GIGO: words unreadable aloud

Gwgl R3

Been playing around with Google Earth a bit lately. I know, I'm a little late to that party -- but it did take them a while to get it ported to the Mac.

Anyway, I've managed to fly through the routes of most of the more memorable backpacking trips I've taken and some day hikes I've done. It's uncanny how much the GwglR3 view can look like the real terrain, sometimes. But it's not an "uncanny valley" -- it's just really cool.

1980 trip with Sheldon, Jeremiah, and the crippled Girl Scouts -- sort of a Rae Lakes Loop, but from the east -- Onion Valley, Kearsarge Pass, Charlotte Lake, Gardner Peak, Gardner Basin, Sixty Lakes Basin, Rae Lakes, Glen Pass
1994 hike to Grizzly Lake in the Trinity Alps (see http://tinyurl.com/yuhrq7 )
Part of my 1999 PCT Solo Week http://got.net/~landauer/bp/990928-YoseHigh.html
Most of the Y2K Emigrant Wilderness trek across Yosemite http://got.net/~landauer/bp/000729-EmW_Yosemite.html
The first day or two of the High Sierra Trail, from near Moro Rock, up to the Hamilton Lakes.
The hike from Koke`e down along the Nu`alolo trail, to a viewpoint about 2000' above the Nu`alolo Kai, then along the cliffs to the Awa`awapuhi trail, and another amazing viewspot. Do also check out the Kalalau Valley viewpoint, it looks quite a lot like the postcards.
The incredible NFSJ trip (I'll have to restage the trip report, I think Phil P.'s pycs Radio server finally gave up the ghost.)
and the more recent trip along the route that parallels the main part of Kings Canyon, but just south of it (past the Sugarloaf, Roaring River Ranger Station, Moraine Ridge, Avalanche Pass, and on down to Bubbs Creek). One of the awesome views from that trip is from near the Ranger Station, looking up this pair of canyons -- Deadman Canyon and Cloud Canyon -- and the GwglR3 view does not disappoint.

Now that GwglR3 has a hiking trails layer, it looks like it's also an awesome tool for planning trips, and/or for vicariously following along on trips you never intend to take. Everest, anyone?

I can hardly wait for Google Mars to be converted to the same format.
11:58:07 PM comment/