Google map frames are generated from this site using URLs that look like this one
http://www.movable-type.co.uk/scripts/latlong.html?from=48.860792,-122.126097&to=48.859920,=-122.144899#ortho-dist
Use this link to get the distance between any two points on earth.
A map that allows lookup of approximate elevations is here.
Precise elevations can be obtained from Google using this format with any number of locations (sensor=false is necessary):
http://maps.google.com/maps/api/elevation/xml?locations=48.860792,-122.126097|48.859920,-122.144899&sensor=false
The return is XML, but it is very simple and the elevation in meters can be read.