Mount Everest

Image from Everest north side BC, "from a man who was among the first to go there, mount everest and maybe, among the last?" Since this shot, the road has been paved to allow easy access for Olympic torch relay infrastructure and media. Now, the place is off limits except for a lonely torch bearing team. Pressured by the Olympic committee; China reluctantly agreed to allow foreign reporters to cover the torch ascent and after hanging out in Beijing, international journalists were ready to leave for Everest today.

The entire trip would take 3 weeks, and cover the Olympic torch on its departure from BC to the summit.

Yet only hours before the trip, reporters were told that it is postponed until Saturday earliest; and that no media will be allowed when the torch leaves BC.

The entire roundtrip is now down to only 10 days. Why? "Mount everest weather" said the Chinese officials. Yet the journalists were not supposed to climb with the summit team, only watch the torch from BC. This sheltered camp is reached by car, and hundreds of people normally stay there for months on end during regular climbing season.

"Instead reporters will leave Beijing at the same time as the torch leaves Base Camp and go straight to Everest via Lhasa on a journey that would take them from 54 metres (177 ft) to 5,360 m (17,600 ft) above sea level in three days," reports Reuters today.

Above 2000 meters, an ascent rate of about 300-500 meters per day is recommended. The area including Everest north side BC sits at about 5000 meters. Ascending from sea level to 5000+ in three days could be deadly. Supplementary oxygen will most likely be provided, a dangerous strategy in addition impairing reporters' mobility, mental sharpness and physical alertness.

"This has nothing to do with the situation in Tibet," Wang Hui, a spokeswoman for the organizing committee, known as Bocog, told foreign reporters according to AP.

Could be the torch mountaineers don't want witnesses to their climb. No Chinese climber is found among the top high altitude mountaineers who have completed the list of 14, 8000ers, and the presumed torch team has already been involved in at least one summit controversy. Everest can't be intimidated; not all mountaineers make the top and some are lucky just to come back alive.

The torch has caused for international climbers to be banned, censored and latest threatened by deadly force in Nepal. The relay has been trailed by international protests and massive security. With the latest broken promises to media and organizers; as a symbol for ethics the Olympic torch is dying.

Mount Everest overview

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