Denali, Mountain peak in Denali National Park, US
Denali stands 20,310 feet (6190 meters) above sea level as the highest mountain in North America, surrounded by tundra and forests stretching for miles. The mountain sits within a huge national park marked by glaciers, rivers and open plains.
In 1917 President Woodrow Wilson created Mount McKinley National Park to protect the area, later renamed Denali National Park. The first successful climb to the summit happened in 1913 by a team led by Hudson Stuck.
The Koyukon people called this peak Denali, meaning the high one, long before outside climbers arrived. Many Alaska Natives still regard the mountain as a sacred place tied to their identity.
Climbers must register with the National Park Service at least sixty days ahead and get permits for attempts between April and July. Weather can shift quickly, so proper gear and experience are necessary for anyone heading to higher camps.
The peak generates its own weather system, with extreme temperature swings and winds that can exceed 150 miles per hour (240 kilometers per hour) at higher elevations. Its high latitude means the air is thinner than on mountains of similar height closer to the equator.
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