Elevation profiles are one of the few remaining gaps people have noticed when comparing CalTopo to desktop software.  No more.

There are now two profile modes – the existing interactive one that uses Google elevation data, and a full-page version that builds on the terrain statistics dialog with CalTopo sourced elevation data.  You can get to the new profiles using the terrain statistics menu option, or clicking the expand link at the top right of the interactive profile dialog:

The expanded version is a full-page dialog:

One of the most obvious differences is axes in place of rise/run data:

There’s also a heatmap below the profile showing slope angle, land cover and tree cover along the route:

Below that is the previously existing terrain stats content (lines only – terrain stats along a polygon’s perimeter, to match the profile, would be meaningless or misleading).  A more subtle addition is that nearby markers are automatically placed along the profile:

Using bulk ops, you can also plot multiple lines on the same axes:

Absolute plots the lines’ actual elevations, while relative shows how each line changes from its starting elevation.  Below are 3 routes plotted against each other in absolute mode (top) and relative (bottom).

PDF versions of any profile are available using the print link at the top right of the dialog.

Note that because the interactive profile uses Google data and the expanded profile uses CalTopo data, gross gain and loss numbers may be slightly different.  Like terrain stats, expanded elevation profiles will only work within the continental US.