• Welcome to AlpineZone, the largest online community of skiers and snowboarders in the Northeast!

    You may have to REGISTER before you can post. Registering is FREE, gets rid of the majority of advertisements, and lets you participate in giveaways and other AlpineZone events!

Google Earth Accuracy

BeefyBoy50

New member
Joined
Dec 3, 2012
Messages
149
Points
0
Location
Norristown, PA
I'm wondering how accurate google earth's vertical measurements are. On the one hand, it shows Jay Peak's summit at 3,774 feet despite countless measurements and the actual resort's website claiming that it is 3,853 feet high. On the other hand, I was looking at windham on google earth, and things seemed to add up. Windham always seemed to ski a bit short to me as compared to its "1600 foot vertical" or 1550 foot vertical on the main face, and looking at measurements on google earth, the top of the main face is 3,020 feet and the bottom of the mountain is just under 1,700 feet- so it gives a little more than 1,300 feet of vertical. Are both of these google earth measurements accurate, or one, or neither? I don't think that the 3,853 feet claim of Jay Peak would be false as its on so many websites, but google earth does seem to be accurate everywhere else.
 

Blizzard of Wahhs

New member
Joined
Sep 15, 2012
Messages
114
Points
0
I know it's a bad winter but can't you at least pick up pog collecting or parkour? Seriously, who gives a shit. it's called triangular reference, take several and average them. If you're wrong then you buy the next round. Profit.
 

pro2860

New member
Joined
Dec 25, 2010
Messages
102
Points
0
Location
Central New York
I think that many mountains overstate their vertical...I ski at Greek Peak and they state their vertical at 952'. Actual vertical is more like 750'
 

from_the_NEK

Active member
Joined
Jun 5, 2006
Messages
4,575
Points
36
Location
Lyndonville, VT
Website
fineartamerica.com
I think that many mountains overstate their vertical...I ski at Greek Peak and they state their vertical at 952'. Actual vertical is more like 750'

While that is common there are also inaccuracies in Google Earth's elevation data. In the Jay Peak example, USGS topo maps, and various other sources state the 3,853 elevation.
 

SIKSKIER

New member
Joined
Nov 13, 2006
Messages
3,667
Points
0
Location
Bedford and Franconia NH
But I think that the inacurracies are consistant.What I mean by that is if your looking at the vertical drop of a mountain,I think its pretty close.Which brings me to something that really bugs me.Saddleback claims 2000 vertical drop.The most I can measure is 1700 ft.That's really a stretch if its accurate.
 
Top