Denali (; also known as Mount McKinley, its former official name) is the highest mountain peak in North America, with a summit elevation of 20,310 feet (6,190 m) above sea level. With a topographic prominence of 20,194 feet (6,155 m) and a topographic isolation of 4,621.1 miles (7,436.9 km), Denali is the third most prominent and third most isolated peak on Earth, after Mount Everest and Aconcagua. Located in the Alaska Range in the interior of the U.S. state of Alaska, Denali is the centerpiece of Denali National Park and Preserve.
The Koyukon people who inhabit the area around the mountain have referred to the peak as "Denali" for centuries. In 1896, a gold prospector named it "Mount McKinley" in support of then-presidential candidate William McKinley; that name was the official name recognized by the federal government of the United States from 1917 until 2015. In August 2015, 40 years after Alaska had done so, the United States Department of the Interior announced the change of the official name of the mountain to Denali.In 1903, James Wickersham recorded the first attempt at climbing Denali, which was unsuccessful. In 1906, Frederick Cook claimed the first ascent, but this ascent is unverified and its legitimacy questioned. The first verifiable ascent to Denali's summit was achieved on June 7, 1913, by climbers Hudson Stuck, Harry Karstens, Walter Harper, and Robert Tatum, who went by the South Summit. In 1951, Bradford Washburn pioneered the West Buttress route, considered to be the safest and easiest route, and therefore the most popular currently in use.On September 2, 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey announced that the mountain is 20,310 feet (6,190 m) high, not 20,320 feet (6,194 m), as measured in 1952 using photogrammetry.
Denali is a magical place , leave your lower 48 expectations behind and behold a gem in America’s last frontier .
Amazing place I landed here with k2 aviation Really worth doing it Unforgettable experience
During my 10day trip to Alaska I covered over 2000 miles of Interior Alaska, a number of villages and cities with my tour group. Some to include Anchorage, Denali, Valdez, Fairbanks, Seward, talkeetna, etc we traveled by bus, boat rides to fjords and glaciers, stoped at national parks and saw monuments and cultural recreations and museums. We ate at different restaurants, hiked the Denali mountain trails, had close encounters with the Alaskan wildlife and ended up 200 miles from the Arctic circle. We panned for gold and saw mammoth bones learned about the natives and their culture and had a blast. Please visit Alaska pictures are my own and some Courtesy of our tour driver taken during our trip.
The rangers throughout the park were knowledgable and friendly. I stayed at the Teklanika camp ground for 3 nights which was an amazing experience. The restrooms are clean and there are multiple different trails to hike with entrances from the camp site. If you prefer a nice afternoon walk, there is a gravel road you can use leading further into the park.
I lost my chance when I lost my leg. So beautiful! I'm not a flatlander! Please go for me? 💙
Absolutely incredible. My wife and I spent a few days in Denali on a trip to Alaska on our 20 year anniversary. It’s an amazing place. The views and wildlife are incredible. We saw a large herd of caribou on a bus ride through the park. We also did a plane tour on a prop plane and landed on a glacier.