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Rescue teams have successfully guided all of the last trekkers near the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to security, including scores of regional escorts and animal tenders, local government stated. This marks the end one of the biggest rescue and recovery missions ever seen in the area.

Large-Scale Evacuation Operation Completed

Hundreds of trekkers were left stranded in deep snow over the weekend in the remote Karma valley, after an unusually fierce winter blast dumped heavy snowfall across the territory.

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

Earlier reports had indicated that the last group of roughly 200 hikers were anticipated 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 late in the day.

Those Rescued Describe Extreme Conditions

One Chinese traveler shared how their group had been “too frightened to sleep” on Saturday, as snow quickly piled up around their tents, compelling them to remove it every 90 minutes. They chose to descend on Sunday as the conditions deteriorated.

“On the way, we met our guide’s father, who had set out for him. That’s when we found out the snow was heavy in the valley, too; community members, incapable to contact their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned.”

Expedition Plans Disrupted

The blizzard also hindered the goals of mountaineers guided by a US-based climbing outfit to reach the top of Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the boundary between the People's Republic of China and the nation of Nepal.

Visitor Growth in the Area

Karma valley was first visited by foreign explorers a century ago. In recent years, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a major travel destination, the area has attracted an increasing number of travelers. More than 540,000 sightseers traveled to the Everest region last year, marking a new record.

Area Still Closed

The Everest region remains currently inaccessible to the general public, covering the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Broader Impact

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also impacted hundreds of trekkers in other parts of western China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Unfortunately, at least one person died, due to a mix of low body temperature and altitude sickness.

Atypical Conditions

October is typically a high season for the area, with normally clear and mild weather, but one trekker of an 18-person trekking group that returned safely to Qudang remarked that the weather this year was “unusual.”