Challenge #5: Mount denali January 1st-31st, 2024
About:
Formerly known as Mount McKinley, Denali is the highest mountain peak in North America. At 20,310 ft above sea level, it is actually the tallest mountain in the world from bottom to top on land! Made of essentially pink quartz monzonite, it has 2 summits with the South Summit being the taller one. Denali is covered in permanent snowfields with glaciers galore. Several hiking expeditions happen year round as the weather seems to be constant, cold, and never changing.
Historical Background:
The mountain’s name was changed to Denali, as it is referred to by the Koyukon people of the area, in 2015. Originally it was named after presidential candidate, William McKinley in 1896. President Wilson signed the Mount McKinley Act of 1917 to make it formal. In an effort to recognize the indigenous people of the area, it was changed by President Barack Obama to Denali. James Wickersham is the first recorded attempt at climbing Denali, in 1903. However, the first person to climb to the top successfully was Frederick Cook in 1906.