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Rescue teams have safely led all of the last trekkers near the eastern slopes of Everest in the Tibet region to safety, including numerous of regional escorts and livestock handlers, local government announced. This marks the end one of the biggest search-and-rescue missions ever seen in the region.

Massive Rescue Effort Concluded

Numerous of hikers were left stranded in deep snow over the weekend in the secluded Karma valley, after an unexpectedly intense snowstorm unleashed substantial snowfall across the area.

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

Previous accounts had indicated that the last group of roughly 200 travelers were expected to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 trekkers, coupled with more than 300 escorts, animal handlers, and other support staff were rescued, according to official statements released on Tuesday late in the day.

Those Rescued Describe Severe Conditions

One from China trekker shared how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow quickly piled up around their tents, obliging them to remove it every 90 minutes. They chose to move to lower ground on Sunday as the weather deteriorated.

“On the way, we encountered our guide’s father, who had ventured for him. That’s when we learned the snow was deep in the valley, too; local residents, incapable to contact their children on the mountain, were very anxious.”

Climbing Schedules Disrupted

The blizzard also hindered the goals of climbers led by a US-based expedition company to reach the top of Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the boundary between China and Nepal.

Visitor Growth in the Region

Karma valley was first discovered by western adventurers a century ago. In recent years, with the development of the Everest region in Tibet as a prominent travel draw, the area has brought in an increasing number of visitors. More than 540,000 visitors visited the Everest region last year, marking a unprecedented number.

Area Still Closed

The Everest region is still for the time being closed 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 hikers in other parts of the western regions of China, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Sadly, at least one individual succumbed, due to a mix of hypothermia and acute mountain sickness.

Unusual Weather

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