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<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd"> <html> <head><script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/bundle-playback.js?v=HxkREWBo" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/wombat.js?v=txqj7nKC" charset="utf-8"></script> <script>window.RufflePlayer=window.RufflePlayer||{};window.RufflePlayer.config={"autoplay":"on","unmuteOverlay":"hidden"};</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/ruffle/ruffle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> __wm.init("https://web.archive.org/web"); __wm.wombat("http://shangri-la-river-expeditions.com:80/1stdes/1stdes.html","20150511221432","https://web.archive.org/","web","/_static/", "1431382472"); </script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/banner-styles.css?v=S1zqJCYt" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/iconochive.css?v=3PDvdIFv" />  <title>First Descents of rivers in Tibet and western China</title> <meta name="description" content="First Descents of rivers in Tibet and western China"> <meta name="keywords" content="Rafting and Kayaking the Rivers of Tibet and western China, China rivers, kayaking China, rafting China, whitewater China, First Descents"> <meta name="author" content="Pete Winn, structural geologist and whitewater rafter and kayaker, with the assistance of Allen Wilson, professional web designer and whitewater rafter and kayaker">  </head> <body bgcolor="#ddffff" vlink="#FF0000"> <table width="620" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1" align="center"> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;"> <img width="404" height="332" src="/web/20150511221432im_/http://shangri-la-river-expeditions.com/1stdes/wchinamap.jpg"> <p></p> Map of Western China <br> All maps in this history and guide are modified from<br> Rand McNally's Deluxe New Millenium World Atlas. <p></p> <b>A History of First Descents in Western China</b> <p></p> </td></tr> <tr><td> Expeditions that qualify for listing as first descents are limited to whitewater stretches of rivers which have not previously been run by anyone, including local Chinese residents. East of central Sichuan, the Chinese have used most rivers for transportation for centuries, including mild whitewater stretches such as the Min River north of Chengdu and the Yangtze north of Kunming, Yunnan. Boating these stretches does not qualify, even though there is no public record of the first descent. <p></p> Many rivers in western China have been surveyed by Chinese geologists in motorized Zodiacs for potential dam sites since the mid 1980's, but they portaged most or all of the rapids. These stretches qualify for listing as first descents if the rapids are run, except for those which cannot be safely run. Go to the individual river page for a link to the first descent submittal form and for information about contacting the webmaster. <hr> <p></p> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150511221432/http://www.shangri-la-river-expeditions.com/1stdes/overview.html">Regional Overview</a> <p></p> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150511221432/http://www.shangri-la-river-expeditions.com/1stdes/yellow/yellowsummary.html">Yellow</a> <p></p> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150511221432/http://www.shangri-la-river-expeditions.com/1stdes/yangtze/yangtzesummary.html">Yangzte (Jinsha or Tongtien)</a> <p></p> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150511221432/http://www.shangri-la-river-expeditions.com/1stdes/yalong/yalongsummary.html">Yalong (largest Yangtze tributary in western Sichuan)</a> <p></p> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150511221432/http://www.shangri-la-river-expeditions.com/1stdes/wsichuan/wsichuansummary.html">Other tributaries of the Yangtze in Western Sichuan</a> <p></p> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150511221432/http://www.shangri-la-river-expeditions.com/1stdes/mekong/mekongsummary.html">Mekong (Lancang or Za)</a> <p></p> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150511221432/http://www.shangri-la-river-expeditions.com/1stdes/salween/salweensummary.html">Salween (Nu or Nag)</a> <p></p> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150511221432/http://www.shangri-la-river-expeditions.com/1stdes/yarlung/tsangposummary.html">Yarlung Tsangpo (Bramaputra headwaters)</a> <p></p> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150511221432/http://www.shangri-la-river-expeditions.com/1stdes/phung/phung.html">Phung (Kosi headwaters, near Mt. Everest)</a> <p></p> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150511221432/http://www.shangri-la-river-expeditions.com/1stdes/indus/indus.html">Indus and Sutlej headwaters</a> <p></p> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150511221432/http://www.shangri-la-river-expeditions.com/1stdes/xinjiang/xinjiang.html">Rivers of Xinjiang</a> <p></p> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150511221432/http://www.shangri-la-river-expeditions.com/">More info about rivers in China</a> </center> </td> </tr> </table> </body> </html>