With the proliferation of wireless internet connectivity and the evolution in camera and solar charging technology, many live webcams have been installed around the world that enable us to check in on some of our favorite outdoor spots, second best to actually being there ourselves. The following is a list of 5 outdoor webcams I check regularly. I would love to hear about your favorites as well.
Probably my favorite webcam is a view of Everest from the top of Kala Patthar. Installed by a group of Italian scientists together with the Nepalese government, the webcam is operational between 6am and 6pm Nepalese time, updated every 5 minutes. You could easily spend hours watching the wind batter the summit pyramid and wonder what the climbers are doing below.
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
Watch a live feed of Old Faithful shooting thousands of gallons of boiling water over 100 feet in the air. Check the planned eruption times (almost every 91 minutes) to be sure you don't miss the show. In between eruptions, you can watch the tourists walk amongst the smoking and sputtering geysers.
Check in on your favorite sights from Yosemite National Park including Yosemite Falls, El Capitan, Half Dome from Ahwahnee Meadow, and the High Sierra. Maintained by Yosemite Conservancy, the webcams update every 3 seconds.
Check out all the favorite spots around Chamonix including Mont Blanc, L'Aguille du Midi, Mer de Glace, and even the center of town. With webcams at the top of virtually every ski lift and gondola, you can see for yourself the current snow conditions and weather at altitude.
Grand Canyon
Pretend you are peering over the edge of the Grand Canyon with a webcam that looks west from Yavapai Point. The image is updated every 30 minutes courtesy of the National Geographic Visitor Center.
What are some of your favorite outdoor webcams?