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Emergency crews have successfully guided all of the last hikers near the east-facing slopes of Mount Everest in Tibet to safety, along with hundreds of native guides and yak herders, authorities stated. This concludes one of the most extensive rescue and recovery missions ever conducted in the region.

Large-Scale Evacuation Operation Concluded

Hundreds of explorers were left stranded in thick snow over the weekend in the remote Karma valley, after an unexpectedly intense blizzard dumped heavy snowfall across the area.

Snow continued to fall all day Saturday in the valley, which is located at an average altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, emergency teams had escorted approximately 350 hikers to safety.

Earlier reports had estimated that the remaining roughly 200 individuals were expected to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 trekkers, coupled with more than 300 guides, livestock herders, and other support staff were rescued, according to official announcements released on Tuesday late in the day.

Those Rescued Recount Harsh Conditions

One from China trekker shared how their group had been “too frightened to sleep” on Saturday, as snow quickly piled up around their tents, obliging them to remove it every 90 minutes. They chose to go down on Sunday as the weather deteriorated.

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

Climbing Plans Disrupted

The blizzard also thwarted the plans of climbers led by a American mountaineering firm to reach the top of Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the border between the People's Republic of China and Nepal.

Visitor Increase in the Area

Karma valley was first visited by foreign adventurers a hundred years ago. In modern times, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant travel draw, the area has attracted an growing number of tourists. More than 540,000 visitors visited the Everest region last year, marking a all-time high.

Area Remains Closed

The Everest region continues to be for the time being closed to the public, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Impact

The intense snowfall over the weekend also influenced numerous of hikers in other parts of western China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Sadly, at least one traveler died, due to a combination of exposure and acute mountain sickness.

Atypical Conditions

October is typically a busy season for the area, with typically clear and mild weather, but one member of an 18-person hiking party that made it back to Qudang noted that the weather this year was “not normal.”