Salween River Update 1

Yeah we are at the last of the three great rivers of the Yunnan Province. The Yangtze, Mekong, and Salween all flow out of Tibet into western China and then to the Pacific Ocean. Over the last 5 weeks we have been driving and kayaking through the deep canyons where only two sets of tall mountain ranges seperate the three great rivers.

Me running one of the bigger rapids of the Maggi section.

The Salween is the steepest and hardest of the river we are on. The river is 300km of roadside big water rapids with tons of good park and play potential. We have done 2 of the 3 main sections of river, the gonshong section, and maggi section. They both have good big water drop and fun play spots through out the run. We have had to hike for the majority of the play but it will make my time at the Ottawa that much sweeter.

Salween special, at high water it is said to be as good as Nile special, but with the low flows it's more like a surgy wave hole.

The 18th of Febuary is also chinese new year's so it was a huge party and fire work war. If it had taken place in the states there would be multiple people in jail and law suits off the hook, that must be why it only goes down like that in China. We were on the 3rd floor of our hotel throwing huge bombs and roman candles out our window at people. It was a pretty fun night and a new expirence for everyone.

The wave dubbed ATM wave for it's out of control surf and amount of work it took to hike for it.

We have found tons of fun play spots but our hunt for the hidden wave is still running. The river has tons of potential and gradint, but with the low water the world class waves that were found last year by a 5 man crew are all big holes. We have another 2 weeks here so I will keep y'all updated on weather or not we find what our dreams are full of.

Looping at the Groover hole on the Maggi section

Soon I will be back at home eating western foood and getting my new creek boat ready for California. Overall this trip has been one to remember and I hope that other people will start to reilize how good these rivers are and make more trips over here to prevent dam projects that are in progress for all three of these rivers. Yeah baby yeah!!! keep it smooth!!!

later E.G.