Super (and free) tool from NASA

[Louis]

http://worldwind.arc.nasa.gov/index.html

I dont know if this was in a post before, but if you go to this address and download the 'WOrld wind' program on your computer, it gives you incredible views of the earth (mainly the U.S.)
As a hiking tool, i love the topo maps view.. you can see everything in 3d and actually 'walk' trough the mountains viewed in topographic details (including trails)... simply amazing...
Try it .. I suggest going trough the 'Walktrough' in the help section, it really makes the learning factor easier.
You do need a good computer with a good video card...

Have fun,
That way you can virtually hike while at work...

Louis

 

[Nonlegit]

i dont know if this is similar in any way because i have not used the program from nasa, but google earth is a fantastic program...if you want to waste some serious time. It stiches together satellite images from differnt agencies, public and private. Some areas (such as the northeast) are not very well mapped yet, but it is always updating. Where it is mapped though, you can see individual people (like in vegas, and in cairo). Also, if you look at the tip of the florida keys...you can see some SPECTACULAR houses. all in all a fun program and you can see mountains and stuff

 

[Louis]

nasa vs google

yes, it is similar to the google in that aspect... but the nasa one has several different ways of looking and, as mentioned earlier, its the 3d topographic view that makes it super for using it as a hiking tool...
Try it...its really something else...

 

[spencer]

I started a thread about Google Earth a while back. We discussed both GE and WW.

Have a look.

spencer