Everest 2008: Chinese Olympic Torch Expedition–SUMMIT PUSH IS ON!
Quick Update to the following post: Kraig, over at The Adventure Blog is reporting on a story on ESPN that states climbers are currently sitting at 25, 560 Ft on the North side, the usual spot for Camp 5. Not sure where ESPN has gotten this info, but it looks as if the climbers are definitely in place for a run to the summit! From the ESPN Update:
The command center has given its order for the final assault tomorrow,” Shao Shiwei of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games told reporters.
Will Update a bit more as I get more info.. 2:12pm May 7, 2008
—————————————————–
It looks like the Chinese Olympic Torch expedition is currently heading towards the summit with top-out likely sometime after midnight tonight. ExplorersWeb first made the anouncement, but reports are now surfacing on the Official Olympic Torch relay site as well.
From the Torch Relay site:
“A total of 19 mountaineers have been selected to bring the Olympic flame to the summit of Mount Qomolanga (known in the West as Mount Everest), the mountaineering headquarters announced at a press conference tonight. They will likely reach the peak between 10:00-11:00 a.m. (2:00-3:00 a.m. GMT) on May 8.
This comes on the heels of reports suggesting that a couple of the Chinese expedition members had tried for a summit on May 5th, but were turned around due to blizzard like conditions in the high altitude of Mt. Everest.
Silvio ‘Gnaro’ Mondinelli, who was on a summit push of his own on Kalapatter with teammates on May 5th, reported in to ExplorersWeb:
We have just seen the Chinese approaching the summit!” reported Silvio ‘Gnaro’ Mondinelli on May 5. “They were at 8,600m, in the middle of a very strong blizzard. They couldn´t make
it.” Silvio and his mates watched the attempt live… from the summit of Kalapattar.“It was a large team of about 10 people,” Mondinelli said. “They had overcome the Second Step, but then the storm forced them down without reaching the summit.”
EverestNews, who had been following the Chinese Expedition pretty closely, has not released any new updates other than suggesting that China did not make the summit on May 5th. No word of today’s assault on Everest’s summit by the Chinese team.
From Nick Mulveney’s Olympic Torch Blog, who happens to be following the action as a Reuters reporter (and currently stationed at Everest’s northern base camp, we get a bit more on the recent developements:
“If the word around camp is anything to go by, the final assault on the summit of Everest will begin in the early hours of Thursday morning. Journalists and accompanying officials have spent much of the day taking souvenir photos and snapping up post cards at the “world’s highest post office”.
A paragraph later, Nick also says the following:
“The rumours would appear to be based on nothing more than collective will (or hysteria,perhaps)
Jumping over to the BBC News site, (they had also been updating reports live from base camp), they have not posted anything new since May 1st. It has been suggested that the BBC may have been banned from base camp and may explain why nothing new is being reported.
Yesterday, China released information about the Chinese Olympic Torch Relay team on Mt. Everest. Here is the news report from CCTV:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=212fzv1Qcdw]
I think it is pretty safe to say that China is definitely making a new assault on the summit of Mt. Everest, Since their own “Official” Olympic Torch Relay site has suggested the same. I guess over the coming hours we will have to wait and se how it goes. The weather has ben playing a major role in recent days, but current summit conditions, from EverestWeather, would suggest that the winds have died down and the temperature is holding steady. You can see the latest Everest weather update on the right-hand sidebar on this site. Let’s hope for the best so that everyone else can get on with doing what they need to do on the south side.
Speaking of the south side, Peak Freaks has suggested that a few of their Sherpas have been allowed to leave Camp 2 and begin laying ropes to Camp 3. Everyone is probably starting to clamber around a bit more on the south, especially if they have heard that China is currently moving up on the north. May 10th lingers on the horizon. Let’s just hope that this might go as planned. Keeping the fingers crossed!
Filed Under 2008 Beijing Olympics, 2008 Everest Expeditions, 2008 Mt. Everest, 2008 Olympic Torch Relay, Everest 2008, Olympic Torch on Mt. Everest, Uncategorized |
Everest 2008: Trouble Brewing on Everest?
A couple of days ago The Adventurist, as well as a couple of other sites that follow the Mt. Everest expeditions every year, made posts concerning an attempt by the Chinese Expedition to put the Olympic torch on the summit of Mt. Everest. The news, as we reported, was that China had made a successful summit of Mt. Everest, but the famed Olympic torch, once on top of the world’s tallest peak, failed to stay lit.
China is now refuting this claim. China claims that the team was only setting ropes at a high altitude and that the summit was not reached.
Backlash
Along with China refuting reports of this summit attempt, they have also acknowledged their displeasure at a particular climber for posting these ‘false’ news reports that eventually made it into the public realm. The Expedition involved in these so-called ‘false’ statements is pretty well known, now that the news has been posted on their own site, as well as other sites following this year’s action on Everest.
China, as stated through EverestNews, is pondering taking action, not only on the climber involved, but perhaps on ALL climbers on Mt. Everest’s south side. These actions could include the ‘banning of climbers’ or ‘a few more days of waiting at base camp’ before climbers would be allowed up. It is also stated that climbers have already been previously warned about reporting on news related to Mt. Everest, where even the mention of ‘China’ or ‘Tibet’ can get an expedition banned. We have already seen this happen once with William Brant Holland.
Most of us who have been following this season’s climbing expeditions on Mt Everest know that Nepal, in agreement with China, has banned all climbers from going above Camp 2 until after May 10th. This is the key date that China has given the South Expeditions for their Olympic torch relay to be finished. Nepal has also agreed with China in banning all communications equipment, including computers, cell phones, satalite phones, video and photo cameras, until May 10th, as well. This makes information very difficult to come by.
Many expeditions are being forced to make small posts to their expedition site, only after Nepal’s liaison officers okay the communications to be passed along. In a sense, it is a dreaded form of censorship that continues to inhibit many expeditions from relaying news back to family, friends, and expedition companies. Some have elected to not make any posts at all until May 10th, others are somehow getting information out either through following the guidelines set forth on their climbing permits, or by other means.
The ‘Other’ Means
The permit that climbers and expedition leaders were forced to sign for Mt. Everest this season plainly states that these rules are in effect at base camp, and above, on Mt. Everest. Some teams have referenced going back to how things use to be–before communication and instant news became the norm through the internet. Previously, if climbers wanted to get information off the world’s highest mountain, they refuted to having someone trek to a nearby community in hopes of having a phone, or something even rarer in Nepal, a computer, to get information out.
Many teams have contemplated using this tactic this season to get around the provisions set forth by Nepal at Everest’s south base camp. Others have refrained for fear of being kicked out of base camp.
Peak Freaks
My previous post, in regards to the information that China had made a successful summit of Mt. Everest, then had problems with the torch, acknowledged that the information had come through the Peak Freaks expedition’s daily dispatches. I was brought to this information through the Everest is Ours blog, who touched on the information a bit further. Today, while trying to progress with this post, I have since learned that the Everest is Ours blog has closed. Unfortunately, all information contained on the blog has also vanished. Needless to say, the information that was highlighted on the blog still remains on the Peak Freaks site.
Furthermore, in my previous post I also stated the following:
“The reports on the Chinese Everest attempt is coming by way of Peak Freaks, who for some odd reason are on the South side of Everest–completely opposite the Chinese team on the north–but are getting more info out to the public than the reporters in Chinese base camp. Kudos for them, anyways, in giving us a glimpse of what is actually taking place.
Seems like China has now taken notice, as well, and now plans to possibly punish everyone for one teams reports. This seems a bit harsh, especially when you consider that all rules pertaining to the original permit that was signed, has been followed. These rules, even though it pertains to Nepal’s side of Mt. Everest, were wrote in conjunction with specifications that China had requested.
The Rules Were Followed?
Peak Freaks, in anticipation of the new rules set out before them, hatched a plan for communications and getting news out of Base Camp to the world.
Filed Under 2008 Beijing Olympics, 2008 Olympic Torch Relay, China, Everest 2008, Mt. Everest, Nepal, Tibet, Uncategorized |
Everest 2008: Olympic Torch Snuffed Out on the Summit?
Word is coming out through both The Adventure Blog and the Everest is Ours Blog that China reached the summit of Mt. Everest yesterday with the Olympic Torch. On the lighter side, the Torch was blown out by high winds forcing the Chinese to abandon their efforts and hope for another day. The goal being that China would like to be filmed on the summit with the torch-
I reported yesterday that China had started for the summit. After what should have been long enough to get there, the news abruptly stopped coming out. We can all guess why that happened now.
The reports on the Chinese Everest attempt is coming by way of Peak Freaks, who for some odd reason are on the South side of Everest–completely opposite the Chinese team on the north–but are getting more info out to the public than the reporters in Chinese base camp. Kudos for them, anyways, in giving us a glimpse of what is actually taking place.
Perhaps mother nature has taken it upon herself to blow the Olympic Flame out on top of the world’s highest peak. China can not be happy. (In a weird way, all of us can, though;)
The stories from Mt. Everest this season get stranger by the day…
Filed Under 2008 Beijing Olympics, 2008 Olympic Torch Relay, Everest 2008, Mt. Everest |
The Death of the Olympic Spirit–An Adventurist Editorial
The Death of the Olympic Spirit
An Adventurist Editorial
By: Jason A. Hendricks
_________________________________________
The Olympic Creed
In 2008, the summer Olympic Games will be held in Beijing, China. Most of the world knows this by now, with the myriad of broadcasts on CNN, the BBC, and stations around the world reporting on the recent protests concerning China, Tibet, Mt. Everest, and Darfur.
Protests are not new to the Olympic Games. Every four years a new nation has a new agenda. It is world nature that everyone does not get along. Bob Marley sang “One World, One Love” probably the epitime of what the Olympic Spirit tries to encompass every four years. With nations waging war, with atrocities committed to fellow humans–famine, disease, disaster–political uprisings, and political leaders who fight for their own personal agendas, “One World” is simply not possible.
China rests it laurels on a huge “coming out” party during the Olympic Games. They want to be seen, heard, and represented as a leading world power. With that power comes responsibility. A responsibility that many of us feel has not come to fruition through China’s own world relationships with nations that represent a bit less of what freedom means.
Perhaps I am speaking only of an “American” outlook. Perhaps my eyes are jaded, to a degree, by the press and it’s own personal agenda. Perhaps I wouldn’t believe in Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Press, Freedom of Religion ect. if it were not for the aforementioned Press.
Over the past few days, many nations are calling on a Boycott, not of the games themselves, but of the Opening Ceremonies. A boycott of this type would show a country’s personal stance without causing a damaging blow to the athletes that have trained religiously for the past four years. It would also allow America and other world nations to show their support of China by pumping millions and millions of dollars into an economy and a political system that we don’t see eye to eye with.
The United States needs to WAKE UP!
The United States was built on a struggle for Independence. Tibet is now struggling for the same freedoms that we struggled with 230 years ago. We took up arms to fight tyranny, taxation, and a censorship of freedoms that our founding father’s felt like we deserved. Our understanding of democracy has allowed us to rise swifter, higher, and stronger than any other political system to date. “Citius, Altius, Forius“–The Olympic Motto–”Swifter, Higher, Stronger”.
China see us as a political enemy bent on keeping them down. We are not the enemy. Human Rights is the enemy. Freedom of Expression, Freedom of Press, Freedom of Religion–those things hold China down. Let your people speak and worship as they choose, let them find out what is really going on in the world, both at home and around them–let them decide for themselves what their roles should be in the growing world economy and quit subduing, quit blanketing your own fears of what your people will think or how they will react. They might actually offer up something good to society.
The International Olympic Committee has shown it’s support of China by giving the 2008 Olympic Games to Beijing. I question this move from an International standpoint on the basis that in 2004 they were refused the Olympics due to human rights issues. Can four years possibly equal a complete change in attitudes regarding such a large issue? Nothing has changed with Tibet, Taiwan, or Darfur to warrant China the opportunity to host the 2008 Olympic Games.
An Opening Ceremony Boycott, while showing the views of the nation’s involved, would still allow for the economic support of a nation that does not value our own personal beliefs in the rights of humanity.
It is not enough.
While a full Boycott of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games would hurt athletes, it should also be our government’s responsibility to always back what our Nation stands for and not let China profit from a world stage. Just because China wants something does not mean we have to expose ourselves by submitting to their system of beliefs and values and empowering them to believe that we support what they are doing.
By standing on our own heals, by allowing us to make our own decisions, by giving us the freedom to speak our own thoughts–we are empowered to make the decision that would be best for this Nation. That decision should be a full Boycott of the 2008 Olympic Games based on the past and current track record of China’s human rights issues. Failure to do anything less will be an injustice to the people of Tibet, Darfur, Thailand and our own nation, a nation that many look upon as the place where Freedom rings. Without the freedoms that our Nation holds on to, in my eyes, the Olympic Spirit is dead–
© Copyright 2008 by The Adventurist. All rights reserved. This article may not be reprinted or used in any manner without expressed written permission through the author. You may Contact him with your query through email found HERE.
Filed Under 2008 Beijing Olympics |
Everest 2008: China Prepares Route up North
The Adventure Blog has tipped us off to an update on the Chinese Olympic Torch Expedition today.
According to EverestNews, the Chinese Expedition has made it as far as Advanced Basecamp on the North, as well as set up communications towers for cell phone service. The Chinese Expedition has already set rope to the North Col and are currently setting their sights on getting it from the North Col to the Summit. So what does all this mean?
You could look at it as the Chinese being ahead of schedule. Then again, with a team of 50 climbers and hundreds of porters helping them along the way, they should be. This also means that the torch run could happen sooner than expected, freeing up precious time on the south for the many expeditions waiting in line due to China’s recomendations to Nepal.
EverestNews goes on to say that the Chinese are not planning one summit, but THREE separate trips up Mt. Everest and the first will begin no later than April 28. That would be a very early summit if all goes as planned.
My guess is that the Chinese will be trying to take the Olympic torch up as soon as possible to hamper any chances of someone sneaking to the top with their “Free Tibet” flags-April 28th should do just that. Other than a helicopter landing on Everest, looks like the Chinese will get their wish—hmm there’s a thought..I wonder what they have in place for that…
Filed Under 2008 Beijing Olympics, China, Free Tibet, Nepal, Olympic Torch, Tibet |
Boycott the Olympics? USA Today Weighs In On the Debate
USA Today has printed an interesting opinion piece today concerning the idea behind boycotting the Olympic Games in China this summer. As opinions go, they are often one-sided with a personal agenda–luckily USA Today has posted both sides to the debate.
The first opinion suggests that the United States shouldn’t Boycott the games, themselves, but leave the options open for an opening ceremony boycott–which a lot of countries at this point are starting to discuss. The reason being that a full onslaught boycott would discourage athletes in the United States and possibly hamper their only shot at achieving greatness on such a large stage.
The same article goes on to suggest that if a decision is made to soon regarding a boycott, that this could possibly hamper any kind of influence that western society could have in the next four months–good point.
The Second Opinion centers around the idea that it is wrong for the United States to show support towards a fascist regime. They bring up that China was turned down for an Olympic Bid in 2004 because of human rights issues, but vowed to improve in these areas for 2008. According to Amnesty International, China is responsible for 80% of all executions in the world. They also hold thousands of political prisoners with no hope for trial–in 2008.
“The Olympic torch is supposed to be a beacon of light shining upon
mankind’s higher aspirations, and it is a travesty to have it hosted by
the world’s worst human rights abuser.To participate in these Games and stand idly by in the face of such
atrocities would be contradictory to our commitment to democracy
worldwide.
Once again, that is their opinion–What is yours?
Filed Under 2008 Beijing Olympics, 2008 Olympic Boycott, Uncategorized |
China in Emergency IOC (International Olympic Comittee) Meeting, Bush Urged to Boycott, “Free Tibet” Unfurls on Golden Gate
The International Olympic Committee has requested a special meeting with Beijing officials, home to this years 2008 Summer Olympics, in regards to the recent Olympic torch relay protests taking place worldwide. At this time, it is not noted what the meeting is for, other than to discuss what has been going on around the world as the Olympic torch nears.
In recent days, the torch has been extinguished 3 or 4 separate times by “Free Tibet’ Protesters who have vowed to follow the torch procession all the way to Beijing.
A movement is currently underway for a number of countries to perhaps Boycott the 2008 Beijing Olympics opening ceremonies in protest to the recent treatment of Tibetans in China. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has become the latest International political figure to suggest such a boycott–while both Hillary Clinton and the US House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, have urged President George W. Bush to do the same.
Hillary Clinton, in a news release, had this to say: Read more
Filed Under 2008 Beijing Olympics, Olympic Torch Relay |
Everest 2008: International Criticism for Nepal’s Tibetan Treatment
Amnesty International and International Rights Watch have become the first International organizations to lay down an official protest with Nepal’s government concerning the recent treatment of Tibetan refugees in their country over the last month.
With much emphasis being placed on China for cracking down on Tibetan protests across Tibet leading in to the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the planned Olympic Torch run up Mt. Everest, not much has been heard regarding other nations and how they are handling the area surrounding Tibet.
It is known that Nepal has been complying with Chinese authorities in regards to breaking up protests and arresting those held liable for the uprisings.
From Amnesty International:
“Nepal police have arbitrarily arrested and detained over 1,500 people
both during and since the demonstrations and in order to restrict
expression and movement.“Police have provided no legal justification for the arrests and
detentions either to detainees or to national and international human
rights organisations.
These comments were sent in a letter to the Prime Minister of Nepal, Girija Prasad Koirala, in an effort to launch an official protest of the Nepal Government.
Amensty International along with International Rights Watch co-wrote the letter to Nepal’s Prime Minister.
“We are particularly concerned by increasing evidence of police use of
sexual and other forms of assault, including of minors, during arrests,
violating the right to physical integrity,’ said Catherine Baber,
acting Asia director of Amnesty and Sophie Richardson, Asia advocacy
director at HRW.
The letter then goes on to state that Nepal must comply with International laws relating to the treatment of the Tibetan refugees.
“As a party to the ICCPR (International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights) and the Convention Against Torture, Nepal must uphold Article
3, which prohibits the deportation of individuals to countries where
they may face torture. Customary international law also prohibits
refoulement to such situation
Amnesty International and International Rights Watch suggest that Nepal imediately restore rights of freedom to assemble, expression, and move as they choose without the threat of arrest or deportation.
This comes just nine days before a general election scheduled for Nepal, that has many factions trying to battle it out for top leadership rights, is scheduled to take place.
Nepal. who has recently changed their stance a bit concerning their bigger neighbor China has stated that they will follow with China’s One China Policy, which does not support Tibet as being a seperate entity from China, itself, and not allow any anti-china protests on it’s soil.
It was recently noted that 3 days before officials were to make a decision regarding China’s recent attempt to get Nepal to follow along with a climbing ban on Mt. Everest, that the Chinese government made an offer of $120 million in hard loans to the struggling nation. Nepal has since said that all climbing would go on as planned. Rather than enact a strict ban as China as originally suggested, climbers will be allowed to climb with no restrictions up to May 1st. From May 1st to the 10th, Nepal will comply with China in restricting climbers from the higher reaches of the world’s tallest mountain, allowing them only as high as basecamp. After May 10th, the Expeditions can continue as planned.
This attempt at cooperating with China concerns China’s push for a successful Everest summit with the 2008 Beijing Olympic Torch.
Filed Under 2008 Beijing Olympics, Everest 2008, Nepal |
EverestNews Inciting Controversy with Editorial and a Response by The Adventurist
I recently headed over to EverestNews to check out what was going on at their site. Needless to say, I was quite surprised by a small editorial piece they are currently featuring titled Everest Rumors, Lies, and Ridiculous Stories.
This is based on a few reports that this editorial is claiming as false. First off, it denies an increase in fees leveled by the Chinese Government this past season on Everest. It then goes into detail about many sites broadcasting rumors and lies, specifically mentioning the possible closing of the North side of Everest by the Chinese for the forthcoming 2008 Olympics.
EverestNews goes on the record as saying Everest’s North side will be open to climbers in the coming 2008 season and the number of climbing permits given will not be limited in scope due to the 2008 Olympics. They also go on record as saying that the rumors of China trying to negotiate the closure of Mt. Everest’s South side, via Nepal, is also completely false.
EverestNews Claims the Following Regarding Fees:
Stories that the fees in China were increased several times over were also spread, FALSE again. Why? Guides did raise fees which one would assume resulted in much higher profits… For most independents and operators the Chinese took a minor fee increase.. One must wonder what is the agenda here? To get traffic to web sites? To get published in rags? To help raise profits for some? What???
EverestNews is crediting CTMA and CMA as being two of the reliable sources that this information is coming from:
The CTMA and CMA appear to be getting pissed off by all these rumors, lies and ridiculous stories… Including false stories about climbers, who grow in number year by year… This will probably result in changes from the Chinese many of us might not like….
Last year’s “High-Altitude Free Tibet Protest on Mount Everest!” which was a “set up” where Americans went to China to get arrested and were successful is expected also to cause more tension for the Chinese and climbers which combined with these ridiculous stories will result in tougher standards on entering for 2008….
Now a Few Words From The Adventurist
First off, the CMA respectively refers to the Chinese Mountaineering Association and the CTMA refers to the China Tibet Mountaineering Association. Now that we know that all of this information is respectively coming from China we may make a few comments.
EverestNews is based out of Granville, Ohio–The United States. Why would such a site be bowing down to a communist regime in regards to it’s editorials?
If you go back and read the article as it is printed on the site, you can plainly see that this little bit of marketing by the two forementioned climbing associations in China is nothing more than Chinese Propoganda. Yes, they might be pissed off at the press, but you do have to remember that China is hosting the upcoming 2008 Olympics and with all of the recent bad publicity regarding China of late, it is no wonder that they would put out a piece questioning the recent rash of bad publicity.
Regarding the climbing fees–on more than one occassion this past year, climbers were told, once they got to China, that their fees would be anywhere from $1000-$3,000 more than what was quoted before they left for the climb. This information is documented in the climber’s expedition blogs rather substantially. This did not just happen to US climbers, but even some expeditions from the Philipines and so forth. This is documented and this information that EverestNews has released bears no weight. Tell us the sources and give us the figures–until the proof is out there on such matters, it will remain the same. Too many climbers were claiming the same problem: A rise in climbing fees after they arrived to get their liscence, which was unmerited beforehand.
As far as the Chinese trying to close the North or the South sides of Mt. Everest for next season. This news, as I myself have also mentioned, has come not only from the United States press, but also the Press organizations from around the world, including Nepal. It is known that the Nepali Government was approached with an offer to shut off the South side as well…even though, this offer by the Chinese could have fallen through in the last few days.
Next, we come to a couple of possible threats handed out by the CMA and the CTMA about possible changes taking place over the 2008 Everest season. These changes are in reference to the “One World-Free Tibet Protest” that took place this year, as well as the Chinese becoming “pissed off” at the stories and rumors coming from Mt. Everest. They claim this protest was a simple “set-up” to get the organization holding the protest arrested, and in a sense..free publicity. That may very well be the case, but in another note, the “Free Tibet” campaign has been going on for well over 50 years now. Each year new protests are enacted to bring the Chinese occupation of Tibet to the limelight. It just so happens that this years protest took place while China was trying to do their initial Olympic Torch training run to the top of Mt. Everest.
What the CMA and the CTMA are essentially doing is giving themselves an excuse to deny liscences to climbers in the upcoming 2008 season. They will base this denial on the rumors and lies of the foreign nations trying to take part in next years Everest season, as well as political turmoil of not knowing exactly what people are planning on doing.
While the supposed facts being represented on EverestNews merit no basis, it boggles my mind that an American Company such as EverestNews has seemingly given the Chinese Government an outlet for their remarks–given the Chinese’s past record.
Anyone remember Nangpa La? Last year the Chinese military opened fire on a group of people trying to cross from Tibet to Nepal–essentially political refugees trying to leave a country they despised–some were shot in the open, in front of 60 or so climbers–including a nun who was mortally shot and killed. After this incident, the Chinese Military seemingly invaded the ABC camp and essentially looked things over and waited. They had captured some 30 odd children, women, and men, and taken them into custody as well.
Many people are scared of speaking out against the Chinese. The guides could very easily lose their bid to attempt Everest and other peaks in the Chinese Himalayas if they don’t keep their mouths shut about such incidents when they do take place. China has essentially used political power and intimidation factors to keep the “real” stories on Everest and other peaks silent.
Nangpa La was real. Photos confirm the merciless killings. Still climbers involved in the incident from around the world are reluctant to speak out against the Chinese.
In 2007 the Chinese Basecamp at Everest featured a security fence and armed guards. N0 one was allowed around their encampment and secrecy was held as an asset. At one point a couple of climbers got stranded high on Everest and the Chinese refused to take part in any kind of search and rescue efforts. This should clue you in a bit on their priorities. China is about China. They protect through armed tactics and intimidation.
So why would EverestNews take a stand and essentially side with them by posting this very Pro-China editorial? The editorial even fails to mention who the writer was. I feel the reason may be as simple as the 2008 Olympics. They are positioning themselves to be “the source” of news and info coming out of China. On the otherhand, by taking such matters and putting themselves in the public light with such a controversial move, I can not see how this will benefit them at all. They may get the news coming from China, but at the same time they are alienating the climbers from around the world that understand the tactics China uses in an effort to “control”.
EverestNews makes the following question regarding the rumors, lies, and deceptions and the press that has put them out.
One must wonder what is the agenda here? To get traffic to web sites? To get published in rags? To help raise profits for some? What???
I am only speaking for myself at this time. I have no advertisers. I have no site sponsors. Trying to draw traffic to a site such as this one has no meaning. It does not benefit me in the slightest. On the contrary, by putting up an editorial that questions the basis of information regarding Everest and other mountains–by saying they are lies, rumors, and so forth–we do need to question these intentions–EverestNews is essentially questioning the same people that they get all of their information from–The climbing expedition blogs. They post no news that isn’t spoken first-hand from the Expeditions themselves on their own sites–and they do so 90% of the time word for word. So who is to blame for the lies, rumors, and so forth? Rather than calling out people that you yourselves rely on for information–perhaps you should look at yourselves. This is a weak and futile attempt at bringing in viewers that already question your standards in the field. China or no China, by printing the threats and “control” tactics, you are becoming nothing more than one of the many puppets you are trying to speak out against. Just something to think about.
Filed Under 2007 Everest Expeditions, 2008 Beijing Olympics, 2008 Olympics, Adventure, Adventure Blogs, Beijing 2008, Beijing Olympics, Blogger, Blogroll, CMA, CTMA, Censorship, China, China Tibet Mountaineering Association, Chinese, Chinese Basecamp, Chinese Government, Chinese Mountaineering Association, Chinese Occupation, Chinese Propoganda, Cho Oyu, Civil Rights, Climbing, Editorial, Everest, Everest 2007, Everest 2007 North, Everest 2007 North Ridge Route, Everest 2007 South Col, Everest 2008, Everest Basecamp, Everest Expedition 2007, Everest Expedition Companies, Everest Fees, Everest Guides, Everest History, Everest South Col, Everest South Col Route, EverestNews, Expedition Companies, ExplorersWeb, Free Tibet, HIMEX, Harassment, Historical, Internet, Life, Mountain Climbing, Mountain Disaster, Mountain Tragedy, Mt. Everest, Nangpa La, Nation, National Tragedy, Nepal, Nepal Protests, Nepali Government, News, Ohio, Personal, Politics, RSS, RSS Feeds, RSS feed, Russell Brice, SAR, Search and Rescue, Sherpa, Sherpas, Sports, TV, Technology, Television, The Adventurist, Tibet, Trekking, UK, US Climbers, USA, Uncategorized, Websites, World, Writers, blog, blogging, climb, climber, climbers, climbing community, climbing gear, crime, death, headlines, leadership, lies, mountain climbing accident, mountaineering, rescue, rumors, travel, writing |
Two Olympic Torch Runners Named for Beijing 2008
We are all well aware that China will be trying to take the famed Olympic Torch to the summit of the world’s highest mountain, Mt. Everest.
Today, one potential member of the team leading the way up Everest has been named. Yang Chunfeng has been reccommended from the Xinjiang Uygar Autonomous Region of China, to be their official bearer up the majestic mountain.
Yang Chunfeng became the first person from Xinjiang to successfully summit Mt. Everest on May 16th of this year. He led a five member team to the top of Everest and is also a well respected mountain guide in China.
Also plans for the official lighting of the ceremonial stadium torch has been announced as well. Adili Wuxor, a “Dawaz” Performer, will be doing the final lighting. For those of you not familiar with what “Dawaz” is, think Cirque de Soliel. He is a high-wire acrobat. Getting pictures of what this ceremony could look like now?
China is planning on Adili Wuxor walking a highwire, torch in hand, to the top of the stadium and ceremoniously lighting the torch to begin the official 2008 Olympic Games.
Adili Wuxor is sort of a chinese legend in his native country. He holds no less than 5 Guinness Book of World Records and was also a torchbearer in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece for China.
This would definately be an interesting starting ceremony for the 2008 Games.
This news is coming by way of China Daily.
