Kyrgyzstan
DifficultTian Shan Celestial Mountains — Bishkek to Torugart Pass via Kochkor and Son-Kul Lake High Plateau
The roof of Central Asia on dirt.
Feature: High Altitude
Alaska
ModerateDenali Highway – Paxson to Cantwell via the Alaska Range Tundra Spine
Alaska's forgotten highway. Denali straight ahead.
China
ModerateKarakoram Highway – Kashgar to Khunjerab Pass via Gez Canyon and Karakul Lake
Built on bones. The Karakoram's Chinese spine.
Mongolia
ExpertGobi Desert Bayanzag to Khongoryn Els — Southern Mongolian Desert Circuit via Moltsog Els
Dinosaur cliffs to singing dunes. No roads, no rules.
Afghanistan
ExtremeWakhan Corridor Road — Ishkashim to Sarhad-e-Broghil via the Panj River and Little Pamir Plateau
Marco Polo's road. Still as hard as it ever was.
Colorado
ModerateCottonwood Pass Road — Buena Vista to Crested Butte via the Collegiate Peaks High Crossing
12,126 feet of Continental Divide gravel.
Antofagasta Region
DifficultSalar de Atacama Desert Circuit — San Pedro de Atacama to Paso Sico via the Atacama Salt Flat and Puna Volcanoes
Salt, flamingos, and 6,000-metre volcanoes.
Namibia
DifficultSossusvlei to Bullsport via Naukluft Desert Spine — Solitaire and Tsaris Pass
Dunes to gorges. Full Namib. No safety net.
Colorado
DifficultColorado BDR Southern Segment — Silverton to Chama via the San Juan Backcountry
San Juan high country, raw and unfiltered.
China
ModerateTibetan Friendship Highway — Lhasa to Shigatse via Yamdrok Lake and Karo La Glacier
Glacier at the roadside. Turquoise lake below. 5,000 m up.