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Emergency crews have escorted all of the last adventurers near the east-facing slopes of Everest in Tibet to a secure location, along with scores of native guides and yak herders, local government reported. This wraps up one of the largest search-and-rescue efforts ever undertaken in the zone.

Large-Scale Evacuation Effort Completed

Numerous of explorers were left stranded in thick snow over the recent weekend in the secluded Karma valley, after an exceptionally fierce winter blast 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, rescuers had guided approximately 350 hikers to safety.

Initial updates had suggested that the last group of roughly 200 travelers were anticipated to reach their destination by Tuesday.

In total, 580 hikers, along with more than 300 local guides, livestock herders, and other crew members were brought out, according to government reports released on Tuesday evening.

Those Rescued Recount Harsh Conditions

One Chinese hiker recalled how their group had been “too frightened to sleep” on Saturday, as snow rapidly accumulated around their tents, obliging them to clear it every 90 minutes. They decided to move to lower ground on Sunday as the weather deteriorated.

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

Climbing Plans Disrupted

The snowstorm also thwarted the plans of alpinists led by a American climbing company 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 Region

Karma valley was first discovered by foreign explorers a long time ago. In the past few years, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a prominent tourism attraction, the area has brought in an increasing number of travelers. More than 540,000 sightseers visited the Everest region last year, marking a new record.

Area Remains Off-Limits

The Everest region remains for the time being closed to the public, encompassing the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Broader Effect

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also impacted many of hikers in other parts of western China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Sadly, at least one individual succumbed, due to a blend of low body temperature and high-altitude illness.

Unusual Weather

October is typically a busy season for the area, with usually fine and mild weather, but one member of an 18-person trekking group that got back to Qudang remarked that the weather this year was “atypical.”