What is the policy on LoJ regarding unranked peaks that have been removed via mining operations? The reason I ask - there is a soft-ranked peak (http://listsofjohn.com/peak/48517) on my closest 50 unclimbed peaks (of any prominence) list that appears to have had the top substantially removed due to mining activity. I had planned to get near enough to it to verify how much of it has been removed. If a soft-ranked peak has been substantially removed in the field to the point that it is no longer even soft ranked, does that warrant removal from the LoJ database? If it isn't removed from the database, is it even possible to bag that peak? If someone were able to reach the highest point of whatever remains of the peak, would there be a desire to update the location coordinates of the current highpoint? I think that would be opening a can of worms because as mining activity continues, the highpoint location would be a moving target. Or to keep it simple, could someone just reach the highest point of whatever remains of the peak and log it as completed (assuming one could legally access the highpoint)?
If it were a ranked peak like this one, http://listsofjohn.com/peak/48258, it is my opinion that it should not be removed from the data base unless it can be documented that the peak no longer has 300 feet of prominence. This peak, which appears on the topo map of having an interpolated elevation of 3,660 feet, had an actual GPS verified highpoint location (when I hiked it in February of 2009 after years of mining activity) located at 35.9469N, 115.2095W between the 3,560-foot contour and the 3,600-foot contour. Even with the top+/-80 feet removed, the highest point of whatever remains of the peak still has more than 500-feet of prominence. The elevation, coordinates and rise found on the peak page no longer reflect what is physically out there; however, those three things are moving targets due to the ongoing mining activity.
Comments?