All Mountaineers Now Secure After Days Trapped in Intense Winter Storm

Rescue teams have escorted all of the last trekkers near the east-facing slopes of Mount Everest in Tibet to a secure location, including numerous of regional escorts and yak herders, local government reported. This marks the end one of the most extensive search-and-rescue efforts ever seen in the region.

Massive Rescue Operation Concluded

Hundreds of explorers were became trapped in deep snow over the past few days in the remote Karma valley, after an unexpectedly fierce winter blast deposited heavy snowfall across the territory.

Snow kept coming down throughout Saturday in the valley, which rests at an mean altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescuers had escorted approximately 350 hikers to safety.

Earlier reports had indicated that the remaining roughly 200 travelers were expected to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 mountaineers, along with more than 300 escorts, animal handlers, and other crew members were brought out, according to official announcements released on Tuesday night.

Those Rescued Recount Severe Situations

One Chinese traveler recalled how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow quickly piled up around their tents, forcing them to clear it every 90 minutes. They opted to descend on Sunday as the weather deteriorated.

“On the way, we met our guide’s father, who had come looking for him. That’s when we realized the snow was deep in the valley, too; community members, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were very anxious.”

Climbing Plans Thwarted

The severe weather also disrupted the goals of mountaineers escorted by a United States mountaineering firm to summit Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the border between China and the nation of Nepal.

Visitor Growth in the Region

Karma valley was first explored by foreign explorers a century ago. In the past few years, with the development of the Everest region in Tibet as a prominent travel destination, the area has drawn an growing number of visitors. More than 540,000 visitors explored the Everest region last year, marking a all-time high.

Area Remains Closed

The Everest region is still currently inaccessible to the general public, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Broader Effect

The significant snowfall over the weekend also impacted many of hikers in other parts of the western regions of China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one person died, due to a combination of hypothermia and acute mountain sickness.

Atypical Conditions

October is typically a busy season for the area, with usually sunny and mild weather, but one participant of an 18-person hiking party that got back to Qudang noted that the weather this year was “atypical.”