Overview
Denali, formerly known as Mount McKinley, is the highest mountain peak in North America, with a summit elevation of 6,190 meters. It is located in the Alaska Range in the interior of the U.S. state of Alaska, within Denali National Park and Preserve. The name "Denali" comes from the Koyukon Athabaskan word meaning "the high one."
Geography and Physical Features
Denali is a massive granite peak with vertical relief of about 5,500 meters from its base, giving it one of the greatest rises of any mountain on land. It is heavily glaciated, with the Kahiltna, Ruth, and Muldrow glaciers radiating from its flanks. Its weather is notoriously severe, with winter temperatures dropping below minus 60 degrees Celsius.
Significance
Denali is sacred to several Alaska Native peoples and has long been an important landmark in the region. The mountain was officially restored to its Indigenous name in 2015 after more than a century of being known as Mount McKinley. It is one of the famed Seven Summits.
Notable Facts
Due to its high latitude, Denali's summit has less atmospheric pressure than equivalent elevations in the Himalayas, making climbers feel as though they are higher. The first confirmed summit was achieved in 1913 by a team led by Hudson Stuck. The mountain attracts roughly 1,000 climbers annually.