Least Cost Path Analysis
Why Geographic Information Systems Stack Exchange recommends it
GIS Stack Exchange users link it as a clear step-by-step demonstration of building a cost path in ArcGIS when others ask how to compute a least-cost route over terrain.
Recommended by 4 people across 4 different months, 2015 to 2018.
What it is
A short ArcGIS walkthrough of least cost path analysis, using slope from a DEM as the cost surface to site a hiking trail between two points. It shows how a cost surface, cost distance and backlink raster combine to produce the least-cost route, and notes other possible costs like land cover or driving time. It comes from a university research group (DEEGSNCCU).
What people said
Recommends TacoB0t · 2015-05 · Geographic Information Systems Stack Exchange · on “How to calculate Cost Surface Analysis in ArcGIS 10.x”
Here is a great video that helped me out for explaining Cost-Path: [this video] As mentioned before, this requires a DEM to create a slope raster using Spatial Analyst Tools -> Surface -> Slope. However, for what you are looking for (get a detailed perspective on hiking from point A to point B), you can implement Tobler's hiking function which will estimate the time it takes to traverse over slope assuming an initial unaffected walking pace of 5.037 km/hr. The speed/time to traverse over terrain changes based on the slope raster derived from elevation data (DEM). [LINK] From the above link, go down to B. ANISOTROPIC TIME ESTIMATE USING PATH DISTANCE and download the appropriate Tobler table for y
Recommends rominka198 · 2018-05 · Geographic Information Systems Stack Exchange · on “Is inverting slope map same as inverting surface in ArcMap?”
My main problem is that I want to do something like least cost path analysis in ArcGIS but my main goal is to find the hardest path between two points. I followed course here: [this video]
Recommends Rachel Rotz · 2018-07 · Geographic Information Systems Stack Exchange · on “Performing COST PATH in ArcMap?”
I found this youtube video to be really helpful. Follow the steps and it should work with your files: [this video]
Recommends IanGS · 2018-12 · Geographic Information Systems Stack Exchange · on “DEM - calculate shortest/easiest path over mountain range”
I'm sorry to say that I am finding it almost impossible to follow the process when all the previous 'answers' intertwine terminology/theory/names from GRASS, QGIS, ARCGIS, SAGA, etc. The best example of a clear demonstration is here [this video] which is in ARCGIS, which of course I do not have. Am I correct in saying I need (1) DEM file, (2) Start Layer, (3) End Layer, and that I need to carry out the production of a (4) Cost Surface layer- the slope analysis, then a (5) Cost Distance layer, then a (6) Back Link layer, and then you can produce the (7) LCA layer?
Cites rominka198 · 2018-05 · Geographic Information Systems Stack Exchange · on “Is inverting slope map same as inverting surface in ArcMap?”
My main problem is that I want to do something like least cost path analysis in ArcGIS but my main goal is to find the hardest path between two points. I followed course here: [this video] I tried to do it with original surface grid and also with inverting surface grid (computed by equation:(([elevgrd] - Z_Max) * -1) + Z_Min) but results were in both cases same and not correct. Then I tried to invert slope map with the same equation (([slope_map] - the highest value of slope) * -1) + min value of slope ) and result was better