How can I read a .img DEM in ArcGIS, i.e. extract elevations in all (random) points?

Question

Hi,

I'm am working with a DEM, a .img file. I'm using it as a DEM for a civil engineering (hydraulic engineering) design for a certain bay area. 
Now I really want to see the elevations of the banks of the bay, at all (random) points. How can I do that? Which tool do I need and what should I do?

I have installed ArcGIS 10.1.

Thanks a lot,
Robert

808707 · Answer

Mark,
This is what I meant, but I think it is better to extract values of elevation to a points layer. But I don't have the points layer yet. How would I make such a layer? 
And then, how would I extract elevation values to this layer?
Thanks

Do you mean you want to convert all the individual raster cells from the DEM into points? There's the Raster to Point tool in the Conversion Toolbox in ArcToolbox. The elevation values will be held in the datasets attribute fields.
 
http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#/Raster_to_Point/001200000007000000/

Robertde_Boer · Answer

You could symbolize the DEM according to elevation for visualisation.

The Identify tool can be used to click on individual pixels within the DEM to return an elevation value. It's the I symbol in a blue circle in the blues tool bar.

Is this what you mean or do you have a points layer you want to extract values to?

Mark,
This is what I meant, but I think it is better to extract values of elevation to a points layer. But I don't have the points layer yet. How would I make such a layer? 
And then, how would I extract elevation values to this layer?
Thanks

808707 · Answer

You could symbolize the DEM according to elevation for visualisation.

The Identify tool can be used to click on individual pixels within the DEM to return an elevation value. It's the I symbol in a blue circle in the blues tool bar.

Is this what you mean or do you have a points layer you want to extract values to?