As the Chinese climbers with the Olympic Torch look to ascend Mt. Everest, the other climbers on the mountain have been dealing with extensive climbing bans for weeks, and now communications bans since last week. Even Frontline climber/blogger Doug Pierson has been affected–he’s part of a team recreating the tragic climb of 1996 to tell their story in detail for the May 13 broadcast of Storm Over Everest, a film by David Brashears (pictured).

As they wait for the communications and travel bans to be lifted, other climbers and media–even the BBC–are being ejected from the mountain on the Nepalese side.

The Mt. Everest blog is an excellent source of information from basecamp. The Adventurist also has up-to-date info. Both reported early this morning that the Chinese climbers embarked on the summit journey with the Olympic torch today, 4/30–a journey that could take as long as a week or more.