Discover Just How Tall Mount Saint Elias Really Is

Mount Saint Elias is the second-tallest mountain in both Canada and the United States. It is the fourth overall tallest mountain in the entirety of the United States. On the border between Alaska and the Yukon, this massive mountain is a part of the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve and the Kluane National Park and Preserve. It is known as Was’eitushaa in the Tlingit language. Below, discover just how tall Mount Saint Elias is, and learn about some of the wildlife on this scenic peak.

How Tall is Mount Saint Elias?

Mount Saint Elias has an elevation of 18,008 feet. It was first climbed on July 31, 1897.

Although this is a beautiful mountain, as well as one of the tallest on the continent, it is not often climbed. This is because along with its massive size, Mount Saint Elias is known for its frequent periods of bad weather. There are also few paths that make it easy to access the summit.

Due to the climate of the peak, wildfires are rare at the top of the mountain. However, both national forests surrounding the mountain may experience wildfires as a result of lightning strikes or human causes.

How Does Mount Saint Elias Compare to Other Mountains?

This mountain is located around 26 miles southwest of its parent peak, Mount Logan. Mount Logan is the highest mountain in all of Canada, as well as the second highest in the entire continent. In North America, only Mount Denali is larger. The elevation of Mount Logan is 19,551 feet. That’s only a little more than 1,500 feet larger than Mount Saint Elias. This means if you were to take a mountain like Little Si in the nearby Cascade range and stack it on this mountain, only then would it compare to the height of Mount Logan.

In comparison to Mount Denali, this mountain is exactly 2,302 feet smaller. This is because the maximum elevation of Mount Denali, the largest mountain in North America, is 20,310 feet.

Wildlife on Mount Saint Elias

Located in both Alaska and the Yukon, this massive mountain is rich in a variety of species. Some of the animals you may be able to see when visiting the nearby area include:

• Moose
• Snowshoe hares
• Mountain goats
• Lynxes
• Porcupines.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/bruceman