Chinese researchers and mountaineers on a mission to remeasure the earth's summit of the Mount Qomolangma will start their last spurt to its peak on Sunday, said chief command Zhang Yuanjiang Wednesday.

Zhang said the first batch of mountaineers plann to leave their 6500-meter-high camp on Thursday and reach the camp on an altitude of 8300 meters after three day climbing.

Then they will start their final sprint on Sunday.

The second batch are planned to reach the peak one day later, said Zhang.

The ascent of the mountain, which straddles the border of China and Nepal, was first scheduled for May 5 but has been repeatedly hampered by wretched weather conditions.

The peak, which according to China's first measurement in 1975 is 8,848.13 meters above sea level, has seen frequent heavy snows and strong winds since early May, which mountaineering experts said is rare in recent years.

The climbing endeavor constitutes part of China's scientific research program on Mount Qomolangma, which was launched in March.

The climbers left the base camp at 5,300 meters last week and are now at a camp at 6,500 meters.

Source: Xinhua