The use of ultra-low temperature cooling and of high hydrostatic pressure techniques has significantly expanded our understanding of the two-dimensional electron gas confined to GaAs/AlGaAs structures. This chapter reviews a selected set of experiments employing these specialized techniques in the study of the fractional quantum Hall states and of the charged ordered phases, such as the reentrant integer quantum Hall states and the quantum Hall nematic. Topics discussed include a successful cooling technique used, novel odd denominator fractional quantum Hall states, new transport results on even denominator fractional quantum Hall states and on reentrant integer quantum Hall states, and phase transitions observed in half-filled Landau levels.