Denali / Mt. McKinley

Alaska
Denali /
Mt. McKinley

June 23, 2001

Jim and Chuck Allan, Denali National Park, Alaska - 4 AM June 23, 2001

It was now 4 AM, and we had reached the first formal observation point for Mt. McKinley, the highest peak in North America, at 20,320 feet.
Actually, the lighting in this picture is pretty true to what the conditions were like at 4 AM. We were wearing our long sleeve wind breakers, not for the cold, but as protection from the mosquitos.

For many years, both the park and the mountain were known as Mount McKinley, but some number of years ago, the park was renamed and the mountain again shared its historic name, Denali, an Indian word meaning, "The Great One."
Certainly, this mountain dominates the skyline, as seen in the previous pictures. The top photo is taken an incredible 42 miles away. The photo at the right, taken about 20 miles up the road with a zoom lens, highlights the peak of the mountain receiving direct sunlight, at 4:30 AM, while the valley is still bathed in the shadows of the surrounding mountains.

While taking the second photo, we noticed a lady walking around in her bathrobe and slippers, taking a photo of the mountain in the early morning light. We chatted - she and her husband, traveling in their motor home, had been on the road for 6 weeks, traveling from Delaware - no schedule to keep, just enjoying the vastness and beauty of the country.