The mighty Alaska range extends about 400 miles through southern Alaska. Its highest point is Denali (formerly Mt. McKinley) at 20,320 feet. Denali is also the highest mountain in all of North America. Denali actually rises higher than Mt. Everest, but is positioned at a much lower altitude. Much like the Cascades Range, the Alaska Range is part of the Pacific Rim of Fire, a region of frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that encircles the basin of the Pacific Ocean. Although the Alaska Range lacks volcanoes, it did record an eathquake of 7.9 on the Richter Scale in 2002. |
