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Rescue teams have escorted all of the remaining adventurers near the eastern slopes of Everest in the Tibet region to a secure location, along with scores of local guides and livestock handlers, local government stated. This wraps up one of the biggest rescue and recovery efforts ever conducted in the region.

Massive Evacuation Effort Completed

Several hundred of hikers were found themselves stuck in deep snow over the past few days in the secluded Karma valley, after an unexpectedly powerful blizzard deposited heavy snowfall across the area.

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

Earlier reports had suggested that the last group of roughly 200 travelers were projected to reach safety by Tuesday.

In total, 580 hikers, along with more than 300 escorts, animal handlers, and other crew members were evacuated, according to authoritative announcements released on Tuesday night.

Survivors Describe Extreme Conditions

One from China trekker described how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow rapidly accumulated around their tents, forcing them to clear it every 90 minutes. They decided to go down 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 realized the snow was heavy in the valley, too; community members, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were extremely worried.”

Expedition Plans Disrupted

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

Visitor Increase in the Region

Karma valley was first explored by western explorers a long time ago. In the past few years, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a prominent tourism draw, the area has brought in an rising number of travelers. More than 540,000 sightseers traveled to the Everest region last year, marking a new record.

Region Still Off-Limits

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

Broader Impact

The intense snowfall over the weekend also influenced hundreds of travelers in other parts of the western regions of China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one individual died, due to a mix of exposure and altitude sickness.

Atypical Weather

October is typically a high season for the area, with usually clear and moderate weather, but one trekker of an 18-person expedition team that got back to Qudang noted that the weather this year was “not normal.”