Getting up there

Denali, highest point in North America with low lying clouds

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - We worked in Denali National Park in summer 2007 as shuttle drivers and sometime tour guides.  The mountain, at 20,310',  creates its own weather so that in nearly five months on site Denali showed a clear profile less than 10 times.  The rest of the time it was ringed with clouds or totally obscured.  On a 90 mile (one way) day-off shuttle trip to the base we passengers  started out catching glimpses of the mountain early but by the time we reached Wonder Lake (30 miles from the base) Denali was so socked in by weather you didn't know anything was there.
     You might think Denali rates an entry on the list of the highest points in the world.  Sorry, there over 400 peaks higher led by Mt. Everest at 29,029.  And nearly all of those are located within 20 degrees (north or south) of the equator.  Denali, located at 63 degrees (latitude) is an anomaly.
     Our summer in Alaska  was full of "wonder" and Denali was just one part of it.