 Expedition Leader: Chris Jones (Australia) www.adventurepro.com.au/chrisjones
Paddling Expedition members:
Ed Cornfield (U.K), Georgia LePlastrier (Australia), Dave Kwant (U.K), Ram Bhandari (Nepal), Drew Cline (Canada), Timmy Trevaskis (Australia), Kate Donnelly (U.K), Heather Smith (U.K)
Support Crew
Mark Hassell (Australia), Sharyn Smith (Canada), Kabir Heimsath (India/U.S.A), Jampa Nyendra (Tibet) Tibetan drivers, porters and a cook!
Expedition Goals
First Goal: The goal of the Yigong Tsangpo International Kayak Expedition is to complete the first descent of the Yigong Tsangpo, a remote and wild river situated in central Tibet. The Yigong Tsangpo is a major river that drains the high grasslands of Nagchu. It begins as a high altitude stream and quickly builds in volume as it snakes its way along the northern  slope of the Nyenchen Thangla mountain range. After approximately 250 km, it meets the Parlung Tsangpo and forms the Po Tsangpo before draining into the mighty Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) near the infamous Great Bend. Approximately 140km of the mild section of the Yigong is extremely remote with difficult access and few inhabitants. Not only has the river never been run but it also lies in a politically restricted region and as far we know, no foreigner has travelled through this area. This expedition will be undertaking a major first descent in a culturally and geographically unique and relatively unexplored region.
Second Goal: After the river has been completed the team will travel back to Lhasa and spend two or three weeks assisting with the training of the first Tibetan river guides. Wind Horse Adventure, a local Tibetan company, set up the first whitewater rafting operation in Tibet last season and began teaching 5 local Tibetans to kayak and raft. Western standard training is rarely available for adventure tourism companies in Tibet. Our team will conduct training in river rescue, first aid, English language, rafting and kayaking skills. This will be a unique opportunity for the expedition members to give something back to the people who helped us achieve our expedition.
Expedition Outline
Our plan is to meet in Katmandu at the end of April 2004, where we will stock up with provisions and supplies that cannot be found in Tibet. We will spend a few days warming up on the friendly rivers of central Nepal before travelling overland to Lhasa. Once in Lhasa we will spend approximately 6 days acclimatizing and making last minute arrangements. Acclimatization is essential as we will be traveling over 5000m passes to get to our put-in (which we believe to be around 4500m.)
 We will travel from Lhasa in four-wheel drive vehicles and plan to put in as close to the obvious source as possible. We believe the length of navigatable river to be around 250-275km but this will depend on water levels and the grade of whitewater. The support team will follow us by road for the first 70km and then follow on foot for the next 140km. (The vehicles will return to Lhasa and meet us in Yigong village). This will undoubtedly be the crux of the expedition with difficult whitewater challenging the kayakers and challenging trekking for the support crew. Porters or horses will be used to assist with the carrying of gear. It is not known if the path stays close to the river so the kayakers will be prepared to spend up to 5 or more days self supported on the river if necessary. After Yigong village the kayakers can relax as there appears to be very little challenging whitewater before the confluence with the Parlung Tsangpo.
If time and water levels permit, the team will spend a number of days exploring the rivers in the area near the confluence and hopefully paddle some other short first descents. We are particularly interested in exploring, scouting and paddling sections of the Parlung Tsangpo, Po Tsangpo and Lunang Tsangpo for future expeditions to this area.
 After the completion of the river the team will return to Lhasa and spend 2-3 weeks contributing to staff training and development for Wind Horse Adventure, the only rafting company in Tibet. Our team will conduct training in river rescue, first aid, English language, customer service, rafting and kayaking skills. Western standard training is rarely available for adventure tourism companies in the Himalayan region. This is a unique opportunity for the first Tibetan river guides to receive high quality training from professional river guides. This will also be a unique opportunity for the expedition members to give something back to the people who helped us achieve our expedition.
River Specs.
Nearest major town to put-in: Nagchu, Tibet
Put-in elevation: approx. 4500m (14,800ft)
Nearest town to take-out: Tangmi
Take-out elevation: approx. 3000m (9800ft)
Length: approx 250-275km (155-170 miles, exact length unknown!)
Average gradient: 9m/km (30ft/mile)
Class II-V+
Estimated flow: 100cfs at put-in, 5000cfs at take-out.
Estimated number of river days: 12 (possibly more!)
Preliminary Overall Itinerary: (7 weeks total)
Day 1: Meet in Katmandu
Day 2: Relax and acclimitise
Day 3 – 5: Paddle Bhote Kosi and Belephi Khola
Day 6: Last minute arrangements in Katmandu
Day 7 – 9: Drive overland to Lhasa.
Day 10 – 35: See expedition itinerary below.
Day 35 – 49: 2 weeks in Lhasa contributing to Wind Horse Adventure staff training and development. Including delivering a first aid course, a river rescue course, kayak and rafting instruction.
 Preliminary Expedition Component Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive Lhasa
Day 2-5: acclimate, last minute arrangements, sight-see, and paddle nearby rivers.
Day 6: drive to Nagchu
Day 7: drive to source of Yigong Chu (above Zhali Xian and Atsa Tso, may have to search for it)
Day 8: put-in and paddle (with road support)
Day 9-10: paddle past Zhali Xian
Day 11-18: continue paddling
Day 19: last day paddling prior to confluence with Pelung Tsangpo (road support)
Day 20-21: scout Pelung Tsangpo, Po Tsangpo and/or Lunang Tsangpo (Rong Chu)
(road access)
Day 22-23: paddle the chosen river
Day 24: long drive back to Lhasa
Day 25: Rest day.
Chris Jones Age: 30 Nationality: Australian
Chris is a self confessed Himalaya addict and has travelled to the Himalayas on 8 separate occasions. He makes a living in adventure tourism, mountain guiding, whitewater guiding and teaching in the outdoors. He currently calls British Columbia, Canada, home. He is an accomplished kayaker and climber and has paddled in many different countries. Last year he became the third westerner ever to gain relatively free access to explore rivers in Tibet. He completed 6 first descents while setting up the first whitewater guiding operation in Tibet. After the Yigong Tsangpo expedition Chris will remain in Tibet for 5 months, training Tibetan river guides and helping to establish Wind Horse Adventure’s whitewater guiding operation. Chris will also be leading an expedition for a group of blind and partially sighted German kayakers on rivers around Lhasa in conjunction with Braille Without Borders, an organisation for blind Tibetans in Lhasa. More Info: www.adventurepro.com.au/chrisjones www.tibetwindhorse.com
Ed Cornfield
Age: 24
Nationality: British
Ed has been paddling for 16 of his 24 years. He has made whitewater paddling his life, competing at an international level in freestyle and extreme events, guiding and teaching kayaking and rafting and kayaking around the globe. Ed is a member of Team D Europe, a 5-10 'Elite Athlete', and is also currently sponsored by Palm Equipment International, and Rough Stuff Paddles. He is currently managing his own international whitewater guiding business. Ed has received extensive media coverage throughout his paddling career including: 'Playboating' Magazine front covers (1998/2000). 'Paddles' Magazine front covers (1998). Published articles including photos in Playboating' and 'Paddles' (1998 - 2001) Slots in 'Mothership Connection' and 'Code Red' kayak videos. Titled paddler in" Adventures in Loonerland" kayak video and has been interviewed' in 'Playboating' Magazine nr 29. More info: www.liquidguiding.com
Dave Kwant
Age: 24
Nationality: British
Dave is a talented kayaker who has combined his thirst for river exploration with his desire to produce quality films. The result has been 4 kayaking films in the last 5 years with his latest production; “Flying Fish” winning the Scottish Paddlesports Festival, and coming 3rd at the Kendal Mountain film Festival. Dave has also filmed two half hour programs for the National
Geographic 'Go Wild' series in Nepal and New Zealand.
A Scottish steep-creeker at heart, Dave has been paddling for 10 years and has paddled over 100 different rivers in various countries around the globe. He is currently an Eskimo ProTeam paddler and a member of the SystemX ProTeam. Aside from his films, Dave has frequent articles/photos and appearances in kayaking and general magazines in Britain including: Playboating, Canoe Kayak, Paddles, Kayak and MBUK
Georgia LePlastrier
Age: 28
Nationality: Australian
A fully addicted whitewater junkie, Georgia has been paddling for 11 years. She has a background in outdoor education but now focuses on whitewater guiding/instruction and competition. Georgia is currently the number one female freestyle kayaker in Australia. She earned 25th at the freestyle worlds in Spain 2001 and 17th at the pre-world in Graz, Austria. Georgia is not just a park and play boater, she is also an accomplished expedition paddler having paddled in many countries around the globe. Her longest trip was a 75-day all women’s expedition down the Yukon River in Alaska from Whitehorse to the Bering Sea in open canoes. Georgia is currently a member of Team D Australia and is sponsored by AdventurePro, Solution spray skirts, FNA Headgear, Immersion Research, Kayak4Play, Shockwave, Liquid Life as well as Dagger. More info: www.adventurepro.com.au/georgia
Ram Bhandari
Age: 23
Nationality: Nepali
Ram is professional river guide from Nepal. He grew up on the banks of the Trisuli River near Katmandu and as a young boy, watched rafters and kayakers float past his family farm. When he was 14 he got a job as a cook with a rafting company and hasn’t looked back! He quickly learnt to kayak from international paddlers and has become one of the best kayakers in Nepal. He has completed expeditions on most of Nepal’s major rivers and also paddled extensively in Tibet. In 2002 he won the Himalayan Whitewater Festival and received full sponsorship to compete at the freestyle world championships in Europe. Unfortunately the Nepali government would not issue him a visa so he was unable to undertake this amazing opportunity. In 2004, Ram will be working in Tibet teaching kayaking and guiding skills to Tibetans and guiding commercial trips.
Heather Smith
Age: 26
Nationality: British
Heather has been paddling at a high level for 6 years. Completing first descents and first female descents in Scotland and Canada, she has paddled over 100 rivers worldwide. She is also an accomplished mountaineer and has lead an all female expedition to Bolivia, establishing a number of new routes on peaks up to and over 6000 metres. She pays for her adventures by working as a teacher and has just moved to New Zealand so as to paddle and climb more frequently. Heather has written articles for kayaking and climbing magazines and her photographs have appeared in various kayaking and advertising publications. She has been sponsored by "Pyranha" kayaks and "Kogg" kayaking gear and has also appeared in British produced kayaking films shot in Scotland, Norway and Canada.
Kate Donnelly
Age: 23
Nationality: British
Kate is a kayaker and professional photographer. She has travelled extensively, capturing her adventures on film and building stock for her photo business; www.liquidshots.com. In 2002 she travelled to Laos to photograph and kayak huge whitewater on the Mekong River. Most recently she has been living and working on the Sjoa river in Norway.
Timmy Trevaskis
Age: 25
Nationality: Australian
Timmy is a freelance guide and photographer who has spent the last few years travelling around the globe in search of perfect whitewater and perfect photos. He has guided professionally in Italy, Norway, Iceland, Canada, and Australia. He has travelled through Tibet and has been longing to return ever since. He is currently guiding 10 day expedition rafting trips on the Franklin River in Tasmania, Australia.
Drew Cline
Age: 22
Nationality: Canadian
Drew is a professional whitewater guide from British Columbia. He has travelled extensively and lived for a year in Thailand. He commenced a round the round the world kayak trip in October 2003. His journey will take him to New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, Nepal and Tibet. He is currently working for Blisstick Kayaks in New Zealand.
Kabir Mansingh Heimsath
Age: 32
Nationality: American/Indian
A man of many talents, Kabir will form an integral part of our support crew, he has an incredible knowledge of Tibetan culture and geography and will help liaising between local Tibetans and the expedition members, he will act as interpreter along with Jampa Nyendra, one of our Tibetan guides. Kabir is currently living in Lhasa and studying Tibetan language at Lhasa University. Kabir earns his living as a professional photographer/writer and adventure travel consultant. He has numerous publications under his belt including his book “Tibet: Apparitions and Lhasa”. He is also co-editor of the forthcoming “Historical Dictionary of Tibet”. Scarecrow Press, (2004). Besides Tibetan, Kabir also speaks Hindi, French, Nepali and Mandarin. He is a talented rock-climber and paraglider.
Mark Hassell
Age: 30
Nationality: Australian
Mark will be our support team coordinator. Originally from Australia, Mark now resides in the Canadian Rockies. He has a long history of teaching and guiding rock-climbing, kayaking and caving. He is currently working as a professional cave guide and Instructor for British Columbia and Alberta Cave Rescue organisations. Mark is also a Rope Rescue Team Leader with the British Columbia Provincial Emergency Program. He holds the South American Caving depth record and is no stranger to expedition logistics.
Sharyn Smith
Age: 31
Nationality: Canadian
Sharyn spent last summer season in Tibet assisting Wind Horse Adventure in establishing the first commercial river guiding outfit in Lhasa and training Tibetan river guides. Sharyn brings superior computer skills to the group and will assist the support crew with communications and logistics. She currently works as an assistant editor in the film industry but has worked as a commercial pilot, professional jockey and location scout. After the Yigong Tsangpo expedition Sharyn will remain in Tibet for 5 months, assisting Wind Horse in establishing their whitewater guiding operation and training horses for Braille Without Borders, a School for the blind in Lhasa.
“Yesterdays’s dreams are often tomorrows realities”
Bruce Lee
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