🔗 Share this article Every Single Mountaineers Now Safe After Multiple Days Caught in Intense Winter Storm Rescue teams have successfully guided all of the remaining trekkers near the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to safety, including scores of native guides and livestock handlers, local government reported. This marks the end one of the largest rescue and recovery missions ever conducted in the region. Large-Scale Evacuation Operation Completed Hundreds of explorers were left stranded in heavy snow over the weekend in the remote Karma valley, after an unexpectedly powerful snowstorm dumped significant snowfall across the territory. Snow continued to fall all day Saturday in the valley, which is located at an mean altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescue personnel had led approximately 350 hikers to a safe zone. Earlier reports had suggested that the last group of roughly 200 travelers were expected to reach safety by Tuesday. In total, 580 hikers, along with more than 300 guides, yak herders, and other support staff were evacuated, according to official reports released on Tuesday night. Those Rescued Describe Harsh Conditions One Chinese hiker recalled how their group had been “too scared to sleep” on Saturday, as snow rapidly accumulated around their tents, obliging them to remove it every 90 minutes. They opted to descend on Sunday as the conditions became more severe. “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; villagers, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were extremely worried.” Climbing Plans Disrupted The severe weather also hindered the goals of alpinists led by a American mountaineering outfit to reach the top of Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the frontier between China and Nepal. Tourism Increase in the Region Karma valley was first explored by western travelers a long time ago. In modern times, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a prominent tourism attraction, the area has brought in an growing number of tourists. More than 540,000 tourists explored the Everest region last year, establishing a all-time high. Region Remains Closed The Everest region remains currently closed to the public, encompassing the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu. Broader Effect The heavy snowfall over the weekend also affected hundreds of travelers 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 pleasant weather, but one trekker of an 18-person hiking party that got back to Qudang noted that the weather this year was “atypical.”