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Search parties have safely led all of the remaining trekkers near the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in Tibet to security, including scores of regional escorts and animal tenders, officials announced. This wraps up one of the most extensive rescue and recovery operations ever conducted in the area.

Large-Scale Evacuation Operation Concluded

Several hundred of explorers were became trapped in thick snow over the recent weekend in the remote Karma valley, after an unusually fierce blizzard dumped significant snowfall across the region.

Snow continued to fall throughout Saturday in the valley, which sits at an typical altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescuers had escorted approximately 350 hikers to security.

Previous accounts had estimated that the remaining roughly 200 hikers were expected to reach safety by Tuesday.

In total, 580 trekkers, along with more than 300 local guides, animal handlers, and other assistants were rescued, according to authoritative reports released on Tuesday night.

Those Rescued Recount Extreme Situations

One Chinese hiker described how their group had been “too scared to sleep” on Saturday, as snow quickly piled up around their tents, compelling them to clear it every 90 minutes. They decided to move to lower ground on Sunday as the conditions worsened.

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

Climbing Plans Disrupted

The snowstorm also hindered the objectives of mountaineers escorted by a US-based climbing outfit to summit Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the boundary between China and the nation of Nepal.

Tourism Increase in the Area

Karma valley was first visited by foreign adventurers a century ago. In recent years, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a major travel destination, the area has brought in an growing number of visitors. More than 540,000 sightseers traveled to the Everest region last year, setting a unprecedented number.

Region Still Closed

The Everest region remains for the time being off-limits to the visitors, covering the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Effect

The intense snowfall over the weekend also influenced hundreds of hikers in other parts of western China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Sadly, at least one traveler died, due to a blend of low body temperature and high-altitude illness.

Unusual Weather

October is typically a peak season for the area, with usually clear and pleasant weather, but one trekker of an 18-person expedition team that returned safely to Qudang noted that the weather this year was “not normal.”