How are 200′ to 300′ redwood trees measured? (some even taller)

There are two very accurate ways to do it. One is climb them like the researchers do occasionally. The other way is a top of the line laser range finder (which researchers also use sometimes)

The unit pictured here is a Lasertech Impulse 200LR, which is accurate within about 1 inch, with a range of about 1800 feet.  For example, when a climber went up the world record 268′ pine we found in Oregon, his tape drop measure to the ground, differed from our laser measurement by less than 2 millimeters.

The reflection in the laser’s glass below, is a coast redwood near Drury Parkway, when we were measuring the tallest coast redwood known in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.

Measuring Redwoods