What sort of algorithms can I use to find a least cost path through a DEM where it costs more to traverse a cell going downhill or uphill than it does to follow the contour of the land?
All the examples I've seen involve creating a least cost surface where the magnitude of the slope is part of the cost - but the direction isn't.
Additionally, the examples assume the cost to travel through a cell does not depend on the direction of travel.
Answer
The ArcMap Path Distance tools can do this, although it's moderately complex. Specifically, you need to use the horizontal and vertical factors. This looks at the aspect/elevation to figure out whether it's going uphill, downhill, or parallel to the slope, and assigns a different weight to each direction of approach.
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