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Search parties have safely led all of the remaining adventurers near the east-facing slopes of Everest in the Tibet region to safety, along with numerous of native guides and animal tenders, authorities reported. This wraps up one of the largest rescue and recovery operations ever undertaken in the area.

Large-Scale Evacuation Effort Completed

Several hundred of hikers were found themselves stuck in deep snow over the recent weekend in the remote Karma valley, after an unusually intense blizzard 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 safety.

Previous accounts had estimated that the remaining roughly 200 hikers were projected to reach safety by Tuesday.

In total, 580 trekkers, along with more than 300 escorts, livestock herders, and other support staff were evacuated, according to authoritative statements released on Tuesday late in the day.

Those Rescued Recount Harsh Conditions

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

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

Climbing Schedules Disrupted

The snowstorm also thwarted the goals of alpinists led by a American 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.

Tourism Increase in the Region

Karma valley was first discovered by western adventurers a long time ago. In the past few years, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant tourism destination, the area has attracted an growing number of visitors. More than 540,000 visitors explored the Everest region last year, setting a all-time high.

Area Still Closed

The Everest region remains temporarily off-limits to the visitors, encompassing the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Broader Impact

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also influenced hundreds of travelers in other parts of western China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one person succumbed, due to a mix of hypothermia and high-altitude illness.

Atypical Conditions

October is typically a peak season for the area, with usually clear and moderate weather, but one member of an 18-person expedition team that got back to Qudang remarked that the weather this year was “unusual.”