CENTENNIAL, Colo., June 19, 2015 — CompassData, a leading provider of high-quality global ground control data and aviation geospatial products, announced today that it has embarked on a mission to survey the summit of North America’s highest peak, Mount McKinley (Denali). Weather permitting, this expedition will obtain several hours of GPS survey data from the summit of the mountain.
The goal of this expedition is to establish the true elevation of the summit of Denali using the latest technology. Currently, the widely accepted elevation value of Denali is 20,320 feet. However, this value was obtained in 1953 and more recent data indicates a lower value. Armed with the highest quality and most modern survey equipment, the CompassData Summit Survey Team will be able to obtain a more accurate elevation value. This new value will be a key element for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 3D Elevation Program (3DEP, http://nationalmap.gov/3DEP/index.html).
The CompassData Summit Survey Team will be assisted by several government and commercial partners in this endeavor. Contributions from these partners, including planning, permitting and equipment help, are essential to the success of the expedition. The governmental partners for this mission include the USGS, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the National Park Service and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), including the National Geodetic Survey (NGS). The commercial partners include Dewberry, Mountain Trip, Trimble, CompassCom, CompassTools and DeLorme.
“Our expedition to survey the summit of Denali, if successful, will further demonstrate our ongoing commitment to collecting the most accurate survey data possible,” said Hayden Howard, CompassData Vice President. “This endeavor shows that we will literally go to any location on the globe in pursuit of our passion, mapping the world.”
The CompassData Summit Survey Team consists of four experienced climbers. They will be attempting to summit Denali within the next two to three weeks. If successful, the survey data should be processed and a new elevation value determined. The newly established elevation value will be announced and published by the USGS and NGS sometime in late August. Stay tuned.
