Day 38 – Not so fast, Mount Everest: Meet Mount McKinley!

Although Mount Everest is the highest spot on earth, making it the highest mountain, it is not the tallest mountain. That honor goes to Mount McKinley, which measures about 18,000 feet from base to peak, making it the largest mountain above sea level. Mount McKinley is also the highest mountain peak in North America. It is part of the Alaska Range and is in Denali National Park and Preserve. The Native name for Mount McKinley is Denali, which means “High One” or “Great One.”

Mount McKinley is not as infamous as Mount Everest, and is regularly climbed today. However, it has still claimed the lives of over 100 mountaineers. The climb is also not quick: it takes roughly two to four weeks to reach the top! These mountains are no joke, people!

For those not brave enough to want to climb Mount McKinley and in search of a tamer way to experience its beauty, Denali National Park has a road cutting across the park which offers views of Mount McKinley. The road is 92 miles long, and although private vehicles are only allowed up to mile 15, bus rides are available beyond that. I love visiting national parks (I can hardly wait for our national park vacation, which starts later this week!!!), so viewing Mount McKinley by visiting Denali is something I would definitely like to do someday. In the meantime, here are few photos I found of the Mountain. (Bonus: one photo has a moose in it!)

Read more about Mount McKinley at these web addresses: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_McKinley; http://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/visiting-denali.htm.

Xoxo,

Diana

Day 37 – Not for the Faint of Heart!

Switching gears from water wonders to mountains today- I’ll be talking about Mount Everest. Another one of the seven natural wonders, this mountain is the highest mountain on earth- with a peak at 29,029 feet. (It’s not the tallest mountain from base to peak, but it is the highest spot on earth). Mount Everest is located in the Himalayas between Nepal and Tibet.

Mount Everest is probably most famous for the difficult trek to its summit. The climb is no joke, and over 200 people have died attempting it. The climb to base camp itself takes up to 10 days, and climbers who want to summit Mount Everest spend six weeks there just to acclimate to the thin air. The climb is expensive, too- climbing permits alone are $25,000, not to mention numerous other expenses.

Mount Everest is one natural wonder I’m not sure I would actually want to go see. I have no interest in climbing it (not to mention it would take a lot of training to get me to the point where that was a possibility, if I even could get to that point!). You can see the Mountain by a guided air tour, which is obviously a much more accessible option. From the pictures below, you can see that the mountain is beautiful. However, with so many beautiful mountains in the world, is Everest worth the cost and hassle to see this particular mountain? (Even if it’s the “easy” way, by air). I’m not sure. I could also skydive Mount Everest for the low price of $25,000… tempting! (http://www.everest-skydive.com/everest-skydive/).

Whether or not I ever make it to Everest, looking pictures of this majestic peak is a treat in itself!

Read more about Mount Everest here: http://sevennaturalwonders.org/the-original/mount-everest/; here: http://business.time.com/2012/01/23/the-economics-of-everest/; and here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Everest;

Xoxo,

Diana