🔗 Share this article Every Single Mountaineers Currently Secure Following Multiple Days Trapped in Intense Blizzard Search parties have safely led all of the remaining adventurers near the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to safety, along with numerous of regional escorts and yak herders, local government reported. This wraps up one of the largest rescue and recovery operations ever conducted in the zone. Massive Evacuation Effort Completed Hundreds of hikers were became trapped in thick snow over the past few days in the secluded Karma valley, after an unusually intense blizzard unleashed substantial snowfall across the region. Snow continued to fall throughout Saturday in the valley, which sits at an mean altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescuers had led approximately 350 hikers to safety. Initial updates had indicated that the last group of roughly 200 individuals were expected to reach their destination by Tuesday. In total, 580 hikers, in addition to more than 300 guides, animal handlers, and other crew members were brought out, according to government reports released on Tuesday night. Survivors Describe Extreme Situations One from China hiker described how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, forcing them to shovel it every 90 minutes. They decided to descend on Sunday as the weather became more severe. “On the way, we met our guide’s father, who had set out for him. That’s when we found out the snow was heavy in the valley, too; villagers, not able to contact their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned.” Climbing Schedules Disrupted The blizzard also disrupted the objectives of alpinists guided by a American expedition outfit to ascend Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the frontier between the People's Republic of China and the nation of Nepal. Tourism Growth in the Area Karma valley was first discovered by international explorers a long time ago. In modern times, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant visitor draw, the area has brought in an rising number of travelers. More than 540,000 visitors explored the Everest region last year, establishing a unprecedented number. Region Still Closed The Everest region continues to be for the time being inaccessible to the general public, encompassing the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu. Wider Impact The intense snowfall over the weekend also impacted hundreds of hikers in other parts of western China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one person died, due to a mix of exposure and altitude sickness. Unusual Conditions October is typically a peak season for the area, with normally clear and moderate weather, but one trekker of an 18-person hiking party that returned safely to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “not normal.”