Topo Anomaly

[westbranch]

I spend way too much time looking at maps, thought this was interesting and decided to share. Topo maps show a deep sink hole on a random spot in the North Fork of the Clearwater area of Idaho. I don't want to post exact coordinates, but it does kind of stick out on the Onx topo map if someone wants to find it. Would be interesting to check out, but access would be rough. Just under 2 miles to the closest road, but between thick brush and cliffs it would be brutal. Drops 2k feet in 3/4 mile down to the creek. If someone is feeling real ambitious and wants to check it out next summer I will send you the coordinates.

Screenshot of FS Topo from Caltopo website - makes it look like a 200 foot deep hole based on the topo lines.



Onx topo - the shading and lines make it look even deeper. Looks like a glitch.



Onx 3D wasn't able to convert the data very well, shows a very unusual looking hole. An obvious glitch.




Mapbuilder topo from Caltopo website - shows a 1,400+ foot deep hole which would be extremely unlikely.




And lastly, the google earth 3D imagery. It does look like there is some sort of sinkhole above this rocky cliff. But still hard to tell. Only solution seems to be hiking in and checking it out.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I wonder if it’s a weird type of rock that jacked up the LiDAR returns? Or some other data bust.

Could also very well be a sink hole.

 

[Nameless Range]

very cool.

I’m in the car and so I can’t look myself, but two things I might do is look at any historical topo‘s that intersect that location. If it appears on maps preceding the 2000s it isn’t a LiDAR return error.

Topo Map Explorer

livingatlas.arcgis.com

Also, Idaho has a cool LiDAR viewer. highly unlikely that any LiDAR has been incorporated into any topo maps or even on x.

Existing Lidar Data – Idaho Lidar Consortium

www.idaholidar.org

I can think of a couple mines that when viewed three dimensionally in onx Or other 3-D viewers, appears similarly to what you’ve shown above. i’ve also seen instances of bridges that appear as depressions.

It would be neat if it was a giant hole

 

[Irrelevant]

Sink hole geology is pretty unique. I going with simple error in the lidar.

 

[rtraverdavis]

Only solution seems to be hiking in and checking it out.

If I lived closer I’d say let’s go. That’s a pretty neat find if it is a sink hole.

 

[westbranch]

very cool.

I’m in the car and so I can’t look myself, but two things I might do is look at any historical topo‘s that intersect that location. If it appears on maps preceding the 2000s it isn’t a LiDAR return error.

Topo Map Explorer

livingatlas.arcgis.com

Also, Idaho has a cool LiDAR viewer. highly unlikely that any LiDAR has been incorporated into any topo maps or even on x.

Existing Lidar Data – Idaho Lidar Consortium

www.idaholidar.org

I can think of a couple mines that when viewed three dimensionally in onx Or other 3-D viewers, appears similarly to what you’ve shown above. i’ve also seen instances of bridges that appear as depressions.

It would be neat if it was a giant hole

I was thinking there should be some historical topos somewhere. This is a screenshot from a 1994 topo from the above link, still looks like an unusual spot. Even with all of the rocky cliffs in this area not many have topo lines that look like this.

 

[TheTone]

Can you pm me the coordinates? I may be able to check it out this summer or may have already been there

 

[Straight Arrow]

UFO crash site.

 

[westbranch]

Sink hole geology is pretty unique. I going with simple error in the lidar.

Yeah, I was thinking probably not an actual sinkhole. Maybe a big rain/snow melt washed out soil and rock from an area just above the cliff. Between the first forest service topo image and the google earth 3D image it appears that there is some sort of hole between the rocks.

 

[westbranch]

UFO crash site.

Here is some ESRI imagery that shows a weird swirl. Like they are trying to hide something

 

[Irrelevant]

You certainly found an interesting location. I'm not sure I've ever found anything quite like that.

 

[marksjeep]

Additional source for historic maps.

https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/topoview/viewer/#4/40.01/-100.06

 

[44hunter45]

Keep it secret. Someone will build a convergence retreat there. Or else the spacecraft was cloaked and screwed up the imagery.

Hard to imagine a sink hole in basalt.

@AKHawken can you educate us on this?

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I was thinking there should be some historical topos somewhere. This is a screenshot from a 1994 topo from the above link, still looks like an unusual spot. Even with all of the rocky cliffs in this area not many have topo lines that look like this.

View attachment 207031

That makes it look more like a pillar/ tower.

3D is just a pic draped over a DEM so if the model is screwed up it produces weird effects.

Software does really wacky stuff with - values and unexpected peaks and depressions. I’ve gotten some truly wonky images trying to put subsurface geologic data into maps.

 

[Wallydeuce]

Go check this out and let us know, by say next Monday?

 

[westbranch]

Keep it secret. Someone will build a convergence retreat there. Or else the spacecraft was cloaked and screwed up the imagery.

Maybe I can start selling the coordinates so people can go there to cleanse their chakras. Kinda like a vortex in Sedona. The 3 mile and 3k foot elevation gain hike coming from the NFC would do most of the cleansing they need.

 

[Irrelevant]

Maybe I can start selling the coordinates so people can go there to cleanse their chakras. Kinda like a vortex in Sedona. The 3 mile and 3k foot elevation gain hike coming from the NFC would do most of the cleansing they need.

They're more likely to die and become a cleanse for something else in that country.

 

[Doublecluck]

Ain’t goin near there I’ve seen alien vs predator

 

[Mica Man]

I'm game for a hike as long as we combo it with some fly fishing as well.

 

[BAKPAKR]

I'm game for a hike as long as we combo it with some fly fishing as well.

I, too, was thinking about volunteering if westbranch thought he could get into the area when I visit in late June. I was thinking about comboing it with bears though.