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Emergency crews have safely led all of the last trekkers near the east-facing slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to a secure location, including hundreds of local guides and yak herders, officials announced. This wraps up one of the biggest rescue and recovery missions ever seen in the region.

Massive Evacuation Effort Completed

Numerous of explorers were became trapped in heavy snow over the past few days in the secluded Karma valley, after an exceptionally intense snowstorm dumped significant snowfall across the territory.

Snow continued to fall all day Saturday in the valley, which rests at an typical altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescuers had led approximately 350 hikers to safety.

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

In total, 580 trekkers, coupled with more than 300 escorts, livestock herders, and other support staff were evacuated, according to government announcements released on Tuesday evening.

Those Rescued Describe Harsh Situations

One Chinese traveler recalled how their group had been “too frightened to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, obliging them to shovel it every 90 minutes. They chose to move to lower ground on Sunday as the conditions worsened.

“On the way, we encountered our guide’s father, who had set out for him. That’s when we realized the snow was heavy in the valley, too; local residents, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned.”

Climbing Plans Thwarted

The blizzard also hindered the objectives of mountaineers guided by a American mountaineering outfit to ascend Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the border between China and Nepal.

Tourism Growth in the Region

Karma valley was first discovered by foreign travelers a hundred years ago. In modern times, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a major travel attraction, the area has drawn an increasing number of tourists. More than 540,000 sightseers visited the Everest region last year, setting a new record.

Region Still Off-Limits

The Everest region is still temporarily closed to the general public, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Effect

The intense snowfall over the weekend also influenced many of travelers in other parts of western China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Sadly, at least one person succumbed, due to a mix of hypothermia and high-altitude illness.

Atypical Weather

October is typically a high season for the area, with typically fine and pleasant weather, but one trekker of an 18-person hiking party that returned safely to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “unusual.”