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Emergency crews have successfully guided all of the last hikers near the eastern slopes of Everest in Tibet to a secure location, including scores of native guides and yak herders, officials stated. This wraps up one of the most extensive rescue and recovery operations ever conducted in the zone.

Massive Rescue Effort Completed

Hundreds of trekkers were left stranded in deep snow over the weekend in the secluded Karma valley, after an exceptionally powerful blizzard dumped significant snowfall across the area.

Snow continued to fall throughout Saturday in the valley, which rests at an mean altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescue personnel had led approximately 350 hikers to security.

Earlier reports had suggested that the last group of roughly 200 individuals were anticipated to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 mountaineers, in addition to more than 300 escorts, livestock herders, and other support staff were rescued, according to government statements released on Tuesday late in the day.

Those Rescued Recount Harsh Conditions

One from China traveler shared how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow quickly piled up around their tents, obliging them to remove it every 90 minutes. They chose to descend on Sunday as the situation became more severe.

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

Expedition Schedules Disrupted

The severe weather also thwarted the objectives of mountaineers guided by a United States expedition outfit to ascend Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the frontier between the People's Republic of China and the nation of Nepal.

Tourism Increase in the Region

Karma valley was first discovered by international adventurers a century ago. In the past few years, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant visitor draw, the area has attracted an increasing number of visitors. More than 540,000 visitors explored the Everest region last year, establishing a new record.

Region Remains Closed

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

Broader Impact

The intense snowfall over the weekend also impacted numerous of hikers in other parts of the western regions of China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one person lost their life, due to a blend of hypothermia and altitude sickness.

Atypical Weather

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