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Rescue teams have escorted all of the remaining hikers near the eastern slopes of Everest in the Tibet region to security, including scores of native guides and animal tenders, local government reported. This wraps up one of the largest rescue and recovery missions ever seen in the zone.

Massive Rescue Effort Completed

Several hundred of explorers were found themselves stuck in heavy snow over the past few days in the remote Karma valley, after an unusually intense winter blast deposited significant snowfall across the area.

Snow continued to fall all day Saturday in the valley, which is located at an mean altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescue personnel had led approximately 350 hikers to a safe zone.

Initial updates had estimated that the last group of roughly 200 individuals were expected to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 mountaineers, along with more than 300 local guides, animal handlers, and other assistants were rescued, according to government statements released on Tuesday late in the day.

Those Rescued Recount Harsh Conditions

One Chinese trekker shared how their group had been “too scared to sleep” on Saturday, as snow rapidly accumulated around their tents, compelling them to shovel it every 90 minutes. They decided to go down on Sunday as the situation deteriorated.

“On the way, we met our guide’s father, who had set out for him. That’s when we learned the snow was intense in the valley, too; local residents, incapable to contact their children on the mountain, were extremely worried.”

Climbing Plans Thwarted

The blizzard also hindered the goals of alpinists guided by a US-based mountaineering firm 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.

Tourism Growth in the Region

Karma valley was first discovered by international travelers a hundred years ago. In the past few years, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a prominent travel attraction, the area has attracted an increasing number of travelers. More than 540,000 sightseers traveled to the Everest region last year, marking a unprecedented number.

Area Still Closed

The Everest region continues to be temporarily off-limits to the visitors, covering the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Effect

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also impacted numerous of trekkers in other parts of the western regions of China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one individual lost their life, due to a mix of exposure and high-altitude illness.

Atypical Weather

October is typically a busy season for the area, with normally sunny and pleasant weather, but one trekker of an 18-person hiking party that returned safely to Qudang noted that the weather this year was “unusual.”