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Virtually Climb El Capitan With Google's First Vertical Street View

Posted by samzenpus on from the going-up dept.

mpicpp writes: Google Maps is incorporating its first vertical Street View by allowing users to virtually climb El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. To capture the 3,000-foot ascent up El Capitan Google relied on the skills of mountain climbers Lynn Hill, Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell. "People around the world will now be able to virtually experience the unique act of ascending a 3,000-foot cliff by going on a self-directed, vertical climb," the Mountain View, Calif., company said.

16 of 32 comments (clear)

  1. Deliberate Apple tie-in? by SeaFox · · Score: 2

    Did they pick this on purpose because of the forthcoming OSX release?

    1. Re:Deliberate Apple tie-in? by nawcom · · Score: 5, Informative

      nah El Capitan is pretty popular; it's a favorite with rock climbers and base jumpers. It makes it the perfect example to apply to this vertical streetview concept on, and with it being a few hours away from Google HQ, it makes sense. I'm actually curious if this project predates the public announcement of OS X 10.11, though I wouldn't be surprised if they knew about it anyway.

  2. Climbing and Street View by PPH · · Score: 4, Funny

    Had me thinking of something completely different.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
  3. Re:Jump! by hcs_$reboot · · Score: 2

    No, because you would die.

    Why "No"?

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    Slashdot, fix the reply notifications... You won't get away with it...
  4. Actual Street View link here by Spy+Handler · · Score: 5, Informative

    https://www.google.com/maps/@3...

    TFA doesn't link to it, so I had to some additional mouse clicking and text parsing to find it.

  5. pass by Tablizer · · Score: 1

    I'm waiting for the Google Elevator

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
  6. My first girlfriend by Snotnose · · Score: 1

    went to El Capitan high school. Now that I'm 57 checking out a google link to it seems a bit creepy.

  7. Note quite like the real thing... by dargaud · · Score: 2

    As someone who has climbed El Cap 4 times, I can say that it's not going to feel quite the same watching it in 3D than to actually do it. Eating vs watching foodies pics? Being in love vs watching porn?

    --
    Non-Linux Penguins ?
    1. Re:Note quite like the real thing... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Of those 3 watching porn is definitely better than being in love. Now when will I be able to get a 3d printed sex bot?

    2. Re:Note quite like the real thing... by tehcyder · · Score: 1

      As someone who has climbed El Cap 4 times, I can say that it's not going to feel quite the same watching it in 3D than to actually do it.

      As someone who has climbed El Cap 0 times, I can say that it's not going to feel quite the same watching it in 3D than to actually do it.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
  8. Errr drones by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Wouldn't it of been easier to fly a drone up the face? Would make it easier to get a full 3d map of every face of the mountain inc the bits normal climbers can't climb.

  9. Had me thinking I will see this on the way up by flower_mind · · Score: 1

    Frankly Mr Spock, this is nothing but a distraction. But why? Shatner can explain everything. ; ).

  10. cool idea, but poorly done by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I checked it out, and didn't feel it was very well done. I understand getting all the photos is nowhere near as easy as it is on a street, but there are too few photos to make it a good experience. When you click somewhere, you jump so far that you really can't tell where you progressed to 90% of the time. It just feels like you jumped to a different random photo. Then when I was at the top (which is still sloped, but nowhere near vertical), I clicked around a few time. Several time I clicked somewhere that I thought would take me to a different spot on the top, and suddenly I'm looking at a view back down on the vertical slope again.

    In short, it just felt like a collection of random photos rather than a street view.

    1. Re:cool idea, but poorly done by oh_my_080980980 · · Score: 1

      Exactly. You are not "climbing" but zooming in and out at every stage. Unlike with a street view where there is this fluid motion. Somebody should have Q/A this before releasing it.

    2. Re:cool idea, but poorly done by rockmuelle · · Score: 1

      Agreed. As a climber (haven't done El Cap yet, but have done some long Valley climbs), this is pretty lame. The distance between the images is way too far. I want a real, seamless view that I can follow up a route and see all the details. I want to be able to look at the rock, turn the camera and see all around. Look up, look down, find the next hold, see where my feet would be. You know, all the stuff that makes climbing fun.

      Trip reports on Supertopo (www.supertopo.com) are way better than this if you want to get a feel for what it's like to climb a long route.

      -Chris

  11. Re:How about experiencing it for real? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I'm a total nerd and love technology been a huge linux nerd since 1994 kernel 1.0.9 when nobody knew what linux was etc.
    Always liked Google as they came about over the years and have grown into what they are today.

    But ... Fuck that. I'm sick and tired of everything being virtualized and no one getting off their ass and doing something. i.e. go to fucking thing and climb it for yourself. End of story. If you aren't able to climb it, take a flight around it in a helicopter or remotely via drone... I have no cause to discriminate against those who are disabled or for whatever reason can't climb it -- there are solutions. Am I the only one thinking this?

    Flame on if you want... I still say this is fucking stupid. End of rant.

    LOL. I'm pretty sure the amount of people who actually WOULD climb that mountain but now will not because it is on google street view is precisely zero. Climbing a mountain is extremely difficult and takes a lot of practice. Getting to the stage where you can climb something like El Capitan safely takes many, many years of practice. This sort of street view thing is really only for the people who think "hmmm, that would be cool" and then 10 minutes later are on to something completely different.

    And your whole comment could just as well apply to photography in general. Why should we show people photos of things if they can't be bothered to just go there themselves? The reason is people have finite time in their lives and cannot see and accomplish everything. It's nice to be able to give people the ability to experience something, even if only in the most superficial way, if it means they only have to dedicate 5 minutes instead of 5 days/weeks/months/years. In addition, how many people have been actually inspired to go there after getting the photo? I'm sure it happens all the time, and I wouldn't be surprised if at some point there are at least a couple people who get inspired to take up mountain climbing due to this google street view feature.