🔗 Share this article All Mountaineers Now Out of Danger After Multiple Days Caught in Intense Snowstorm Search parties have successfully guided all of the last adventurers near the eastern slopes of Everest in Tibet to safety, including hundreds of regional escorts and animal tenders, local government reported. This wraps up one of the biggest search-and-rescue missions ever seen in the region. Large-Scale Rescue Effort Completed Several hundred of explorers were found themselves stuck in heavy snow over the weekend in the secluded Karma valley, after an unusually powerful winter blast unleashed significant snowfall across the area. Snow kept coming down throughout Saturday in the valley, which sits at an mean altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, emergency teams had led approximately 350 hikers to a safe zone. Previous accounts had estimated that the remaining roughly 200 hikers were anticipated to reach their destination by Tuesday. In total, 580 trekkers, along with more than 300 escorts, yak herders, and other assistants were rescued, according to official statements released on Tuesday late in the day. Survivors Describe Harsh Situations One from China trekker described how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, compelling them to shovel it every 90 minutes. They decided to descend on Sunday as the weather worsened. “On the way, we met our guide’s father, who had come looking for him. That’s when we realized the snow was intense in the valley, too; community members, incapable to contact their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned.” Expedition Plans Thwarted The blizzard also thwarted the goals of alpinists led by a US-based climbing company to ascend Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the border between the People's Republic of China and the nation of Nepal. Tourism Increase in the Area Karma valley was first explored by western travelers a long time ago. In the past few years, with the development of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant travel destination, the area has drawn an rising number of visitors. More than 540,000 visitors visited the Everest region last year, establishing a new record. Region Remains Off-Limits The Everest region is still temporarily off-limits to the visitors, encompassing the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu. Wider Effect The intense snowfall over the weekend also impacted hundreds of hikers in other parts of the western regions of China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one person died, due to a combination of hypothermia and high-altitude illness. Unusual Weather October is typically a busy season for the area, with usually sunny and mild weather, but one trekker of an 18-person trekking group that made it back to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “not normal.”