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Emergency crews have successfully guided all of the remaining adventurers near the east-facing slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to security, along with scores of regional escorts and livestock handlers, local government reported. This concludes one of the most extensive rescue and recovery efforts ever undertaken in the zone.

Massive Rescue Effort Completed

Several hundred of trekkers were became trapped in heavy snow over the weekend in the isolated Karma valley, after an unusually fierce snowstorm unleashed substantial snowfall across the area.

Snow persisted all day Saturday in the valley, which rests at an mean altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, emergency teams had led approximately 350 hikers to security.

Earlier reports had suggested that the last group of roughly 200 travelers were anticipated to reach their destination by Tuesday.

In total, 580 hikers, coupled with more than 300 local guides, animal handlers, and other crew members were rescued, according to government reports released on Tuesday evening.

Those Rescued Describe Harsh Conditions

One Chinese traveler shared how their group had been “too frightened to sleep” on Saturday, as snow rapidly accumulated around their tents, compelling them to remove it every 90 minutes. They decided to move to lower ground on Sunday as the conditions became more severe.

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

Expedition Plans Disrupted

The severe weather also disrupted the plans of mountaineers escorted by a United States mountaineering firm to reach the top of Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the border between China and the nation of Nepal.

Visitor Increase in the Area

Karma valley was first explored by foreign explorers a century ago. In recent years, with the development of the Everest region in Tibet as a prominent visitor draw, the area has attracted an rising number of tourists. More than 540,000 tourists explored the Everest region last year, establishing a new record.

Area Still Closed

The Everest region continues to be temporarily off-limits to the general public, covering the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Broader Impact

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also influenced many of trekkers in other parts of western China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Unfortunately, at least one individual lost their life, due to a blend of exposure and acute mountain sickness.

Unusual Weather

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