Every Single Hikers Now Safe Following Multiple Days Caught in Powerful Winter Storm

Rescue teams have successfully guided all of the last adventurers near the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to a secure location, along with scores of native guides and livestock handlers, officials stated. This marks the end one of the largest search-and-rescue missions ever seen in the area.

Large-Scale Evacuation Operation Completed

Several hundred of hikers were found themselves stuck in thick snow over the weekend in the secluded Karma valley, after an unexpectedly fierce snowstorm dumped heavy snowfall across the region.

Snow kept coming down all day Saturday in the valley, which is located at an mean altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, emergency teams had escorted approximately 350 hikers to security.

Previous accounts had indicated that the remaining roughly 200 travelers were projected to reach safety by Tuesday.

In total, 580 hikers, in addition to more than 300 local guides, livestock herders, and other support staff were brought out, according to authoritative announcements released on Tuesday night.

Those Rescued Describe Extreme Conditions

One Chinese traveler shared how their group had been “too frightened to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, forcing them to clear it every 90 minutes. They chose to descend on Sunday as the weather worsened.

“On the way, we met our guide’s father, who had ventured 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.”

Expedition Plans Disrupted

The snowstorm also disrupted the plans of climbers led by a United States mountaineering outfit 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 foreign explorers a hundred years ago. In the past few years, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant visitor draw, the area has brought in an growing number of travelers. More than 540,000 tourists traveled to the Everest region last year, marking a unprecedented number.

Area Still Closed

The Everest region remains for the time being closed to the public, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Broader Impact

The significant snowfall over the weekend also influenced numerous of travelers in other parts of the western regions of China, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Sadly, at least one traveler lost their life, due to a mix of exposure and altitude sickness.

Unusual Conditions

October is typically a peak season for the area, with normally sunny and mild weather, but one participant of an 18-person expedition team that made it back to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “unusual.”