High Sierra Topix

I just looked at the Rush Creek (Alger Lakes and Lost Lakes) area I backpacked last week and the satalite photos show snow conditions very similar. All they say is copyright 2010 - I cannot seem to find an exact date of acquisition. Does anyone know if Google updates these maps regularly? How do you find out the image date? How do you contact Google about this?

I queried Google Earth in the community forums earlier this year when they updated some of the satellite photos which ended up obscuring the lakes with snow. I learned that if you turn on View Historical Imagery, a lil' time scale bar pops up on the screen so you can select any specific photo set they have, which does give imagery dates. Seems that there was a big gap between the '99 B&W photos and when they remapped in '05 and then again in '07 and '09.

Here's what i got back from my query:

Masonicmoron has posted an answer to the question "May 25th, 2009 Imagery over the Sierra Nevada mountains":
Hi

Google uses the best images it has on average they are 3 years old. Please see this for additional information http://sites.google.com/site/earthhowdo ... yofimagery" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also Google never lets on when it will update an area

There could be data you are looking for could be in the historical Images http://earth.google.com/userguide/v5/ug ... calimagery" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Best regards

MM

Different areas get different treatment, and i'm guessing it just depends on their schedule, or if someone pays them to get updated info. Trails, of course, come from a different layer and I've know clue how often they update that info.

I was kind of ticked off because they removed the lake names and place names in the last version. Lots of people were, but they're still not back.

The most recent image for the Alger Lakes area in GE is June 13, 2010. Oddly, there are quite a few recent images of the area.

I was kind of ticked off because they removed the lake names and place names in the last version. Lots of people were, but they're still not back.

I wonder if there is a layer unchecked in your view as I am getting all the labels for lakes, mountains and so forth better than ever in the latest 5.x version?

Nothing unchecked. I love data.. It's a documented fact that they removed lake names from Google Earth between 4.x and 5.x. They admit it. Google Maps might be a different beast for naming. I don't use GM. I'm sure their imagery is used in both toolsets. Layers, maybe not so much..

So, I just played with GM and yes, the name layer is built in, but it appears you have no control over the historic pics capability, as i mentioned in GE. I'm thinking in some way, we're both right. GM has names, and GE does not. Note if you hit "Earth" in GM, you will see what i see in GE, but the names aren't on the lakes or peaks; Only in the guide window down to the right.

Still wish they'd fix GE back to what it had.

Russ,

For g--sake! You know the name of every lake in the sierra! Why do you have to see it on a map?

Mike

oldranger wrote:Russ,

For g--sake! You know the name of every lake in the sierra! Why do you have to see it on a map?

Mike

I know enough, just don't like it when something that was really helpful was taken away. So easy for them to announce changes beforehand. Not sure how it impacted their Google Earth Pro users..

Ha - good comment Mike.

Of course Russ is correct - the new version (5.x) of GE does not have lake and mountain labels like it used too (go figure). Turns out I have a KMZ file that has survived the version upgrades which produces those labels.

Couldn't see a way to upload my KMZ file here and went looking online and found it (maybe even an updated file).
http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/ubbthreads.p ... onames.kmz" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Sorry for the mistake Russ -

Shawn

it'd be nice if we could share KMZ files in this forum. Some of the aviation forums i browse allow those files. Not sure they're a security risk as they need GE to work. I have some i would never share, but others are fair game, especially for proposed route planning.

GM is a fine tool, btw. I just prefer GE's ability to tilt/angle/flyover and project routes from other tools onto. Sorry Shawn and WD if i confused the issue with GE; GE will show you imagery date. I could not find a way to get that in GM.

Russ

rlown wrote:it'd be nice if we could share KMZ files in this forum. Some of the aviation forums i browse allow those files. Not sure they're a security risk as they need GE to work. I have some i would never share, but others are fair game, especially for proposed route planning.

GM is a fine tool, btw. I just prefer GE's ability to tilt/angle/flyover and project routes from other tools onto. Sorry Shawn and WD if i confused the issue with GE; GE will show you imagery date. I could not find a way to get that in GM.

Russ

I'll add .kmz and .kml to the accepted extension list.