How to exlude raster cell from the cost surface estimation?

Question

I use ArcGIS 10.1, I am trying to generate a cost surface (Path Distance tool) in order to generate a least-cost path. The problem is that I would exclude a specific area of the raster from the calculation. I tried to remove it with the tool Clip, but it didn't work (it took away the interested raster portion leaving just the useless one). Do you have a suggestion?

DanPatterson_Retired · Accepted Answer

Don't know if 10.1 has

Erase—Help | ArcGIS Desktop

It would require the spatial analyst extension for that version in any event.

Alternatively, you could mask the area with null values using

con and setnull

Setting values to NoData with Set Null—Help | ArcGIS Desktop

nodata cells are excluded from raster analyses