The Highest Peaks in the Alaska Range

Extending a distance of approximately 650 km, the Alaska Range is a narrow mountain range that is located in the northern US state of Alaska. The mountain range includes some of the nation’s highest peaks, as well as North America’s tallest mountain, Mount Denali. A list of the tallest mountains in the Alaska Range is provided below.

Mount Denali

Mount Denali is the tallest peak in the Alaska Range, as well as North America. Denali is a 20,310 feet tall central feature of the Denali National Park and Preserve. Although referred to as Mount McKinley between 1917 and 2015, the mountain's name was restored to “Denali,” the name it was given by the indigenous Koyukon Athabaskans living in the area. The first verified climb to the top of this mountain was achieved on June 7, 1913.

Mount Foraker

With a height of 17,400 ft, Mount Foraker is the second tallest mountain in the Alaska Range and the third tallest in the United States. It is located about 23 km away from Mount Denali, within the boundaries of the national park. The south peak of the mountain is higher than the north peak. The former was first summited on August 10, 1934, and the latter was summited four days earlier.

Mount Hunter

Located close to Mount Denali, Mount Hunter is the third tallest peak in the Alaska Range. This 14,573 ft tall mountain is located in Denali National Park. The mountain has a glacier plateau at the summit that connects the two summits of the mountain. Mount Hunter is called Begguya in the local language, which literally means "Denali's Child.” The mountain offers greater challenges than Mount Denali to climbers, and was first summited in 1954.

Mount Hayes

Located in the eastern part of the Alaska Range, Mount Hayes has a height of 13,832 ft, making it the tallest mountain in the eastern part of the range. The mountain has a high topographic prominence and within just 3.2 km, the Northeast Face of the mountain exhibits a rise of 8,000 ft. The first successful ascent to the top of Mount Hayes was recorded in 1941. Due to the harsh weather conditions and remoteness of Mount Hayes, climbing events here are relatively rare.

Mount Silverthrone

The 13,218 ft high Mount Silverthrone is the fifth highest peak in the Alaska Range. It is located on the eastern side of Mount Denali, and the northern side of the Alaska Range. Mount Silverthrone is difficult to access, and since aircraft are not allowed in the area, the mountain can only be reached by hiking. Depending on the expertise of climbers, the time taken to summit Mount Silverthrone ranges from 3 weeks to a month.

Mount Moffit

Like most other mountains in the Alaska Range, Mount Moffit, located about 16 km from Mount Hayes, has a large and steep relief. The 13,020 ft tall mountain is not climbed on a regular basis due to the great challenges faced by mountaineers attempting to climb it. In some places, the mountain slopes drop precipitously, making climbing a dangerous activity. Despite the difficulties, a few have managed to reach the top of Mount Moffit. The first successful ascent to the summit was recorded on August 12, 1942.

Mount Deborah

Named after the first wife of James Wickersham, a district judge of Alaska, Mount Deborah is the seventh tallest summit in the Alaska Range. It is 12,339 ft high and is extremely steep. Within only a distance of about 2.4 km, the Northeast Face exhibits a 7,000 ft increase in elevation. Combined with bitterly cold weather conditions and low accessibility, Mount Deborah offers great challenges to those daring to climb it. The first successful expedition to the top of the mountain was made in 1954.

Mount Huntington

The 12,240 ft tall Mount Huntington is one of the highest summits in the Alaska Range. The mountain is a favorite for advanced level climbers who prefer high level technical challenges during climbing. Despite being overshadowed by Mount Denali in terms of height, which lies about 13 km away, Mount Huntington is much steeper than the tallest mountain in the Alaska Range. The slopes of the mountain feature steep drops of about 5,000 ft over only 1.6 km. A French expedition team succeeded in climbing to the top of the mountain in 1964.

Mount Brooks

Mount Brooks is located within the boundaries of Denali National Park. It is 11,890 ft tall and is part of a ridge that extends from Denali massif. The ridge hosting Mount Brooks extends between Traleika Glacier and Brooks Glacier.

Mount Russell

At a height of 11,670 ft, Mount Russell is the tenth tallest peak of the Alaska Range. Climbing the mountain is challenging due to the steep terrain. Mount Russell was first summited on May 28, 1962. The mountain is located in the watershed region of the Kuskokwim River, where it is the tallest peak.