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Emergency crews have escorted all of the last adventurers near the east-facing slopes of Mount Everest in Tibet to security, along with hundreds of native guides and animal tenders, authorities stated. This concludes one of the biggest rescue and recovery missions ever seen in the area.

Large-Scale Evacuation 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 winter blast deposited substantial snowfall across the region.

Snow persisted throughout Saturday in the valley, which rests at an mean altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescuers had led approximately 350 hikers to a safe zone.

Previous accounts had suggested that the last group of roughly 200 hikers were projected to reach safety by Tuesday.

In total, 580 trekkers, along with more than 300 escorts, yak herders, and other assistants were brought out, according to authoritative reports released on Tuesday evening.

Those Rescued Describe Extreme Conditions

One from China trekker shared how their group had been “too frightened to sleep” on Saturday, as snow quickly piled up around their tents, forcing them to shovel it every 90 minutes. They opted to go down on Sunday as the situation deteriorated.

“On the way, we came across our guide’s father, who had ventured for him. That’s when we learned the snow was intense in the valley, too; local residents, not able to contact their children on the mountain, were very anxious.”

Climbing Plans Thwarted

The blizzard also hindered the goals of mountaineers escorted by a United States mountaineering company to reach the top of Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the border between China and the nation of Nepal.

Tourism Growth in the Region

Karma valley was first visited by foreign explorers a long time ago. In the past few years, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a major tourism draw, the area has brought in an rising number of tourists. More than 540,000 visitors explored the Everest region last year, setting a new record.

Area Still Closed

The Everest region continues to be for the time being off-limits to the general public, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Broader Effect

The intense snowfall over the weekend also affected hundreds of travelers in other parts of the western regions of China, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one individual lost their life, due to a combination of exposure and high-altitude illness.

Unusual Weather

October is typically a peak season for the area, with typically sunny and moderate weather, but one trekker of an 18-person expedition team that got back to Qudang remarked that the weather this year was “unusual.”