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The Nov. issue of National Geographic has an article beginning on pg 116
entitled "China, Rapid Descent, First Run Down the Shuiluo River."  At the
bottom of pg 125, the team leader on the river is quoted as saying "Man, I'm
lost" as he looks at "a muddy photocopy of a 1948 Russian topographical map".
The author tells us it is only one of their maps.
On pg 10 of the same issue is a map showing all the areas photographed by
astronauts from space.  The area of the Shuiluo River seems to have been
covered although there are a few gaps in the area.
It made me think about the depth of the expedition leaders' research on
available cartographic products, and what might really have been available
to them say 2 to 4 years ago.  I'm thinking of SPOT imagery which can
seemingly be brought up to a scale of 1:50,000.  That would avoid getting
lost.  It wouldn't solve the gradient problem, but hand held camera imagery
from some of the cameras used by astronauts can, I think, stand enlargement
to the point where white water would be visible.
What topo maps are out there that are more recent than that 1948 Russian
map?  Any of us still active in map libraries could be asked about something
like this.  It would be interesting to know what people can find that's not
in GEOCATALOG.
 
Ron Whistance-Smith
14520 84th Ave. NW
Edmonton, AB
Canada   T5R 3X2
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