LiDAR - US State High Points

[Eli Boardman]

Why should we care?
I like NY Adirondacks approach.
They defined their list of 46 highest peaks about a century ago and stick to it completely disregarding those new fancy gadgets like GPS and LIDAR.
This approach allowed them to define a list and avoid shooting a moving target.

Because the objective truth of mountain height, or high point location, doesn't cater to the whims of prior generations. A particular rock either is the high point, or it isn't. "When you play the game of [high points], you win or you die. There is no middle ground."

[Candace66]

Why should we care?
I like NY Adirondacks approach.
They defined their list of 46 highest peaks about a century ago and stick to it completely disregarding those new fancy gadgets like GPS and LIDAR.
This approach allowed them to define a list and avoid shooting a moving target.

So it's just an arbitrary list of 46 peaks which may or may not be the highest. Yet they're calling it a list of the 46 highest. Have I got this right?

[Yury]

So it's just an arbitrary list of 46 peaks which may or may not be the highest. Yet they're calling it a list of the 46 highest. Have I got this right?

No, it's not an arbitrary list.
It's a historical list of 4000ers in Adirondacks: https://adk46er.org/peaks/
Take a look at the 5 latest entries on this list.

Anyway, 4000 ft or 14000 ft is a rather arbitrary threshold, because it depends on rather arbitrary unit of measurements.

[Ptglhs]

And an arbitrary selection of sea level, which varies due to latitude, tide, temperature, time of year.

[cougar]

State borders are also arbitrary

[Ptglhs]

State borders are also arbitrary

Some Hawaiians would probably beg to differ with that. :D

[greenonion]

State borders are also arbitrary

Some Hawaiians would probably beg to differ with that. :D

Gotta give it to ya on that one. Good one!

[donnyroush]

I am a 48 state HP completer (or so I thought). Trying to decide what to do with this new information. Seems like I may need to revisit Pennsylvania. Might wait for more definitive evidence…and a trail.

[ChrisinAZ]

I am a 48 state HP completer (or so I thought). Trying to decide what to do with this new information. Seems like I may need to revisit Pennsylvania. Might wait for more definitive evidence…and a trail.

There probably won't be much more definitive evidence anytime soon--LiDAR has its limitations, and the thick vegetative growth around these candidates blocks LiDAR from getting a 100% clear ground read. That said, based on my experience extensively covering the north contour on Mt. Davis, and bushwhacking to just a single point in the south contour, the north has actual rock outcroppings whereas the south has very little in the way of rocks. I would probably call anyone who visited just the north contour and the traditional boulder at the tower and reached the coordinates of the apparent highest ground in that north contour as having made the top in terms of a good-faith effort. If you approach the north contour from the west, swing wide to the north, and approach it heading directly S, you will avoid a lot of the bushwhacking misery I put myself through!