Measuring Coast Redwood Height with Laser Rangefinders.

"LASERS in the MIST"

Measuring & Exploring the Coast Redwoods

Continued from: Coast Redwoods Main Page

Copyright 2015 by M. D. Vaden

This is added under "essentials" in case some wonder how the coast redwoods are measured accurately for height. Research climbers can also rig a rope, climb and drop a tape to the earth. But the lasers we use can measure accurately within inches. When the world's tallest 268 ft. pine was measured in 2011, our laser measurement was within 2 millimeters of the tape drop which followed.

As shown below, a quick preliminary can be done hand-held. Later, if a redwood merits more accuracy, the laser is mounted on a tripod and triggered with a cable. Chris and Michael are very particular about accuracy, and calibrate a step better than the manufacturer.

The page title was borrowed from Richard Stenger of Humboldt County Convention and Visitors Bureau, who coined it one day as we left Redwood National Park. It had a nice ring. But the fact is that mist or rain make measuring difficult. Clear air is best. But, as you can see from the photo of Michael Taylor, his hair and jacket are drenched. We still tackled misty rainy days in the redwoods, but may pause for clearing.

Image: Chris Atkins in Prairie Creek Redwood State Park, with Impulse 200LR on tripod

Image: Dr. Steve Sillett w/ Trupulse 200 and Chris Atkins with Impulse 200LR. Jedediah Smith park.

Image: Michael Taylor in Redwood National Park near Dog Soldier, holding Impulse 200LR

Image: Dr. Robert Van Pelt with an Impulse 200LR, in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

Image: my own Impulse 200LR, aimed at the top of Humboldt Honey, world's tallest maple, 2012