Trip routing and altitudes

The Garmin 770 that we use has an altitude setting on it that we just bring up when we set a route. It will show to the right of the screen while on the move. Not sure that helps too much with planning as planning a route on these things is a PITA, but it's a good way to see the elevations on the route when moving.

jplante4 wrote:
Google Earth Pro has a profile feature that show elevation and grades. Set a route, right click on the blue line and select profile. Looks like this;

This would appear to answer the Question, so as to Know the elevation on any taken route then use and altitude App to manage the day to day info.

JMHO,

I have a simple app on my phone called My Elevation.

Geographers may prefer the term elevation, but altitude is widely used in the same way. Altimeters are barometers with a movable height scale. It measures the air pressure difference relative to some reference - such as the airport that they just left. Portable (or car mounted) altimeters require the same calibration. True height above the ground requires radar or laser measurements.

GPS units or apps mostly (if not all) use the term altitude, meaning distance above a reference geoid.

For the purpose of this thread, it's actually air pressure that matters (actually, available oxygen). We talk about shortness of breath at high altitudes, high altitude sickness, or adjustments needed for high altitude baking. Map elevation is, in a sense, a proxy for the value really matters.

Thanks to all for the useful info. I am aware of some but had not heard of others, including Flattestroute; I will check it out. The more tools, the better. THX TB

Google Earth Pro has a profile feature that show elevation and grades. Set a route, right click on the blue line and select profile. Looks like this;

A topographical map would be one low-tech approach. Google maps in terrain mode shows that (as was mentioned). USGS maps and DeLorme atlases are also topographic maps.

When traveling, many GPSs can show you the current elevation (or altitude, if they're above the ground).

We have the exact same issue. I use flattestroute.com. Just pass your mouse pointer over the graph which appears below the resulting map. It will pinpoint that spot on the map.

I also just google "Sedona AZ elevation" and the number comes right up.

Use Google Earth. Put your marker on the route and it will give you both altitude you are viewing from and the ground level altitude

Most maps color National Forests, and in the West those are mostly mountains. Print maps also show the height of passes. Pass heights are also available on the state DOT websites, especially if they track winter pass conditions. In WA passes range from around 3000ft (I90) to 5000 ft (WA 20, Sherman).

Google Maps in Terrain mode shows mountains and valleys, and at certain zoom levels shows altitude contours.

GPS units show altitude as well as position. If you have a smart phone, even without data plan, you have GPS.

Washington is all below 5000 ft except for a few passes.

In Oregon, Lakeview bills itself as the highest town at 4800, Bend is 4000. OR138 on the north side of Crater Lake is, I believe the highest pass at 5600. Crater Lake rim is 7000.

In California, the Sierras passes get above 5000. Reno is 4500 (Wiki), Lake Tahoe 6200. Much of the NE corner of CA is above 4000.

In Idaho, the mountains get above 7000 (Stanley), but Lewiston on the Snake is lowest, with surrounding plateaus around 2-3000. Boise and most I84 is just a bit higher.

Denver is known as the Mile high city; that's on the wester edge of the Great Plains. Grand Junction on the west side is 4500.

I80 across WY spends a lot of time in Great Basin, the continental divide in that area. So a lot of that is at the 4000+ altitude.

Yellowstone Lake is about 7000.

I40 from Flagstaff to Gallup is relatively high; again crossing a broad divide.

On a cross country trip, to minimize time above 4000, I'd cross Montana or southern Arisona/New Mexico. In between you'd spend at least half a day above that.