🔗 Share this article

Emergency crews have successfully guided all of the remaining trekkers near the east-facing slopes of Everest in the Tibet region to security, along with numerous of local guides and yak herders, officials reported. This wraps up one of the most extensive search-and-rescue efforts ever undertaken in the region.

Massive Evacuation Operation Concluded

Several hundred of trekkers were found themselves stuck in heavy snow over the past few days in the remote Karma valley, after an unusually powerful blizzard deposited significant snowfall across the territory.

Snow kept coming down all day Saturday in the valley, which is located at an average altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescue personnel had guided approximately 350 hikers to a safe zone.

Previous accounts had estimated that the remaining roughly 200 hikers were anticipated to reach their destination by Tuesday.

In total, 580 mountaineers, along with more than 300 guides, animal handlers, and other crew members were rescued, according to government statements released on Tuesday evening.

Those Rescued Describe Severe Conditions

One from China traveler recalled how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, forcing them to shovel it every 90 minutes. They decided to go down on Sunday as the situation worsened.

“On the way, we encountered our guide’s father, who had set out for him. That’s when we found out the snow was deep in the valley, too; villagers, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned.”

Climbing Schedules Disrupted

The blizzard also hindered the goals of mountaineers led by a United States mountaineering company to summit Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the frontier between the People's Republic of China and the nation of Nepal.

Visitor Increase in the Area

Karma valley was first discovered by international adventurers a century ago. In recent years, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a prominent visitor attraction, the area has brought in an increasing number of visitors. More than 540,000 visitors traveled to the Everest region last year, setting a new record.

Region Still Closed

The Everest region is still temporarily inaccessible to the public, covering the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Broader Impact

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also influenced many of travelers in other parts of western China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Unfortunately, at least one individual died, due to a blend of exposure and altitude sickness.

Unusual Weather

October is typically a busy season for the area, with usually sunny and pleasant weather, but one trekker of an 18-person expedition team that got back to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “atypical.”