Mt. Everest Closed to Visitors Due to the Olympic Torch Relay

China Odyssey News: Mt Everest has recently been closed to the visitor. This was announced in early March. It is due to fact that the 2008 Beijing Olympics Torch Relay’s route includes a climb to the top of the world’s highest mountain. This was listed in China’s bid to host the 2008 Olympics.

According to organizers, the torch will be brought up the southern slope of Mt. Everest, carried back down the Northern slope. Approximately 80 specially selected climbers will undergo specialized training, causing Mt. Everest to be closed to two months prior to the relay. A specially designed torch has been created to deal with the fierce winds and oxygen-sparse conditions found on Mt. Everest.