One thing I love about Alaska is it’s mountains. And mountains usually mean weather, drama, wind, and all of the paradoxical beauty and ferocity that goes along with that. While it is pretty common knowledge that mountains change elevation over time, I found it interesting in the news today that Mount McKinley, locally known as Denali, which is also North America’s tallest mountain is 83 feet shorter based on a 2012 survey by the USGS. The adjusted height is 20,237 feet (6,168m). That equals a 0.4 % change.
I’ve photographed this mountain for decades. It is a hallmark of Alaska, a challenge for mountaineers, and a landmark of scenic beauty. Here are few of the photos of that great mountain that the first Alaskan’s called the High One. You can see Mt. McKinley photos on my website.
None are from this year however since during my last visit to the park I barely saw the foothills through the clouds and pouring rain. This monolith can be elusive at times.
Now it’s time to update the information in all of my photos!
Tour bus travels the Denali Park Road through Thorofare Pass, with Mt McKinley visible along the Alaska range horizon.
Summer landscape of Mt. McKinley, Wonder lake, fireweed, Denali National Park, Alaska
Crimson red bearberry, north face of 20, 3020+ ft. Mt. McKinley (locally called Denali) autumn tundra and McKinley river bar, Denali National Park, Alaska.
View of the south summit of Mt McKinley, locally called “Denali”, North America’s tallest mountain, 20,320 ft. Chulitna river in the foreground.
Bull caribou walks in the autumn tundra in front of the North face of Mount McKinley, (Denali), Denali National Park, Alaska.
Red bearberry covers the tundra, Mt McKinley and the Alaska range mountains border the McKinley river bar, Denali National Park, Alaska.
Bull moose reflection in a small kettle pond with the summit of Mt McKinley in the distance, Denali National Park, Alaska.
Trumpeter swan swims amidst the morning fog over the calm waters of Wonder lake at sunrise, Mt McKinley looms in the distance, Denali National park, Alaska.
Muldrow glacier flows between Carpe (left) and Pioneer (right) ridges, down the western side of Mt. McKinley, north America’s tallest mountain, Denali National Park, Alaska.
