The Most Beautiful Peaks in Alaska

Alaska is a beautiful state, full of natural wonders and abundant in wildlife. If you’re taking a trip around the state in your Alaska car rentals, it’s nice to know where to go to get the most gorgeous view of all that Alaska has to offer. In particular, the mountains in Alaska are breathtaking.

Avis has searched around for the most beautiful peaks in the state. What we’ve found is stunning, and many of these mountains happen to be some of our favorite places. Here are just a few of the best peaks to visit in your Alaska car rentals.

Denali Mountain, or Mount McKinley

Known as either Denali or Mount McKinley, this peak is seen as the most beautiful in all of Alaska. With two major summits reaching 20,237 feet and five glaciers drifting from the mountain, the Denali is a significant site in Alaska. The main peak of the Denali has been found to be the tallest in all of North America, and the third highest summit in the world just below Mount Everest and Aconcagua. It’s no surprise that the native word “Denali” that was given to the mountain by the Athabascan people means “The Great One.” Other small peaks on the Denali include South Buttress, East Buttress, and Browne Tower.

First spotted by Europeans when George Vancouver saw it in the distance in 1794, it has since become a hot spot for Alaskan residents and tourists alike. It wasn’t until 1906, however, that the mountain was successfully climbed by Dr. Frederick Cook. Since that time, almost 100 mountaineers have died in the attempt to ascend the peak. It certainly isn’t recommended for amateur climbers.

Visiting this mountain is not for the faint of heart. Temperatures around Denali are intensely cold. In fact, the lowest temperature recorded on the mountain was -100 degrees Fahrenheit.

You may hear people call the Denali “Mount McKinley” instead. This title is controversial. The title Mount McKinley was given to the mountain in 1896 by gold prospector William Dickey after President William McKinley. Many see this as a stripping of the mountain’s native history, and continue to call it by its rightful original name, “Denali”.

You’ll find Mount Denali in the Denali National Park. Since you’re already taking your Alaska car rentals to Denali, make sure to explore the park and enjoy a day of fishing in the river. Fishing offers you the best chance to relax and admire the peak in all its glory. Pack a picnic and take a load off.

Alaska’s highest summits

Beyond Mount Denali, you’ll find a wide range of other summits with impressive height that will offer you a view of the awesome beauty of nature. Only slightly smaller than Denali, Mount Saint Elias in the Saint Elias Mountains is a whopping 18,009 feet. In the same range, you’ll find Mount Bona at 16,550 feet, Mount Fairweather at 15,299 feet, Mount Hubbard at 15,016 feet, Mount Bear at 14,831 feet, and University Peak at 14,470 feet as well as many others.

In the same range as Mount Denali, the Alaska Range, you’ll find Mount Foraker at 17,400 feet, Mount Hunter at 14,573 feet, Mount Hayes at 13,832 feet, and Mount Silverthrone at 13,220 feet. Take a trip to the Wrangell Mountains to see Mount Blackburn at 16,390 feet, Mount Sanford at 16,237 feet, Mount Wrangell at 14,163 feet, Atna Peaks at 13,860 feet, and Regal Mountain at 13,845 feet, as well as many others.

Even if you can’t make it to the top of mountain, pack up your Alaska car rentals with a blanket, some books, and food to make a day out of it.

Start your Alaskan journey on the right foot. Reserve your Alaska car rentals from Avis today.