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Rescue teams have successfully guided all of the last hikers near the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to security, including hundreds of local guides and livestock handlers, authorities announced. This marks the end one of the most extensive rescue and recovery missions ever conducted in the area.

Large-Scale Evacuation Effort Concluded

Hundreds of trekkers were left stranded in deep snow over the weekend in the secluded Karma valley, after an unusually powerful blizzard dumped heavy snowfall across the territory.

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

Earlier reports had suggested that the last group of roughly 200 hikers were projected to reach safety by Tuesday.

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

Survivors Recount Harsh Conditions

One from China traveler recalled how their group had been “too frightened to sleep” on Saturday, as snow quickly piled up around their tents, obliging them to clear it every 90 minutes. They opted to descend on Sunday as the weather deteriorated.

“On the way, we met 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, not able to contact their children on the mountain, were very anxious.”

Climbing Plans Thwarted

The snowstorm also hindered the goals of mountaineers guided by a American expedition outfit to summit Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the boundary between the People's Republic of China and the nation of Nepal.

Tourism Increase in the Area

Karma valley was first visited by international explorers a long time ago. In modern times, with the development of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant visitor destination, the area has brought in an rising number of visitors. More than 540,000 tourists explored the Everest region last year, establishing a unprecedented number.

Area Still Closed

The Everest region remains currently off-limits to the visitors, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Impact

The intense snowfall over the weekend also affected numerous of hikers in other parts of western China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Unfortunately, at least one traveler died, due to a mix of hypothermia and altitude sickness.

Unusual Weather

October is typically a busy season for the area, with usually fine and mild weather, but one trekker of an 18-person hiking party that made it back to Qudang remarked that the weather this year was “unusual.”