Yosemite Valley's Cathedral Rocks

myminifactory

This is a stunningly detailed 3D topographic model of Yosemite Valley's Cathedral Spires. The level of detail is truly remarkable, allowing you to clearly see every nook and cranny, including the ledge on the classic climbing route on Lower Cathedral Spire. I created it from a LIDAR dataset collected to study nitrogen export and made available at http://opentopo.sdsc.edu/. By gridding the LIDAR point cloud to a 0.5m resolution, I was able to capture every intricate detail of this breathtaking landscape. You can check out my tutorial video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzwybr65I9o for a step-by-step guide on how to create your own stunning 3D models. The printing process took a total of 18 hours, with the model sliced using Simplify3d at its default high-quality settings. I printed it in PLA on a FlashForge, and while it turned out beautifully, there is a slight crack at the bottom of Bridalveil Creek caused by not using infill on the print. This incredible 3D printing project was even featured on the 3D Printing Today podcast, which you can find on iTunes, Stitcher radio, or directly from the source at http://threedprintingtoday.libsyn.com/.