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Rescue teams have successfully guided all of the last trekkers near the eastern slopes of Everest in the Tibet region to security, including scores of native guides and animal tenders, officials announced. This marks the end one of the largest search-and-rescue missions ever seen in the zone.

Large-Scale Rescue Operation Completed

Several hundred of explorers were left stranded in thick snow over the recent weekend in the secluded Karma valley, after an unexpectedly intense blizzard deposited heavy snowfall across the territory.

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

Initial updates had suggested that the remaining roughly 200 hikers were projected to reach safety by Tuesday.

In total, 580 hikers, coupled with more than 300 escorts, animal handlers, and other assistants were brought out, according to official reports released on Tuesday late in the day.

Survivors Describe Extreme Situations

One Chinese traveler recalled 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 opted to descend on Sunday as the conditions became more severe.

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

Climbing Plans Thwarted

The severe weather also thwarted the goals of climbers guided by a United States expedition outfit to reach the top of Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the frontier between China and Nepal.

Tourism Growth in the Region

Karma valley was first discovered by foreign adventurers a century ago. In recent years, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a major travel draw, the area has drawn an rising 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, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Effect

The intense snowfall over the weekend also impacted hundreds of trekkers in other parts of western China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one person lost their life, due to a blend of exposure and acute mountain sickness.

Atypical Conditions

October is typically a peak season for the area, with usually sunny and mild weather, but one member of an 18-person hiking party that got back to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “not normal.”