Every Single Mountaineers Currently Secure After Multiple Days Caught in Severe Snowstorm

Search parties have escorted all of the last trekkers near the eastern slopes of Everest in Tibet to safety, along with numerous of regional escorts and animal tenders, officials stated. This marks the end one of the most extensive search-and-rescue missions ever seen in the area.

Massive Evacuation Effort Completed

Numerous of trekkers were became trapped in heavy snow over the recent weekend in the secluded Karma valley, after an exceptionally fierce blizzard dumped heavy snowfall across the territory.

Snow persisted all day Saturday in the valley, which sits at an average 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 hikers were anticipated to reach their destination by Tuesday.

In total, 580 hikers, coupled with more than 300 guides, animal handlers, and other crew members were rescued, according to official reports released on Tuesday night.

Those Rescued Recount Harsh Conditions

One Chinese hiker described how their group had been “too frightened to sleep” on Saturday, as snow rapidly accumulated around their tents, compelling them to clear it every 90 minutes. They opted to go down on Sunday as the situation worsened.

“On the way, we met our guide’s father, who had ventured for him. That’s when we found out the snow was heavy in the valley, too; community members, not able to contact their children on the mountain, were extremely worried.”

Climbing Plans Disrupted

The snowstorm also disrupted the objectives of mountaineers led by a United States mountaineering outfit to ascend Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the frontier between China and the nation of Nepal.

Visitor Increase in the Region

Karma valley was first explored by western travelers a hundred years ago. In the past few years, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a prominent visitor destination, the area has attracted an increasing number of travelers. More than 540,000 tourists traveled to the Everest region last year, establishing a all-time high.

Region Remains Closed

The Everest region continues to be for the time being closed to the visitors, covering the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Impact

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also impacted hundreds of trekkers in other parts of western China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one person succumbed, due to a mix of exposure and acute mountain sickness.

Unusual Conditions

October is typically a peak season for the area, with usually clear and mild weather, but one participant of an 18-person expedition team that made it back to Qudang remarked that the weather this year was “not normal.”