can peakfinder be trusted?

[jibler]

So after my journey up little scraggy - i am now confronting the possiblity that peakfinder is at times presenting locations on horizon that are in practical effect not visible.

even under ideal circumstances.


but talking about marginal - low on the horizon type stuff



anyone feel me on this?

[speth]

I feel there may be some mathematical errors for the precise location of points from time to time.

But generally when Peakfinder tells you that there's something there, and you know it's not, I feel like it's more a limitation of the human eye and atmospheric haze/interference. Like, OK Peakfinder, it would be impossible to make out the distinct summit of a mountain through 250 miles of the atmosphere, regardless of it being line-of-sight.

[two lunches]

So after my journey up little scraggy - i am now confronting the possiblity that peakfinder is at times presenting locations on horizon that are in practical effect not visible.

off topic for the thread but related to the peak- jib have you done raleigh yet? after doing the surrounding segments of the CT, its become sort of a location bearing for that area and now i wish i'd gone up for it when i was on trail. it looks like you can tag it from the north without much issue. would be a long day for a little 8er, though.

[jibler]

So after my journey up little scraggy - i am now confronting the possiblity that peakfinder is at times presenting locations on horizon that are in practical effect not visible.

off topic for the thread but related to the peak- jib have you done raleigh yet? after doing the surrounding segments of the CT, its become sort of a location bearing for that area and now i wish i'd gone up for it when i was on trail. it looks like you can tag it from the north without much issue. would be a long day for a little 8er, though.

yes raleigh was the first one in my end of year series back there - starting in 2019 - immortalized in a trip report actually.

but i took it from the east - was a bit of a day. now i feel the most efficient attack would be from the top of the world road coming from the west. that country is so barren - you can basically go wherever without much issue.

[wineguy]

In my experience Peakfinder is best when peaks are near and isolated. When peaks are distant and in a range of others, accuracy is more limited. Still, a nice tool, just be aware of limitations.

[bdloftin77]

Jibler, I’ve come across this as well. For me, sometimes PeakFinder shows peaks on the horizon that are clearly not visible, even when using binoculars or a long range camera zoom. It’s kinda hit or miss, sometimes showing more than what you can actually see. Especially if the peaks aren’t all that far away, but are clearly blocked by a closer mountain range.

[jibler]

i see times on peakfinder where it seems to be conspicuously putting the dot below the horizon too


as if to say - if this little bit of ridge wasn't here - you'd see this. is that a thing?


but also - it does seem to be learning?

I swear - i'm going back down memory lane for the year here but only now seeing that I actually could see Culebra from Bison Peak this summer


but I scanned the crap out of that when i did it - i would have remembered that. so that was added and updated.


and to peakfinder's credit - that one is visible!! i bagged it in photography. 147 miles baby.