Do you get envious of people who tweet beautiful hiking pics while you’re stuck inside at work? You can have the last laugh with Google’s 15 lens camera.
You can now sign-up to borrow one of the company’s Trekkers, a soccer ball-shaped camera that captures a 360-degree panorama – just like the Google Street View camera.
As the Verge reports:
Google previously only let select employees and a few third-party organizations take the Trekkers out to scenic places including the Grand Canyon and the Canadian Arctic, but now the company is giving any third-party organization the chance to apply online for loaner Trekker backpacks. The footage that winning applicants capture could be added to Google's growing library of Street View scenes around the world, though its unclear for now just how much, if any, other monetary compensation Google will provide to volunteers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuiEmxDklKw
Google has already mapped the wintertime slopes of Colorado. What about for summer scenes? With so many beautiful places in the state, where should Google Trekker go in Colorado?
Here are our top 3 picks.
Although not as high profile as the other two on the list, Devil’s Head trail is 15 miles outside of Castle Rock and a great hike for kids. The 1.4 mile long trail is relatively easy, and takes approximately 45 to 90 minutes on a one way hike with an elevation gain of 940 feet. Once there, there are 143 steps to get to Devil’s Head Lookout, the last of the seven original Front Range Lookout towers still in service. Though over 20,000 people hike it every year, Devil’s Head Trail remains a Colorado secret.
Though they feature prominently on King Soopers cards, the Maroon Bells are still one of the most stunning views in the state. The trail meanders through aspen and around Maroon Lake, all in the shadow of the Bells. This easy hike gives a sustained view rather than just at the end.
Stretching almost 500 miles from Denver to Durango, the Colorado Trail is a great snapshot of the state. Trail users experience six wilderness areas and eight mountain ranges topping out at 13,271 feet, just below Coney Summit at 13,334 feet. The average elevation is over 10,000 feet and it rises and falls dramatically. Users traveling from Denver to Durango will climb 89,354 feet. Now who wants to carry Trekker the whole way?
Are you feeling inspired? You can apply here. Have a better suggestion? Let us know in the comments below.
