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Search parties have successfully guided all of the remaining hikers near the eastern slopes of Everest in Tibet to security, including scores of native guides and yak herders, officials announced. This concludes one of the biggest search-and-rescue operations ever conducted in the zone.

Large-Scale Rescue Operation Concluded

Numerous of explorers were found themselves stuck in deep snow over the recent weekend in the secluded Karma valley, after an exceptionally fierce snowstorm unleashed substantial snowfall across the region.

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

Earlier reports had estimated that the remaining roughly 200 travelers were projected to reach safety by Tuesday.

In total, 580 hikers, in addition to more than 300 guides, livestock herders, and other crew members were rescued, according to government announcements released on Tuesday night.

Those Rescued Recount Severe Situations

One from China trekker described how their group had been “too frightened to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, compelling them to shovel it every 90 minutes. They opted to move to lower ground on Sunday as the situation deteriorated.

“On the way, we encountered our guide’s father, who had ventured for him. That’s when we learned the snow was intense in the valley, too; community members, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned.”

Climbing Schedules Thwarted

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

Visitor Growth in the Area

Karma valley was first discovered by international explorers a hundred years ago. In modern times, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a prominent visitor attraction, the area has brought in an growing number of tourists. More than 540,000 visitors visited the Everest region last year, establishing a new record.

Area Remains Off-Limits

The Everest region continues to be currently closed to the visitors, encompassing the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Broader Effect

The significant snowfall over the weekend also affected hundreds of hikers in other parts of western China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one traveler succumbed, due to a mix of low body temperature and acute mountain sickness.

Atypical Conditions

October is typically a peak season for the area, with usually clear and moderate weather, but one participant of an 18-person expedition team that returned safely to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “atypical.”