A time exposure shows a star leaving a trail over the summit of the world's highest mountain Qomolangma, also known as Mount Everest, at sunrise in the Tibet Autonomous Region May 7, 2008.

China mountaineering team spokesman Zhang Zhijian details on a diagram the proposed route for the Beijing Olympic torch's ascent of mountain Mt. Qomolangma, also known as Mt. Everest, at the Mt. Qomolangma base camp, Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, May 7, 2008. Beijing Olympic torch relay will be taken to the world's highest peak by the traditional climb route along the north slope.

(Xinhua 2008-05-08 00:05) QOMOLANGMA -- Chinese mountaineers on a mission to carry the Olympic flame over the top of Mount Qomolangma will start their last spurt to the peak on Thursday, announced a senior official at the base camp.

"The headquarters made this decision on the basis of the weather conditions and the team's physical conditions," said Shao Shiwei, deputy director of the communications department of the the Beijing Organizing Committee of the 29th Olympic Games (BOCOG) said late on Wednesday.

Shao also announced the 19-member squad who will take on the final assault, with 7 of them in the backup group.

"All the camps and the route have been finished, the climbers will choose proper timing to ascend the mountain and carry the Olympic flame over it," added Shao.

Zhang Zhijian, spokesman for the Chinese Mountaineering Team, re-confirmed on Wednesday that the Beijing Olympic flame will be taken to the top of Mount Qomolangma by the traditional climb route along the north slope.

It came six days after Sun Bin, chief of the Olympic Torch Relay Center Qomolangma Operations Team, made the same confirmation.

The Beijing Olympics torch relay is the longest and most ambitious ever planned, traveling 137,000 kilometers across five continents in 130 days. One of the highlights in its global journey is the ascent of the flame over the world's highest mountain which spans Nepal and southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

The traditional and classic route used by most of the climbers starts from the Base Camp with an altitude of 5,200 meters above sea level, then heads for the Advance Base Camp, known as ABC, at 6,500 meters. It then winds upwards the summit with help of three more camps respectively at 7,028, 7,790 and 8,300 meters before scaling the top of Mt. Qomolangma.

According to Sun, there are about 20 routes reaching the top of Mt. Qomolangma, but the traditional route upon the north slope is among the safest ones.

"The snowfall several days ago had some impact upon the ascent, now our climbers are busy fixing the damaged facilities," said Zhang. "Yesterday, I heard that they have fixed the 7,790-meter-high camp, but I'm not sure whether or when they will take further action."

"If the weather looks good all the time these days, I think I will bring you good news as soon as possible."

One day earlier, Zhang named a 36-strong team, including 24 ethnic Tibetans, 10 Han Chinese, one from Tu ethnic group and one from Tujia ethnic group.

But he didn't give any information Wednesday about who will take the final assault, which means not all stands a chance of scaling the top of the Mount Qomolangma.

"The team is now discussing the final selection but it is still up in the air, but all climbers, no matter being picked or not, will deserve respect as he or she has contributed to the ascent," said Zhang.

"At last only a small portion of the climbers will relay the torch atop Qomolangma, but I hope the highlight will also be focused on those who gave all out to make it happen in different areas."

The Chinese Mountaineering Team has scaled Mount Qomolangma successfully for more than ten times since 1960.

According to a scientific measurement in 2005, the altitude of Mount Qomolangma is 8844.43 meters, 3.70 meters lower than the figure obtained in 1975.