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Emergency crews have safely led all of the remaining trekkers near the east-facing slopes of Everest in Tibet 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 zone.

Massive Evacuation Effort Completed

Hundreds of hikers were found themselves stuck in thick snow over the recent weekend in the isolated Karma valley, after an unusually intense snowstorm deposited substantial snowfall across the territory.

Snow persisted throughout Saturday in the valley, which is located at an average altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescuers had escorted approximately 350 hikers to security.

Earlier reports had suggested that the last group of roughly 200 individuals were projected to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 mountaineers, coupled with more than 300 escorts, animal handlers, and other support staff were brought out, according to authoritative reports released on Tuesday evening.

Those Rescued Describe Extreme Conditions

One Chinese trekker recalled how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow rapidly accumulated around their tents, compelling them to clear it every 90 minutes. They chose to descend on Sunday as the situation worsened.

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

Expedition Schedules Thwarted

The blizzard also thwarted the plans of mountaineers escorted by a US-based climbing outfit 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 Growth in the Region

Karma valley was first discovered by foreign travelers a long time ago. In the past few years, with the development of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant travel draw, the area has attracted an increasing number of visitors. More than 540,000 sightseers traveled to the Everest region last year, marking a new record.

Region Remains Closed

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

Wider Effect

The significant snowfall over the weekend also affected many of hikers in other parts of the western regions of China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Unfortunately, at least one person died, due to a mix of low body temperature and acute mountain sickness.

Atypical Conditions

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