QOMOLANGMA - Sun Bin, chief of the Olympic Torch Relay Center Qomolangma Operations Team, confirmed on Thursday that the Beijing Olympic flame will follow the traditional route over Mount Qomolangma.
The specially designed Olympic flame lantern that climbers will carry the Olympic flame in to the summit of Mount Everest, also known as Qomolangma, is seen at Everest Base Camp, April 30, 2008. [Xinhua] |
The torch relay, ahead of the Games which start in Beijing on August 8, will include a climb to the top of the world's highest mountain, which spans Nepal and the Chinese region of Tibet.
"There are about 20 routes to the top of Mt. Qomolangma, but the traditional route upon the north slope is among the safest ones," said Sun, also a climber himself and a coach with the Chinese Mountaineering Team.
The traditional and classic route, applied by most of the climbers from the north slope of the world's highest peak, starts from the Base Camp with an altitude of 5,200 meters above sea level, then heads for the Advance Base Camp, known as ABC, at 6,500 meters.
It then winds upwards the summit with help of three more camps respectively at 7,028, 7,790 and 8,300 meters before scaling the top of Mt. Qomolangma, which is known as Everest in the west.
There are 28 km between the 5,200-meter-high Base Camp and the 6,500-meter-high ABC, and from the ABC, there are 20 km to the top.
"If everything progresses well, mountaineers can climb the top within four days," said Sun, who helped test the specially designed lantern and torch one year ago over Qomolangma peak.
"Our climbers are so strong that they can come back to the ABC within 8 to 10 hours on the same day they scale the top. Besides, when they climb, they are oxygen-free before the elevation of 7,790 meters.
"The team will include Chinese and ethnic Tibetans and We also have several women climbers," Sun added.
According to him, the exact team could not be finalized as it should be decided by the torch bearers' health conditions on the day they assault.
The cameramen will also form a part of the team which could not be known until the last day either.
"We have first choice team and supporting team, so who will be the best and the fittest, we have to figure out on the last minute."
