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Search parties have successfully guided all of the last trekkers near the east-facing slopes of Mount Everest in Tibet to safety, including numerous of local guides and animal tenders, officials reported. This concludes one of the largest search-and-rescue missions ever conducted in the region.

Large-Scale Rescue Operation Completed

Several hundred of hikers were found themselves stuck in heavy snow over the weekend in the secluded Karma valley, after an exceptionally powerful snowstorm dumped heavy snowfall across the territory.

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

Earlier reports had estimated that the remaining roughly 200 hikers were anticipated to reach their destination by Tuesday.

In total, 580 mountaineers, along with more than 300 local guides, animal handlers, and other crew members were brought out, according to official statements released on Tuesday late in the day.

Those Rescued Describe Harsh Conditions

One from China traveler recalled how their group had been “too frightened to sleep” on Saturday, as snow rapidly accumulated around their tents, obliging them to shovel it every 90 minutes. They opted to descend on Sunday as the conditions became more severe.

“On the way, we came across our guide’s father, who had set out for him. That’s when we learned the snow was heavy in the valley, too; local residents, not able to contact their children on the mountain, were extremely worried.”

Climbing Schedules Thwarted

The snowstorm also thwarted the goals of climbers escorted by a US-based climbing company 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 Increase in the Area

Karma valley was first discovered by western explorers a century 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 explored the Everest region last year, setting a unprecedented number.

Region Remains Off-Limits

The Everest region is still currently off-limits to the general public, covering the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Impact

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also influenced many of hikers in other parts of western China, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Unfortunately, at least one person died, due to a combination of hypothermia and high-altitude illness.

Atypical Weather

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