Highest volcano in the world, highest peak in Russia

[imorris]

The amount of planet underneath you (geoid undulation) is often computed using gravity observations. When you compare that to your current elevation relative to the theoretical ellipsoid (GPS elevation, usually referenced using the WGS84 ellipsoid these days) you can get a separation value. When you tack that on to your ellipsoidal height, then account for amount of snow, etc. You get a geoidal height which I believe is considered the definitive elevation. This can be backed up using terrestrial data such as photogrammetry, trigonometric networks, and meteorological data.

Totally irrelevant to climbing, but still an interesting subject.

[klenke]

So, it used to be first ascents got all the headlines.

Now, first ski descents get the headlines (why, I have no idea; it's not like it's that hard to "ski" down a mountain providing the terrain allows it).

In the future I suppose "first sex at the summit" will garner all the headlines. (I think I've got a few summits here.)

---Klenke

[Fairweather]

When it comes to "mass" which is the biggest? I've read Mount Logan, and Mauna Loa on the Big Island. Any info? Or does this just boil down to words chosen?

Also, which cascade volcano has the most "mass"? Rainier, Adams, or Shasta? Sounds like there are some here who would know...I don't.

[Matt]

quote:

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Originally posted by klenke:

Incidentally, the highest peak in the "former" U.S.S.R. was Pik Kommunizma at 24,590 ft (7495 m) in the current Tajikistan.

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Just thought you'd like to know they changed the name of the mountain to Pik Imeni Ismail Samani. The Tajik leaders felt the name "Communism Peak" was behind the times.

[glen]

Sidenote: Active volcano is a rather subjective term. If you consider activeity the likelyhood of eruption in the next 500 years, or the presence of fumaroles on the edifice, there are plenty of active volcanoes in Kamchatka that are active, anod some of them are taller than their south american brothers. (In fact, Kamchatka is the most volcanically active place on earth, geologically speaking). Of course, there are virtually no trails or reasonable forms of support for getting to those Kamchatkan volcanoes, so I doubt they are getting many ascents (even by TNF).

In reality, if you are climbing to get a 'highest peak' and tell people about it, you are probably climbing for the wrong reasons. Heck, it is an equally valid criterion to say,"I'm going to climb Rainier because it's the closest volcano to Tacoma"

But I digress...

[nolanr]

Re: Denali, the interior of Alaska (like, oh, say Fairbanks, relatively close to Denali by Alaskan standards) is flat and low, probably not real far above sea level. I don't know for sure, but I would buy that Denali is the tallest from base to summit above sea level.

[joekania]

I read and was told by a geology professor that Denali is the most rapid rising land mass from sea level, ie, the steepest angle from summit to nearest ocean surface.

[Dru]

have fun with the frostbite goin' for first sex on vinson massif.

[Dru]

quote:

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Originally posted by joekania:

I read and was told by a geology professor that Denali is the most rapid rising land mass from sea level, ie, the steepest angle from summit to nearest ocean surface.

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Dude there are vertical 5000 foot cliffs up the fjords of BC and Greenland... thats a hell of a lot steeper than a 10 or 20 degree shot from Denali to tidewater or something. Clue in. I was told by Squamish tourism bureau that the Chief is the 2nd largest granite monolith in the world (when I was a kid in the 70's, they just said in the Commonwealth, and that #1 was Rock of Gibraltar) - just cause someone tells you something doesnt mean its true

[Dru]

quote:

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Originally posted by Fairweather:

When it comes to "mass" which is the biggest? I've read Mount Logan, and Mauna Loa on the Big Island. Any info? Or does this just boil down to words chosen?

Also, which cascade volcano has the most "mass"? Rainier, Adams, or Shasta? Sounds like there are some here who would know...I don't.

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mass - world, mauna loa.above sea level, logancascade volcano, no idea. rainier? which one has the largest circumference? cause considered as a cone, vol=1/3x pi X radius squared X height. so it could be adams, if it is wider around the base.

[max]

quote:

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Originally posted by glen:

"I'm going to climb Rainier because it's the closest volcano to Tacoma"

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Now that's an objective hazard!

Opinion: by visual inspection, it seems Rainier beats them all for total volume, The thing isn't a cone, it's a huge lump! That thing is better modeled with a cube than a cone!

By the way, was it ever resolved where the mountain begins? That is, if we were to incise around the base of rainier, and remove all of what's above the incision, where would we cut? This seems critical in calculating the volume.

[ 03-05-2002: Message edited by: max ]

[Dru]

quote:

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Originally posted by glen:

Sidenote: Active volcano is a rather subjective term. If you consider activeity the likelyhood of eruption in the next 500 years, or the presence of fumaroles on the edifice, there are plenty of active volcanoes in Kamchatka that are active, anod some of them are taller than their south american brothers. (In fact, Kamchatka is the most volcanically active place on earth, geologically speaking). Of course, there are virtually no trails or reasonable forms of support for getting to those Kamchatkan volcanoes, so I doubt they are getting many ascents (even by TNF).

In reality, if you are climbing to get a 'highest peak' and tell people about it, you are probably climbing for the wrong reasons. Heck, it is an equally valid criterion to say,"I'm going to climb Rainier because it's the closest volcano to Tacoma"

But I digress...

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Actually there is quite a Kamcatkan mountaineering community. There was even a Pat Morrow article in National Geographic about it. Those guys climb and ski those peaks a lot. Westerners can hire cheap helicopter and local logistical support and there are excellent hot springs.

Kamchatka is "the Alaska of Russia" except it is a bit warmer due to the Japanese Current, or so I'm told.

[klenke]

Matt: thanks for the update on Communism Peak's new name. The new one is just as ridiculous as the old one. Who's this "Samani"? Sounds like someone's name.

Glen: the highest point on the Kamchatka Peninsula is Vulkan Kluchevskoy at ~16,000 ft. And according to my book, it is ONLY 7,000 years old! Kamchatka does have a hell-of-a-lotta volcanoes on it. All the landscape photos I've ever seen show shield volcanoes like Fuji all compactly strung out like a pearl necklace. Very cool. Would make for quite a traverse...up and down and up and down and up and down and...

[Dan_Harris]

All this earth stuff is trivial. How about Olympus Mons on Mars. It rises 78,000 ft. above the plain, is 500 km in diameter and has a 20,000 ft. cliff on one rim. Anyone up for a first ascent try!

[Dru]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dan Harris:

All this earth stuff is trivial. How about

Olympus Mons

on Mars. It rises 78,000 ft. above the plain, is 500 km in diameter and has a 20,000 ft. cliff on one rim. Anyone up for a first ascent try!

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do a search for "olympus mons" on this website, we already discussed this. you have to do it oxygenless, and get from here to there under your own power, though. Goran Kropp style!

[Terminal_Gravity]

We are all familiar with politicians, sales people and business moguls using incomplete, mis-qouted, ill concieved and/or eronious statistics to convince people all sorts of things. It is a sad day when climbers & psudo-climbers start doing the same.

[Dru]

so TG, how big is Aconcagua??

[willstrickland]

quote:

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Originally posted by imorris:

In fact, at the summit of Chimborazo, you are spinning faster than anyone on the planet!

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What about those chicks at the Dead shows? Man they would spin so hard it made my head spin, or maybe that was the blotter, who knows. Yeah and those chicks in the olympics, the "figureouthowtheydontpuke skaters", they spin pretty fast too

[primate]

My Mt. Adams Wilderness Map claims that Mt. Adams has the largest volume of the cascade volcanoes. I don't have the map with me, but I think they quote some figures the validity of which I have no idea. I think the map said that Shasta was 2nd and Ranier was 3rd. I'm still perplexed about the issue of deciding which volume to count as part of the mnt. and which the surroundings.

[Terminal_Gravity]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dru:

so TG, how big is Aconcagua??

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I'm not really sure how big Aconcagua is. Or how to even quantify it's size. That being said, I bet I'm bigger than a certain well know poster. See photo below of me at high camp.....eat your heart out Caveman

[ 03-05-2002: Message edited by: Terminal Gravity ]

[Terminal_Gravity]

oops! How do you import a photo

[Dru]

quote:

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Originally posted by Terminal Gravity:

oops! How do you import a photo

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you gotta upload it to a website then link to the URL of that site with the tags.

[klenke]

Terminal Gravity wrote: "We are all familiar with politicians, sales people and business moguls using incomplete, mis-qouted, ill concieved and/or erronious statistics to convince people all sorts of things. It is a sad day when climbers & pseudo-climbers start doing the same."

Especially reflected in your last sentence above, nobody knows this now more than me. Nobody.

There are those that move clouds...and apparently I am not one of them.