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Emergency crews have escorted all of the remaining trekkers near the eastern slopes of Everest in the Tibet region to security, along with hundreds of native guides and animal tenders, authorities announced. This marks the end one of the biggest search-and-rescue missions ever conducted in the zone.

Large-Scale Rescue Effort Completed

Numerous of hikers were left stranded in thick snow over the past few days in the remote Karma valley, after an exceptionally powerful blizzard unleashed heavy snowfall across the area.

Snow continued to fall all day Saturday in the valley, which sits at an mean altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescue personnel had guided approximately 350 hikers to safety.

Previous accounts had indicated that the remaining roughly 200 travelers were expected to reach their destination by Tuesday.

In total, 580 trekkers, in addition to more than 300 local guides, livestock herders, and other crew members were evacuated, according to official announcements released on Tuesday night.

Those Rescued Describe Harsh Situations

One from China 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 go down on Sunday as the weather became more severe.

“On the way, we encountered our guide’s father, who had ventured for him. That’s when we found out the snow was intense in the valley, too; villagers, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were extremely worried.”

Expedition Plans Thwarted

The severe weather also thwarted the objectives of mountaineers led by a American mountaineering firm to ascend Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the frontier between the People's Republic of China and Nepal.

Visitor Growth in the Area

Karma valley was first visited by international travelers a long time ago. In modern times, with the development of the Everest region in Tibet as a prominent tourism attraction, the area has drawn an rising number of tourists. More than 540,000 tourists visited the Everest region last year, marking a all-time high.

Area Still Off-Limits

The Everest region continues to be currently closed to the general public, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Impact

The significant snowfall over the weekend also influenced hundreds of trekkers in other parts of western China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Sadly, at least one person died, due to a blend of hypothermia and high-altitude illness.

Atypical Conditions

October is typically a high season for the area, with usually fine and moderate weather, but one trekker of an 18-person trekking group that made it back to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “not normal.”