Lidar provides much greater accuracy in measuring topography such as summit elevation. Lidar is a modern tool used to survey land, and the data is recorded and made publicly available by the United States Geological Survey. Last year, he started working with light detection and ranging (Lidar) data to remap the White Mountain National Forest. Twenty years later, Larry continues to be a driving force of innovation in the mapping community. That’s one of the great things about being able to do this first hand.” The GPS data was used to create updated maps beginning with the 26th edition of the White Mountain Guide in 1998. Larry enjoyed this hands-on process: “When I am creating the map, I am seeing in my own mind: the trail as I hiked it, the views as I saw them, the weather that I experienced. Over the course of two years, he and multiple interns hiked every White Mountain trail while carrying differential GPS equipment. Larry did not think that the data of the hand-drawn maps of the White Mountains were accurate enough. That’s one of the great things about being able to do this first hand.” “When I am creating the map, I am seeing in my own mind: the trail as I hiked it, the views as I saw them, the weather that I experienced. To qualify as a 4,000-footer, the AMC states, a peak must rise at least 200 feet above the low point of a ridge that connects it with a higher neighbor. Larry saw this as an opportunity he wrote a business plan for his idea of replacing conventional maps with digital ones and was later hired for the job. At the time, digital maps for recreational consumers were not yet in use. Larry began to notice how the technology and data he used for his work at AMC could be applied to improve the existing maps of the White Mountains. While there were no positions available initially, Kimball eventually hired Larry part-time to do conservation research. Inspired by the project, he boldly cold-called AMC’s then Director of Research, Ken Kimball, to ask for a job. ![]() While browsing through a copy of AMC Outdoors magazine, he read about conservation work being done for the Northern Forest Land Study. Larry hiking the ridge leading to the summit of Denali in June, 1995
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |