Salween 2004.  (Image: Steve Fisher in a Big One! Photo by Jed Weingarten)

Weingarten, Lindgren, Fisher, Holcombe, Kern, and Coleman kayaked this 60 mile section from near the Tibet border (28 10 18N, 98 28 59E) to Gongshan (27 44 22N, 98 40 18E) in October, 2004.

Put-in elevation is about 6000', gradient about 25'/mile, with huge pool and drop rapids at the 30,000 cfs flow. There is a road along the entire stretch, but they carried camping gear in their boats to avoid logistical hassles.

The thirty mile stretch from Bingzhongluo was run by White Pearl Expeditions in 1996. Some of the rapids were too big to run safely with rafts. This section is slated to be dammed, but plans are on hold as of 2007.