region last year, establishing a all-time high.

Area Remains Off-Limits

The Everest region continues to be currently inaccessible to the public, encompassing the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Broader Impact

The significant snowfall over the weekend also influenced numerous of travelers in other parts of western China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Unfortunately, at least one person succumbed, due to a mix of hypothermia and altitude sickness.

Atypical Conditions

October is typically a peak season for the area, with normally fine and pleasant weather, but one participant of an 18-person expedition team that made it back to Qudang noted that the weather this year was “unusual.”