🔗 Share this article All Mountaineers Now Secure Following Multiple Days Stranded in Powerful Snowstorm Search parties have escorted all of the remaining trekkers near the east-facing slopes of Mount Everest in Tibet to a secure location, including numerous of native guides and yak herders, authorities reported. This marks the end one of the most extensive rescue and recovery operations ever conducted in the area. Massive Rescue Operation Completed Numerous of explorers were left stranded in thick snow over the past few days in the secluded Karma valley, after an unusually powerful winter blast unleashed substantial snowfall across the area. Snow kept coming down throughout Saturday in the valley, which sits at an average altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescue personnel had led approximately 350 hikers to a safe zone. Previous accounts had suggested that the remaining roughly 200 travelers were anticipated to reach safety by Tuesday. In total, 580 mountaineers, coupled with more than 300 guides, animal handlers, and other support staff were brought out, according to authoritative announcements released on Tuesday evening. Those Rescued Describe Extreme Situations One Chinese hiker described how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow quickly piled up around their tents, compelling them to remove it every 90 minutes. They decided to go down on Sunday as the conditions became more severe. “On the way, we came across our guide’s father, who had ventured for him. That’s when we found out the snow was intense in the valley, too; community members, incapable to contact their children on the mountain, were very anxious.” Climbing Schedules Thwarted The blizzard also thwarted the goals of alpinists escorted by a American expedition firm to ascend Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the frontier between the People's Republic of China and Nepal. Tourism Increase in the Region Karma valley was first discovered by international adventurers a hundred years ago. In modern times, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a major tourism destination, the area has attracted an growing number of visitors. More than 540,000 sightseers traveled to the Everest region last year, establishing a all-time high. Area Remains Off-Limits The Everest region remains for the time being inaccessible to the general public, covering the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu. Broader Impact The intense snowfall over the weekend also impacted numerous of travelers in other parts of the western regions of China, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Unfortunately, at least one traveler lost their life, due to a blend of exposure and acute mountain sickness. Atypical Conditions October is typically a high season for the area, with typically clear and mild weather, but one participant of an 18-person expedition team that returned safely to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “unusual.”