I live near Albuquerque NM USA and according to http://www.city-data.com/ our elevation is 4955 feet. However, the city limits extend into the foothills of the Sandia Mountains so the highest point is over 6000 feet (my limited search didn’t produce a firm number).
I’m sure there are cities with more elevation change. I thought about wording this differently and putting it in GQ but I thought it would be more fun this way (and I’m too lazy to keep looking for a firm number for our highest point).
So, can anyone beat 1000+ feet? How varied is the terrain where you live?
Mods, if this is better suited to a different forum, please move it.
The city of Los Angeles, California. Portions of it are technically at or below sea level. The highest point in the city is 5,074 ft (1,547 m) Mount Lukens, located at the northeastern end of the San Fernando Valley.
“Elevations range from a little over 500 feet (150 m) near the river to more than 720 feet (220 m) in northern parts of the city” - why yes, I live in central Indiana, how could you tell?
In fact, I’m so much of a flatlander that my ears pop when heading down one of the main roads that runs from a bluff overlooking the river down to nearly river-level.
My city (St. Louis, Missouri) isn’t that impressive, ranging from 385 to 614 feet, according to the USGS which also shows a lot of other cities (I don’t actually live in the city itself but in a suburb on the south side; this page says I live at 541 feet when I use my actual address; my neighborhood is pretty hilly though).
According to Wikipedia, Albuquerque’s highest point in the foothills is “over 6700 feet” so I’m going with an elevation change of 1800 feet. More than I thought!
I’m guessing about 100 feet, maybe. I’m talking Portland, ME (though I live across the bridge in South Portland). Highest point in the city is the Munjoy Hill lighthouse, which is right on the east end, maybe a quarter mile from the shore – and the hill ain’t all that steep.
Shit, now I’m curious how off I am. To Wikipedia!
Edit: of by 38 feet. High point: 62 feet.
P.S. Edit: South Portland high point: 23 feet. I’m low.
In Manhattan, we go from sea level to 265 feet. It’s easy to forget about the high points if you’re a typical Manhattanite and rarely go above Central Park; the rest of the island has been thoroughly evened out.