🔗 Share this article All Mountaineers Now Secure After Multiple Days Stranded in Severe Blizzard Emergency crews have safely led all of the remaining trekkers near the east-facing slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to security, including numerous of native guides and animal tenders, authorities announced. This concludes one of the biggest rescue and recovery efforts ever undertaken in the zone. Large-Scale Rescue Operation Completed Several hundred of hikers were found themselves stuck in deep snow over the recent weekend in the remote Karma valley, after an unexpectedly intense snowstorm dumped substantial snowfall across the region. Snow persisted throughout Saturday in the valley, which rests at an typical altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, emergency teams had guided approximately 350 hikers to a safe zone. Previous accounts had indicated that the remaining roughly 200 hikers were anticipated to reach safety by Tuesday. In total, 580 mountaineers, along with more than 300 guides, animal handlers, and other support staff were rescued, according to official announcements released on Tuesday evening. Survivors Recount Severe Situations One from China hiker recalled how their group had been “too frightened to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, obliging them to shovel it every 90 minutes. They chose to go down on Sunday as the conditions became more severe. “On the way, we encountered our guide’s father, who had come looking for him. That’s when we realized the snow was heavy in the valley, too; local residents, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned.” Climbing Plans Disrupted The blizzard also disrupted the plans of climbers led by a United States expedition company to summit Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the border between China and Nepal. Visitor Growth in the Area Karma valley was first discovered by foreign adventurers a hundred years ago. In recent years, with the development of the Everest region in Tibet as a major tourism attraction, the area has brought in an increasing number of tourists. More than 540,000 visitors explored the Everest region last year, establishing a new record. Area Still Off-Limits The Everest region remains for the time being inaccessible to the public, encompassing the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu. Broader Impact The significant snowfall over the weekend also impacted many of trekkers in other parts of western China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one individual lost their life, due to a mix of hypothermia and altitude sickness. Atypical Weather October is typically a peak season for the area, with usually sunny and mild weather, but one member of an 18-person trekking group that returned safely to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “atypical.”