Denali (Mount McKinley)

Denali, in the Alaska Range of south-central Alaska, is the highest mountain in North America, rising to 20,310 feet (6,190 m). Its Koyukon name means "the high one," and the peak more than earns it — measured from its base rather than from sea level, Denali's vertical rise is even greater than that of Mount Everest, making it one of the most imposing mountains on the planet. It dominates the horizon for a hundred miles.

Standing far north and close to the cold Arctic, Denali endures some of the most brutal weather of any mountain, with fierce storms and temperatures that have dropped below −75°F. Its great bulk creates its own weather and is wrapped in glaciers that flow down all sides. Protected within Denali National Park, the peak draws climbers from around the world, though the summit defeats more than half who attempt it.

Few American mountains have changed names as often. A gold prospector dubbed it Mount McKinley in 1896 to back presidential candidate William McKinley, and the federal government made the name official in 1917. Alaska restored Denali at the state level in 1975, and the federal government followed in 2015. In January 2025 an executive order returned the federal name to Mount McKinley, while the State of Alaska, Denali National Park, and most Alaskans still call the mountain Denali.