Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I live in a very special place for this specific topic. I live in Utah where we have the Wasatch and Uintah mountain ranges. These are ranges that comprise the western side of the Rocky Mountains. From our western facing mountain peaks when conditions allow; we can see across a vast Desert containing the great Salt Lake. We can then see over many of the smaller mountain ranges until we see Nevada’s Ruby Mountain Range 280 miles away. We can clearly see Ruby Dome peak, which is 11,387 feet and the Soldier Peak, 10,079 feet and the Verdi Peak, 11,073 feet and others. We can see much further than that however. We can clearly see standing above and beyond the Ruby Mountain Range the even taller peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountains at around 14,500 feet. Because the Sierra Nevada Mountains are so much taller, this compensates for earths curvature. That’s 550 miles we can see total from the Peaks of the western Rocky Mountains to the peaks of the great Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Last edited by Isaac_Is_Me; 04-21-2016 at 03:52 AM..
Reason: Formating.
I live in a very special place for this specific topic. I live in Utah where we have the Wasatch and Uintah mountain ranges. These are ranges that comprise the western side of the Rocky Mountains. From our western facing mountain peaks when conditions allow; we can see across a vast Desert containing the great Salt Lake. We can then see over many of the smaller mountain ranges until we see Nevada’s Ruby Mountain Range 280 miles away. We can clearly see Ruby Dome peak, which is 11,387 feet and the Soldier Peak, 10,079 feet and the Verdi Peak, 11,073 feet and others. We can see much further than that however. We can clearly see standing above and beyond the Ruby Mountain Range the even taller peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountains at around 14,500 feet. Because the Sierra Nevada Mountains are so much taller, this compensates for earths curvature. That’s 550 miles we can see total from the Peaks of the western Rocky Mountains to the peaks of the great Sierra Nevada Mountains.
It's true that you're in a special space for viewing distant landmarks, but I have a tough time believing your numbers. I'm not a mathematician but I've read a bit on the subject and from what I can tell, the longest sightline on Earth- even from the top of much higher mountains- is nowhere near the distance you're claiming. I believe you that you can see the Ruby Range- though the linear distance between the Ruby Range and Wasatch is more like 180 miles, not 280. And that is very impressive, don't get me wrong. But 2-3 times that distance?
You mentioned taller peaks compensating for the curvature of the earth, but considering the dozens of sequential ranges between the Wasatch and Sierra Nevada- many reaching 8,000'-11,000' and several hundred miles out- it would be impossible to see peaks only 3,000 feet higher beyond them.
Again, from what I can tell- the furthest line of sight distance- between two substantially higher mountains (Mt. Sanford 16,237 and Denali at 20,310, with nothing remotely close to those heights in between) is 227 miles, and even computer generated viewpoint panorama software estimates on the planet end are limited to 300 miles.
Do you have any proof of your claim? Sorry, I don't mean to sound mean, it just sounds incredulous. Do you think that you might be confusing the Sierras with a random NV range? Below are a few threads/pages on the subject.
I live within view of Rainier, in Tacoma and some days Rainier looks much closer than others. Like dramatically closer. Am I just crazy or is there some sort of light and/or atmospheric conditions at play?
if you are at an elevation of 5,000 feet then you will only theoretically be able to see the tip of a 14,000 foot mountain peaking over the horizon at 125 miles away. After that the mountain dips below the horizon mathematically.
"Curve" of the earth doesn't get in the way in any place I've been. In nevada, you can see mountains over 100 miles away just about anywhere you go. The so called curve does not exist, at 90 miles the earth should curve a mile below where you are yet I can see mountains well below 10,000 ft tall that are over 90 miles away and yet I'm at 5000+ ft in elevation, does not make any sense. Not only can you see the top of these mountains but you can see the base as well. The curve does not exist. Mathematically speaking, you guys are right but the globe has to be hundreds of times larger than we are taught or it's flat. You can't see a mountain that's less than a mile higher in elevation than you if it's 100 miles away but you can see them everywhere.
"Curve" of the earth doesn't get in the way in any place I've been. In nevada, you can see mountains over 100 miles away just about anywhere you go. The so called curve does not exist, at 90 miles the earth should curve a mile below where you are yet I can see mountains well below 10,000 ft tall that are over 90 miles away and yet I'm at 5000+ ft in elevation, does not make any sense. Not only can you see the top of these mountains but you can see the base as well. The curve does not exist. Mathematically speaking, you guys are right but the globe has to be hundreds of times larger than we are taught or it's flat. You can't see a mountain that's less than a mile higher in elevation than you if it's 100 miles away but you can see them everywhere.
So we are debating whether or not the earth is round or not now?
"Curve" of the earth doesn't get in the way in any place I've been. In nevada, you can see mountains over 100 miles away just about anywhere you go. The so called curve does not exist, at 90 miles the earth should curve a mile below where you are yet I can see mountains well below 10,000 ft tall that are over 90 miles away and yet I'm at 5000+ ft in elevation, does not make any sense. Not only can you see the top of these mountains but you can see the base as well. The curve does not exist. Mathematically speaking, you guys are right but the globe has to be hundreds of times larger than we are taught or it's flat. You can't see a mountain that's less than a mile higher in elevation than you if it's 100 miles away but you can see them everywhere.
The furthest mountain that I've personally seen was Denali from Ted Stevens Int'l Airport/Earthquake Park, which is about 150 miles south. There are some locations where you can see the mountain from 200 miles.
Are you sure it was Mt. Rainier, I think it might be Mt. Adams since it's further east and there are not as many other mountains to block it's view.
About 9 inches away on my computer screen, ain't no mountains in central ohio
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.