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Search parties have safely led all of the last adventurers near the east-facing slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to security, including numerous of native guides and livestock handlers, local government announced. This concludes one of the largest rescue and recovery efforts ever undertaken in the region.

Large-Scale Evacuation Effort Completed

Hundreds of trekkers were left stranded in thick snow over the recent weekend in the remote Karma valley, after an exceptionally fierce snowstorm dumped substantial snowfall across the region.

Snow persisted all day Saturday in the valley, which sits at an average 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 remaining roughly 200 individuals were anticipated to reach their destination by Tuesday.

In total, 580 mountaineers, coupled with more than 300 local guides, livestock herders, and other crew members were rescued, according to official reports released on Tuesday night.

Those Rescued Describe Severe Conditions

One Chinese trekker shared how their group had been “too scared to sleep” on Saturday, as snow quickly piled up around their tents, compelling them to clear it every 90 minutes. They chose to move to lower ground on Sunday as the conditions deteriorated.

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

Expedition Schedules Thwarted

The severe weather also disrupted the goals of mountaineers guided by a US-based mountaineering firm to ascend Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the border between China and the nation of Nepal.

Visitor Growth in the Region

Karma valley was first explored by foreign explorers a hundred years ago. In recent years, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a major travel destination, the area has attracted an increasing number of tourists. More than 540,000 visitors traveled to the Everest region last year, establishing a new record.

Area Still Off-Limits

The Everest region is still currently inaccessible to the visitors, covering the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Impact

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also impacted many of travelers in other parts of the western regions of China, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Unfortunately, at least one person lost their life, due to a mix of low body temperature and high-altitude illness.

Unusual Conditions

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