October 1, 2009 – Big Sky, Montana – A 10-member expedition team completed a rare 200-mile descent of the headwaters of the world’s third longest river, the Yangtze, taking off the river on September 16 near the county seat of Chenduo County, Yushu Prefecture, Qinghai Prefecture, China.

The expedition team included Montana residents Eric and Brandy Ladd, Big Sky, Troy and Megan Paulson, Belgrade, and Mike Martins, Bozeman; Colorado residents Roger and Cheryl Ladd, Evergreen, Jason Moore, Vail, and Travis Winn, Grand Junction, in addition to Li Weiyi, Beijing, China.

An extended monsoon season provided bigger water volume than expected during the 10-day expedition with estimated flows between 30,000 – 40,000 cubic feet per second and numerous Class IV/V rapids.

The team traveled through some of Tibet’s most sparsely populated countryside, joining the river at an elevation of 14,000 feet and traveling to 12,000 feet within 200 miles.  Surrounding peaks topped 18,000 feet, lining the route with 5,000 foot cliff walls and narrow canyons.  Fewer than 100 people have navigated this portion of the Yangtze, making this expedition the first known documented high water descent of the Upper section.

“We collected more information from villagers on flows, wildlife, weather patterns, and local livelihoods than Last Descents has collected on any trip, and I think we did a tremendous job as a group confronting challenges associated with the high water,” commended trip leader, Travis Winn, owner of Last Descents and co-founder of China Rivers Project.

Although little is published about the Upper Yangtze, the expedition team confirms a similarity to the waters of the Colorado River.  Grand Canyon-size rapids abounded; multiple sections of the Yangtze 300 yards wide narrowed to merely 30-75 yards, creating intense hydraulics, surges of whitewater, dangerous ledges, whirlpools, boils, school-bus sized holes and 10-15 foot breaking waves.

“The expedition truly felt like a first descent due to the high water volume,” said Eric Ladd, “You never knew what was around the corner.”

Travis noted the rarity of rafting in remote China is strikingly different than the Colorado, where approximately 28,000 rafting trips are held in the Grand Canyon each year; the Upper Yangtze:  one; our team was the only successful descent in the last three years.  In addition, Travis compares the development stage of the Yangtze to be that of the Colorado River in the 1930s – 1960s.  Damming and diversion projects dot the lower region of the Yangtze but the Upper section is still relatively untouched.

A hydropower potential assessment is slated to be completed by the provincial government and Sinohydro Corporation in 2011 and depending on the rate of progress and their conclusions, the 200-mile section the expedition team conquered could vanish.

“Uniquely,” said Travis, “we have a relative head start on whatever plans are held for the Upper Yangtze. The combination of paddling some of the world’s largest whitewater on a river and through canyons few have ever seen makes this expedition even more remarkable.”

The team would like to thank its generous sponsors for making the expedition possible and providing exceptional gear for the river: Extrasport, Teva, Head Trip Helmets, NRS, Klean Kanteen, SPOT Satellite Messenger, American Running Company and Last Descents.

We learned that the water can stay high through September, we collected more
information from villagers on flows, wildlife, weather patterns, and local
livelihoods than Last Descents has connected on any trip, and I think we did
a tremendous job as a group confronting challenges associated with the high
water.

We were of less than approximately 100 people who have ever had the fortune of
experiencing this section of river, and depending on the conclusions of the
hydropower potential assessment to be completed by provincial government and
Sinohydro Corporation in 2011, and depending on the rate of progress of the
South to North Diversion from the Yangtze to the Yellow, this section could
vanish before that number of people is doubled.

Uniquely, we have a relative head start on whatever plans are held for the Upper Yangtze.

Thank you to all of our sponsors for support, and may together we bring the
majesty and significance of this place to more people!

~Travis Winn

Day 9 is just beginning and will be the last day on the river. A few smaller rapids are expected in the couple of hours remaining on the river. Eric noted that this trip has felt like a first descent due to the incredibly high water volume. We are thankful they are all safe and healthy despite the large volume of water that has surrounded them, challenged them, and ultimately led them to a safe take out. The group will head to Yushu tonight, flying to Xining and on to Beijing the following day.

Day 7 is just beginning, and the group anticipates a couple more signifigant rapids. After the river on day 7 the group hopes to visit a monastery tucked away in the hills above the Yangtze. 2 more nights on the river…