Denali aka Mt. McKinley is the highest mountain peak in North America with a summit of 20,237 feet. At some 18,000 feet, the base to peak rise is considered the largest of any mountain situated entirely above sea level. Measured by topographic prominence, it is the third most prominent peak in the world after Mount Everest and Aconcagua. They are working towards changing the name officially back to Denali, meaning the “the great one”, considering the fact that the mountain is named after a president that never even laid eyes on it. Located in the Alaska Range in the interior of Alaska, McKinley is the centerpiece of Denali National Park and Preserve. The air in Denali National Park is exceptionally clean, allowing for spectacular views of the Alaska Range when the mountains are free of clouds. National Park Service air quality monitoring has shown that Denali consistently has some of the best visibility and cleanest air measured in the country. That being said, I was blessed with these views due to the fact that the middle of July (time of my trip) is considered to be the rainy season, during this period these mountains are commonly covered by a blanket of clouds. I hope you enjoy these pictures as much as I do, and that they inspire as much awe as they did while I took them.
For any interested the flight tour was taken with K2 Aviation located in Talkeetna, Alaska.