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Emergency crews have escorted all of the last adventurers near the eastern slopes of Everest in Tibet to safety, along with numerous of native guides and livestock handlers, officials reported. This wraps up one of the largest search-and-rescue efforts ever seen in the region.

Large-Scale Rescue Operation Concluded

Numerous of trekkers were left stranded in heavy snow over the recent weekend in the secluded Karma valley, after an unusually intense blizzard deposited significant snowfall across the territory.

Snow continued to fall all day 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 a safe zone.

Initial updates had indicated that the last group of roughly 200 hikers were anticipated to reach safety by Tuesday.

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

Survivors Recount Extreme Conditions

One from China traveler recalled how their group had been “too scared to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, obliging them to shovel it every 90 minutes. They decided to go down on Sunday as the weather 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 heavy in the valley, too; community members, not able to contact their children on the mountain, were extremely worried.”

Expedition Plans Disrupted

The severe weather also hindered the plans of climbers escorted by a US-based expedition firm to summit Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the border between China and the nation of Nepal.

Tourism Growth in the Region

Karma valley was first visited by western travelers a hundred years ago. In the past few years, with the development of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant tourism draw, the area has brought in an increasing number of tourists. More than 540,000 tourists explored the Everest region last year, marking a all-time high.

Area Still Closed

The Everest region remains currently closed to the public, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Impact

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also affected hundreds of hikers in other parts of the western regions of China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Unfortunately, at least one person died, due to a mix of exposure and high-altitude illness.

Atypical Weather

October is typically a peak season for the area, with normally fine and mild weather, but one member of an 18-person hiking party that returned safely to Qudang remarked that the weather this year was “unusual.”