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Emergency crews have escorted all of the remaining trekkers near the east-facing slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to a secure location, including scores of native guides and yak herders, officials announced. This wraps up one of the largest search-and-rescue missions ever conducted in the area.

Large-Scale Rescue Effort Concluded

Hundreds of explorers were left stranded in deep snow over the past few days in the remote Karma valley, after an unusually intense blizzard unleashed substantial snowfall across the territory.

Snow persisted all day Saturday in the valley, which sits at an mean altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescue personnel had escorted approximately 350 hikers to a safe zone.

Initial updates had indicated that the remaining roughly 200 individuals were anticipated to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 hikers, along with more than 300 escorts, animal handlers, and other crew members were rescued, according to official reports released on Tuesday late in the day.

Survivors Describe Extreme Situations

One from China traveler shared how their group had been “too frightened to sleep” on Saturday, as snow rapidly accumulated around their tents, forcing them to remove it every 90 minutes. They opted to descend on Sunday as the conditions deteriorated.

“On the way, we met our guide’s father, who had ventured for him. That’s when we realized the snow was deep in the valley, too; villagers, not able to contact their children on the mountain, were very anxious.”

Expedition Schedules Disrupted

The blizzard also disrupted the objectives of climbers led by a American mountaineering company 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.

Visitor Increase in the Area

Karma valley was first visited by foreign explorers a century ago. In recent years, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a prominent tourism attraction, the area has drawn an rising number of travelers. More than 540,000 tourists explored the Everest region last year, establishing a unprecedented number.

Region Remains Off-Limits

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

Wider Effect

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also impacted many of hikers in other parts of the western regions of China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one traveler lost their life, due to a combination of exposure and high-altitude illness.

Unusual Conditions

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