The Beijing Olympic torch held by Jiji was ignited by Luobuzhandui at 9:12 am on Mt. Qomolangma on Thursday. Photograph courtesy Beijing Olympic Committee.

Well, we can all breathe a sigh of relief. The Olympic torch has finally reached the summit of Mount Everest.

Chinese television broadcast the event live as the team of 31 climbers reached the summit at 9:20 AM local time. The group, mostly Tibetans and Han Chinese, left their high camp long before dawn and climbed six hours to the summit where they found great conditions—light wind, minus-30-degree temperatures, and swirling clouds. All the climbers were dressed in red coats adorned with the Beijing Olympic logo. The torch was lit below the summit and then carried upward with the sacred flame passed between several torches to Ciren Wangmu, the final torch-bearer who is ironically a Tibetan woman climber. She ascended the last few meters without oxygen.

Click on the following link to watch the Chinese video of the final torch assault.

At the summit the climbers huddled together, waving Chinese and Olympic flags, and cheering “Beijing Welcomes You!” and “One World, One Dream,” the slogan of the Beijing games. Another climber shouted, “We have lit this torch on the top of the world for harmony and peace.” Others said a traditional Tibetan greeting, “Tashi delek” meaning “may everything be well.” We can only hope so.

Now we can go on and think about other more important things! Nepal has lifted the communication ban as well as the ban on climbers above Camp 1. Now the 41 expeditions with over 500 climbers encamped on the south side can be begin their mass march to the summit. Hopefully the weather will cooperate over the next week and everyone will be safe. It’s gonna be crazy though. As for me, I’m going climbing this afternoon. My son Ian and I are attempting the first ascent of a hidden unclimbed spire in Colorado National Monument.