It is big. Really big. When you’re standing in the Susitna Valley looking north, Denali doesn't just look like a mountain; it looks like a wall of ice and rock that someone accidentally left in the sky. If you are asking what is the highest peak in us, the answer is Denali, formerly known as Mount McKinley.
But here is the thing. Most people just look at the elevation—20,310 feet—and move on. They think, "Okay, Everest is higher, so Denali is just the runner-up." Honestly? That’s a huge mistake. Denali is actually "taller" than Everest in a way that matters to your lungs and your legs. Mount Everest sits on the Tibetan Plateau, which is already about 14,000 feet high. Denali rises from a plain that’s roughly 2,000 feet above sea level. You’re looking at a vertical rise of 18,000 feet. That is a staggering amount of rock to put between yourself and the clouds.
The Name Change That Took Forty Years
For a long time, if you looked at a map, you saw "Mount McKinley." That name was basically a political stunt. In 1896, a gold prospector named William Dickey was heading out of the mountains and heard that William McKinley had been nominated for president. He decided to name the peak after him just to spite his companions who supported free silver. McKinley never even visited Alaska. He had no connection to the mountain.
The local Koyukon Athabaskan people had called it Denali—"The Great One"—for thousands of years.
The state of Alaska officially changed the name to Denali in 1975, but a bunch of politicians from Ohio (McKinley’s home state) blocked the federal change for decades. It wasn't until 2015 that the U.S. Department of the Interior finally caught up with reality. Now, it's Denali. Period. If you call it McKinley in a bar in Fairbanks, you might get some side-eye.
Why Denali Is More Dangerous Than You Think
When you talk about what is the highest peak in us, you have to talk about the weather. Because it’s so far north—63 degrees latitude—the atmosphere is thinner at the summit than it would be at the equator.
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The barometric pressure is lower.
This means that even though the peak is 20,310 feet, it feels more like 22,000 or 23,000 feet to your body. You are gasping for air that isn't there. Then there is the cold. We aren't talking "wear a jacket" cold. We are talking -40 degrees Fahrenheit as a standard nighttime temperature. When the wind kicks up to 100 miles per hour, which it does frequently, the wind chill can drop to -100 degrees. Steel becomes brittle. Skin freezes in seconds.
Most climbers tackle the West Buttress route. It’s not technically the hardest climb in the world, but it is a massive test of endurance. You aren't just climbing; you’re surviving. You spend weeks on the glacier, hauling a sled full of gear, digging snow walls to keep your tent from being shredded by the wind, and waiting out storms that can last for seven days straight.
The Real Altitude Challenge
A lot of people think the "highest peak" is just a number. But the physiology of Denali is unique. Because the Earth bulges at the equator and flattens at the poles, the layer of breathable air (the troposphere) is thinner in Alaska than it is in the Himalayas.
- At the equator, the troposphere is about 10-12 miles thick.
- At the poles, it shrinks to about 4-5 miles.
So, when you are standing on top of Denali, you are closer to the edge of space than you would be at the same elevation in the Andes.
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The Best Ways to See the Peak (Without Dying)
You don't have to be a world-class mountaineer to experience Denali National Park. Most people take the park bus. Since the Polychrome Pass landslide (the "Pretty Rocks" landslide), the road has been cut off at Mile 43, but they are working on a massive bridge to fix that.
If you want the best view of the highest peak in us, you should head to Talkeetna. It’s a quirky little town where the mayor was once a cat named Stubbs. Seriously. From Talkeetna, you can take a "flightseeing" tour. This is the way to do it. You hop in a de Havilland Otter or a Cessna equipped with skis, and the pilot flies you right up to the face of the mountain. Some tours even land on the Sheldon Glacier. Stepping out onto the ice in the middle of the Alaska Range is a spiritual experience. Everything is white, blue, and silent, except for the occasional boom of an avalanche miles away.
When to Go
Don't go in the winter unless you are an expert in extreme cold survival. Most people visit between late May and early September.
- Late May/June: This is climbing season. The glaciers are still "stable" (relatively speaking), and the crevasses are mostly covered. It's also when you'll see the most clear days.
- August: The tundra starts to turn red and gold. It’s beautiful, but the "Discovery" weather kicks in. Denali is famous for being "hidden" in the clouds. Only about 30% of visitors actually see the summit.
- September: The mosquitoes are dead (thank God), but the snow starts creeping down the mountainsides.
Myths vs. Reality
There is a weird myth that you can see Denali from Russia. You can't. Not even close. You can, however, see it from Anchorage on a clear day, even though Anchorage is 130 miles away.
Another common misconception is that Denali is part of the Rockies. Nope. It's part of the Alaska Range. This range was formed by the subduction of the Pacific Plate under the North American Plate. Basically, the Earth's crust is being shoved upward at a rate of about one millimeter per year. Denali is still growing.
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The wildlife here isn't like a zoo. These animals are busy. If you see a grizzly bear near the road, it’s probably digging for roots or ground squirrels. Don't get out of the bus. Seriously. People forget that these are wild spaces. The park is six million acres—larger than the state of New Hampshire—and there is only one road.
Logistics for Your Visit
If you are planning a trip to see what is the highest peak in us, you need to book early. Denali National Park is one of the most popular destinations in Alaska.
- Stay in a Lodge: Most are located near the park entrance.
- Take the Train: The Alaska Railroad’s Denali Star train is a fantastic way to get there from Anchorage or Fairbanks. The glass-dome cars let you see the mountains as you roll by.
- Pack Layers: Even in July, it can drop to freezing at night.
Honestly, the best advice I can give is to be patient. I've known people who stayed for a week and never saw the mountain because of the cloud cover. Then, on their last day, the clouds parted for twenty minutes, and they saw it. They all said the same thing: it was worth the wait.
Actionable Steps for Your Denali Adventure
If you're ready to see the tallest point in North America, don't just wing it. Alaska is huge and can be unforgiving if you're unprepared.
- Check the "Pretty Rocks" Status: Before booking a bus tour deep into the park, check the National Park Service website for updates on the bridge construction at Mile 43. This affects how far you can go into the heart of the wilderness.
- Book Flightseeing with a Glacier Landing: If your budget allows for one splurge, let it be this. Companies like K2 Aviation or Talkeetna Air Taxi are the gold standard. Landing on a glacier makes the scale of the mountain feel real in a way a photograph never can.
- Download Offline Maps: Cell service is non-existent once you leave the park entrance area. Use Gaia GPS or download Google Maps for offline use so you don't get turned around on the hiking trails near the Savage River.
- Visit the Sled Dog Kennels: The park Rangers still use dog teams to patrol the wilderness in winter because snowmobiles aren't allowed in the designated wilderness areas. The kennel demonstrations are free and give you a great look at the "working" side of the park.
- Respect the "100-Yard Rule": Keep at least 100 yards between you and bears or wolves. For moose and other wildlife, stay at least 25 yards away. A moose might look goofy, but it can be more dangerous than a bear if you get too close.
Seeing Denali is a bucket-list item for a reason. It is the literal high point of the United States, a massive tectonic shrug that reminds you just how small we really are. Whether you're viewing it from the window of a bush plane or the seat of a dusty green bus, the "Great One" never fails to impress.