Colorado LiDAR Findings

[Dobsons]

I've had a ton of fun geeking out over some of the LiDAR data you guys are analyzing and find this all very interesting. I included soft ranked peaks in my 14er and Cent list just because it seemed logical and reasonable as they were all so close to the other truly ranked peaks. There are so many soft ranked peaks on the lower 13ers I hadn't been going out of my way to get those soft ranked peaks as the 13er list is so formidable anyways. However, it's amazing the technology we have now to get these elevations so accurate and pretty cool that we will likely be adding some new "ranked peaks" and maybe dropping a few. I for one wouldn't be depressed if "lightening pyramid" drops off the bicent list that's for sure but if it stays I am sure it will be a cool adventure too! I'll look forward to seeing how everything shakes out once all the data crunching is completed.

It seems like the "new" buckskin summit is the one closer to Tweto AND to Democrat. The previous summit was slightly off the connecting ridge from Tweto and Democrat towards Loveland Mountain. Now it's the high point right on that connecting ridge. Interestingly most my maps seem to put the name buckskin by the "new" summit and not the one that Roach, 14ers, and LOJ had listed as the high point. I had some fun looking back at my photos from 2010 of Buckskin analyzing if I did both and fortunately it seems my lame desire to touch every high point near by that could be a candidate paid off at least on that day by touching both summits. I think I vaguely remember my wife whining about dragging her to both but it's also funny how climbs from over a decade ago start to blur in the memory.

[Tornadoman]

I for one wouldn't be depressed if "lightening pyramid" drops off the bicent list that's for sure but if it stays I am sure it will be a cool adventure too! I'll look forward to seeing how everything shakes out once all the data crunching is completed.

I wouldn't mind if Lightning Pyramid was unranked either!

[Candace66]

The true summit of Mt Buckskin is a full meter higher than the spot elevation to the south east. The changed summit location is now reflected on ListsofJohn.com: https://listsofjohn.com/peak/95

Tee-hee, it's a good thing I decided to mosey over there after visiting the high point formerly known as the summit. (And it's a good thing I actually wrote up a trip report, cuz I sure don't remember the details of that 2001 outing!)

I'm waiting to see Lidar results for Death Valley. The continent's low point should be there somewhere. People (including myself) have visited the -282 spot elevation in Badwater Basin. But who knows if that's really the low point.

[Candace66]

He's probably waiting to climb them all first to be the first finisher before updating the list...

I keep checking this, which was promoted to a ranked 12er. But still no ascents as of today (Nov. 11, 2021):

https://listsofjohn.com/peak/1742

I'm still amazed that peak went from 280' prominence to 452' measured by Lidar! Sure seems like it should have been obvious it was ranked!?

[Boggy B]

The addition of this route to MP last month was timely.
Based on the garbage description, it's super unclear what they actually climbed, but the photo of the "Western Mountaineer's Route" looks like what I would have guessed is the easiest route up The Castles E.
Note the 2 prominent horizontal seams.

castlesE.jpg

Claimed FA July 2017.

[justiner]

It seems like the "new" buckskin summit is the one closer to Tweto AND to Democrat. The previous summit was slightly off the connecting ridge from Tweto and Democrat towards Loveland Mountain.

Huh! My chips were on the point near Loveland Mountain. Guess I was wrong!

[TomPierce]

As for The Castles, huh, go figure. I'd try that, looks to be mostly face climbing based on that route pic. Twin ropes for the impact foce, Screamers, etc...easy!

Actually probably a loose horror-fest way above gear , but worth a look.

-Tom

[Scott P]

I'm still amazed that peak went from 280' prominence to 452' measured by Lidar! Sure seems like it should have been obvious it was ranked!?

Rock towers are often hard to get prominence figures on. Some of them don't even show up on the topo maps at all.

Here's an example (Turkey Monster in Oregon):

gapwrziyzog71.jpg

It doesn't even show up at all on the topo map and wasn't even on Listsofjohn until I started a forum post on it. It might even be ranked.

Right outside Grand Junction, Kissing Couple wasn't ranked on LoJ until Ryan Marsters provided a pretty good measurement of it.

In places like Fisher Towers, the prominence figures are probably pretty far off (including on LoJ) for many of them since vertical towers usually don't translate to topo maps well.

[supranihilest]

The addition of this route to MP last month was timely.
Based on the garbage description, it's super unclear what they actually climbed, but the photo of the "Western Mountaineer's Route" looks like what I would have guessed is the easiest route up The Castles E.
Note the 2 prominent horizontal seams.
castlesE.jpg

Claimed FA July 2017.

Rated 5.10 WTF on the route topo from the bottom, probably heavy on the WTF.

Here's an example (Turkey Monster in Oregon):

I'd be irrationally afraid that even bodyweight would increase the leverage enough at the top to snap the thing at the base. What a wild piece of rock.

[12ersRule]

I'm still amazed that peak went from 280' prominence to 452' measured by Lidar! Sure seems like it should have been obvious it was ranked!?

Rock towers are often hard to get prominence figures on. Some of them don't even show up on the topo maps at all.

Here's an example (Turkey Monster in Oregon):

gapwrziyzog71.jpg

It doesn't even show up at all on the topo map and wasn't even on Listsofjohn until I started a forum post on it. It might even be ranked.

Right outside Grand Junction, Kissing Couple wasn't ranked on LoJ until Ryan Marsters provided a pretty good measurement of it.

In places like Fisher Towers, the prominence figures are probably pretty far off (including on LoJ) for many of them since vertical towers usually don't translate to topo maps well.

If we knew how tall those people in the pic are, we could figure out exactly how high that thing off the ground is.

[lukePlumley]

It looks like North Noddle Heads is the newest member of the CO 5th Class Ranked peaks list. Great peak!


https://www.listsofjohn.com/mobile/peak/5026

[Candace66]

The addition of this route to MP last month was timely.
Based on the garbage description, it's super unclear what they actually climbed, but the photo of the "Western Mountaineer's Route" looks like what I would have guessed is the easiest route up The Castles E.

Claimed FA July 2017.

Not sure if I was ever aware of that website. But it looks to be class 4+ and bouldering routes, so not the sort of thing I do anymore.

So, there are bolts and a summit rappel anchor on the "Western Mountaineers" route, according to that description. That will make it easier for aspiring 12er completists.