Mount Saint Elias, Mountain summit in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska
Mount Saint Elias is a 5,489-meter (18,008-foot) summit positioned on the Alaska-Yukon border within Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, with its peak perpetually snow-covered. The mountain rises abruptly from Taan Fjord, creating a dramatic landscape where coastal and interior terrain meet.
Danish navigator Vitus Bering spotted Mount Saint Elias from his ship in 1741, representing the first documented European sighting of this peak. The mountain subsequently became a key reference point for cartographers and explorers mapping the North American coast.
The Tlingit people called this peak Yaas'éit'aa Shaa, meaning mountain behind Icy Bay, and used it as a landmark along their Copper River trade routes.
Climbing this summit demands extensive mountaineering training and specialized gear, along with careful attention to weather patterns. Due to its Pacific proximity, storms can develop rapidly, so visitors should time their visit thoughtfully and monitor forecasts closely.
This peak features the steepest vertical rise in North America, ascending from sea level to summit over just 16 kilometers. This dramatic vertical gain makes the mountain visually striking and contributes to its extreme climbing difficulty.
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