MountEverest.net is reporting today that the 2007 climbing season for the North side of Everest will bring increased climbing fees and more restrictions on the number of teams allowed to climb from the Tibetan side. Currently, a climbing permit on the North side costs $3000, a relative bargain compared to the $10,000 it costs to climb from Nepal. The Chinese have done little to regulate their side of the mountain, which has made it a popular place for climbers, but has also made the area a little more dangerous as it has become overcrowded and lacked any level of monitoring. There has been no word as of yet on how much the climbing permit fees will increase, nor what the cap on the number of climbers will be.
On another note, the article also says that the Chinese intend to carry the Olympic flame to the summit of Everest on it's way to Beijing for the 2008 Olympic Games. Obviously an impressive, yet risky endeavor with the flame, and in order to "practice" this climb, they will make a trial run during the 2007 season. It should be an awesome site to see the Olympic Torch blazing from the summit, just be sure to keep the flame away from those bottles of oxygen.
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