Denali

/dəˈnɑːli/ noun

Definition

The highest mountain peak in North America, located in Alaska, standing at 20,310 feet above sea level. Also refers to Denali National Park that surrounds the mountain.

Etymology

From Koyukon Athabascan 'deenaalee' meaning 'high one' or 'great one'. The mountain was renamed from Mount McKinley back to Denali in 2015, restoring its original Indigenous name.

Kelly Says

Denali's name change represents a growing movement to restore Indigenous place names, recognizing that these locations had meaningful names long before European exploration. The mountain is so massive it creates its own weather patterns and can be seen from over 200 miles away.

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