Although 'Mt. McKinley' was officially re-named Denali in 2015, Alaskans have always referred to the mountain as 'Denali' -- the Athabascan word meaning 'The Great One'. Located in the Alaska Range, its peak reaches a glorious 20,320 feet high, making it Alaska's greatest boast.

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Denali is the highest mountain in the United States and most consider it to be the second highest on earth. However, if you consider the actual 'rise' of the mountain, from its base to its peak, Denali is actually a much taller mountain than Everest, even though Everest reaches higher into the sky.  This is because Everest sits atop the Tibetan Plateau which is already 17,000 feet above sea level. The mountain, itself, is an additional 12,000 feet -- placing its peak at around 29,000 feet (8,900 meters) above sea level. Denali, on the other hand, sits atop a plateau that is only 2,000 feet high and the mountain itself is 18,000 feet high, for a peak that is just over 20,000 feet above sea level:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The majestic mountain hosts five glaciers and is surrounded by the Denali National Park and Preserve. The park covers approximately six MILLION square acres, of which the mountain occupies about one-third. Filled with wildlife, including moose; bear; caribou; dall sheep; wolves and fox, the Preserve is often considered a tourist's favorite land tour.