[pct-l] mt. whitney

[Halfmile]

Wikipedia has this to say on Mount Whitney elevation, and I believe in
this case Wikipedia is correct:


The estimated elevation of the summit of Mount Whitney has changed
over the years. This is not due to the peak growing (although it is).
The technology of elevation measurement has become more refined and,
more importantly, the vertical coordinate system has changed. The peak
was commonly said to be at 14,494 feet (4,418 m) and this is the
elevation stamped on the USGS brass benchmark disk on the summit. An
older plaque on the summit (sheet metal with black lettering on white
enamel) reads "elevation 14,496.811 feet" but this was estimated using
the older vertical datum (NVGD29) from 1929. Since then the shape of
the Earth (the geoid) has been estimated more accurately. Using a new
vertical datum established in 1988 (NAVD88) the benchmark is now
estimated to be at 14,505 feet (4,421 m).


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Whitney




On Sun, Aug 23, 2009 at 10:15 PM, Judson Brown<judsonwb at gmail.com> wrote:
> I am amazed there is so much disagreement over the actual elevation of Mt.
> Whitney. My maptech topos say 4416 m (14,488ft.). And a quick Google search
> got me everything from 14,491 to 14,505, and several in between. Anyone have
> a definitive answer?
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