ESPN.com has a story on the Olympic Torch on Everest today with an update on what is happening on the North Side, as we all wait patiently for news of a successful summit.
According to the article, the team, along with the Torch, are at 25,5j60 feet, which would be the traditional place for Camp 5 on the North Side, and would fall just a few hundred feet below the "Death Zone". Apparently heavy winds and snow destroyed the high camp last week, and it had to be rebuilt and restocked before the team could finish their final preparations for the summit bids.
Of the 36 team members, 24 are Tibetan, and three are female. The team is led by Chinese mountaineer Wang Yongfeng, and the team spokesperson Zhang Zhijian says that if the weather holds "I think I will bring you good news as soon as possible."
If the team truly is in place at Camp 5, and the winds and weather cooperate, they still have a chance of beating the May 10th deadline. I know there are a lot of anxious climbers on the South Side who are waiting patiently for their crack at the mountain, and if May 10 comes and goes without a Chinese summit, things are going to get really interesting. Three days to go and counting...
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