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Search parties have successfully guided all of the last adventurers near the eastern slopes of Everest in the Tibet region to a secure location, including hundreds of regional escorts and animal tenders, officials announced. This marks the end one of the largest search-and-rescue efforts ever undertaken in the area.

Large-Scale Evacuation Operation Concluded

Several hundred of explorers were became trapped in thick snow over the weekend in the remote Karma valley, after an unexpectedly powerful winter blast deposited heavy snowfall across the region.

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 escorted approximately 350 hikers to safety.

Earlier reports had suggested that the remaining roughly 200 hikers were anticipated to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 trekkers, coupled with more than 300 guides, livestock herders, and other crew members were rescued, according to government reports released on Tuesday night.

Those Rescued Recount Extreme Conditions

One Chinese traveler shared how their group had been “too scared to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, obliging them to shovel it every 90 minutes. They opted to descend on Sunday as the conditions deteriorated.

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

Expedition Schedules Disrupted

The severe weather also thwarted the objectives of alpinists guided by a American climbing outfit to reach the top of Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the boundary between China and the nation of Nepal.

Tourism Growth in the Region

Karma valley was first visited by western adventurers a century ago. In modern times, with the development of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant tourism destination, the area has attracted an growing number of travelers. More than 540,000 sightseers explored the Everest region last year, setting a unprecedented number.

Area Still Off-Limits

The Everest region is still currently inaccessible to the visitors, covering the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Impact

The intense snowfall over the weekend also impacted hundreds of travelers in other parts of western China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Unfortunately, at least one traveler succumbed, due to a combination of exposure and acute mountain sickness.

Atypical Conditions

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