The Mekong has its headwaters high on the Tibetan Plateau, one of a number
of major rivers that do. The Brahmaputra is the southernmost and the
Northernmost is the Yellow.

The headwaters are actually in China, so it doesn't look like this trip will
be seeing the higher gradient sections, those as I recall from my survey 20
years ago there is still some gradient in Laos.

China may well be the best country in the world for Whitewater - much of it
is mountainous - sloping off from the Tibetan Plateau - and it is also
mostly moderately wet and with a lot of limestone. Picture a Chatooga
starting off a 14,000 foot Tibetan Plateau rather than the 4000 foot
Appalachians.

Exploring China's rivers in detail will be a large task. Congrats for the
start.

-D.L.
"Andrea" wrote in message
m...
Sam Drevo is sending dispatches from the Champi & Mekong Rivers...

http://www.wetdawg.com/pages/whitewa...dispatch1.html