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Search parties have escorted all of the last hikers near the east-facing slopes of Mount Everest in Tibet to a secure location, including scores of regional escorts and animal tenders, officials announced. This concludes one of the largest search-and-rescue missions ever undertaken in the zone.

Massive Evacuation Effort Concluded

Numerous of hikers were left stranded in deep snow over the past few days in the secluded Karma valley, after an unusually powerful winter blast deposited significant snowfall across the region.

Snow continued to fall throughout Saturday in the valley, which rests at an average altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, emergency teams had guided approximately 350 hikers to a safe zone.

Previous accounts had estimated that the remaining roughly 200 hikers were projected to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 trekkers, in addition to more than 300 escorts, yak herders, and other support staff were brought out, according to authoritative statements released on Tuesday late in the day.

Survivors Describe Extreme Conditions

One Chinese trekker recalled how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, forcing them to shovel it every 90 minutes. They opted to move to lower ground on Sunday as the situation became more severe.

“On the way, we met our guide’s father, who had set out for him. That’s when we realized the snow was deep in the valley, too; local residents, not able to contact their children on the mountain, were very anxious.”

Climbing Schedules Thwarted

The snowstorm also hindered the goals of mountaineers guided by a United States climbing outfit to ascend Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the frontier between China and Nepal.

Tourism Increase in the Area

Karma valley was first discovered by western adventurers a long time ago. In recent years, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a major tourism attraction, the area has brought in an growing number of travelers. More than 540,000 visitors visited the Everest region last year, establishing a new record.

Area Still Off-Limits

The Everest region is still currently inaccessible to the public, encompassing the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Effect

The intense snowfall over the weekend also influenced numerous of hikers in other parts of western China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Unfortunately, at least one traveler succumbed, due to a blend of exposure and altitude sickness.

Unusual Conditions

October is typically a high season for the area, with usually fine and mild weather, but one participant of an 18-person trekking group that made it back to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “unusual.”