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Fast Facts > Denali
Fast
Facts about
Denali National Park and Preserve
| Superintendent |
Paul R. Anderson |
| Established |
February 26, 1917
(as Mt. McKinley National Park)
December 2, 1980 (increased in size and name changed to Denali
National Park and Preserve
Denali or "The High One" is the Athabaskan name
for the mountain officially called Mount McKinley - both names
are used for "The Mountain." "Denali" is
the name favored by most Alaskans. |
| Size |
Park - 4,690,680
acres 7,329.2 sq. miles
Preserve - 1,337,523 acres 2,089.9 sq.miles
Total - 6,028,203 acres 9,419.1 sq. miles
(For size comparison: State of New Hampshire = 9,279 sq. miles
Vermont = 9,609 sq. miles and Massachusetts = 8,284 sq. miles
Wilderness designation
(most of original Mount McKinley National Park area):
2,125,679 acres 3,321.4 sq.miles
Perimeter (boundary,
including new park and preserve): 605 miles or 974 kilometers
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| Visitation |
2004: 404,234 visitors
2003: 359,840 visitors
2002: 353,560 visitors |
| Budget |
$10,842,000 (approximate)
not including non-recurring research and construction projects |
| NPS Staffing |
Permanent 100
Term 17
Temporary 141
Volunteers 369 (contributed 40,732 hours of work)
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| Campgrounds |
RVs and/or tents:
3 campgrounds (232 sites)
Tents only: 3 campgrounds (42 sites) |
| Park Road |
Total length: 92
miles or 148 kilometers
Paved section: 14.8 miles or 23.8 kilometers |
| Landmarks and Elevations |
Elevations above sea level
| Denali Visitor Center |
1,746 ft / 532 meters |
| Park Headquarters |
2,055 ft |
| Sable Pass |
3,900 ft |
| Polychrome Rest Area |
3,700 ft |
| Toklat |
3,090 ft |
| Highway Pass |
3,980 ft / 1213 meters (Highest point on road) |
| Thorofare Pass |
3,950 ft |
| Eielson Visitor Center |
3,733 ft / 1138 meters |
| Wonder Lake Campground |
2,090 ft / 637 meters |
| Kantishna Airstrip |
1,575 ft |
| Mt. Foraker |
17,400 ft / 5303.5 meters |
| Mt. McKinley |
20,320 ft (Highest point in North America |
| --South Peak |
20,320 ft / 6193.5 meters |
| --North Peak |
19,470 ft / 5934 meters |
| Lowest point in park |
200 ft / 61 meters (Yentna River at boundary) |
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| Wildlife Species |
Amphibians 1 (wood
frog)
Mammals 39
Birds 167 (one endangered species: Peregrine falcon;113 species
breeding and 16 recorded as accidental)
Fish 10 (includes 3 salmon species)
Reptiles 0 |
| Lakes |
Largest is Chilchukabena
Lake: 2.6 miles long, 2 miles wide, 2,079 acres
Wonder Lake: 2.6 miles long, 1/2 mile wide, 649 acres, 280
feet maximum depth
Approximately 12,130 lakes and ponds in the park and preserve
18,679 miles of streams
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| Glaciers |
17% of park's lands
area is covered with glaciers
Largest glaciers are on south side of Alaska Range (35-45
miles long) --Kahiltna, Ruth Eldridge, Tokositna and Yentna.
Largest glacier on north side of Alaska Range is the Muldrow
Glacier on Mt. McKinley (34 miles long).
Deepest measured glacier: Ruth - 3805 feets or 1160 meters
The surface ice of the Ruth Glacier moves about 0.95 meters
(3.1 feet) per day.
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| Earthquakes |
Number of earthquakes
per year: about 700
Average magnitude = 2.0 (The 7.9 quake on November 3, 2002 was
largest interior Alaska earthquake in state history.)
Depth: over 50% between 0-15km, but 32% between 90-130km
Location: most events occur within the Kantishna seismic cluster,
in the northern foothills of the Denali range. |
| Weather |
Average annual precipitation
= 15 inches (park headquarters)
Wettest months are June, July and August.
Average annual snowfall = 80 inches (park headquarters)
Highest amount of snowfall occurs in October and November.
Coldest temperature recorded at headquarters: -54º F, 2/5/99
Highest temperature recorded at headquarters: 91º F, 6/22/91
Average January temperature: 2ºF
Average July temperature: 55ºF
Shortest day (December 21) = 4 hours, 21 minutes of daylight
Longest day (June 21) = 20 hours, 49 minutes of daylight
Number of years in cooperation with the National Weather Service:
80 |
| Denali Park Sled
Dog Kennels |
Kennels building
constructed in 1929
Number of adult dogs: 30 (4 retiring this year)
Patrol miles per winter: 3,000
Sled dog demonstrations inaugurated in 1939
2004 dog demonstrations attendees: 39,941 |
| Mt. McKinley Mountaineering
Statistics (2004) |
Number of climbers:
1,275 (Most climbers in one season: 1,305 in 2001)
Number of climbers who reached top or "summit": 656
Summit percentage: 51% (Average summit percentage: 51%)
Rescues: 14
Fatalities: 1 (Total number of fatalities since 1932: 93)
First summit of
South Peak (true summit): June 7, 1913, Harper, Karstens,
Stuck, Tatum
First summit of North Peak: April 3, 1910, Anderson, Taylor
12,081 climbers have reached the summit since 1913
First woman to summit: June 6, 1947, Barbara Polk Washburn
First solo ascent: August 26, 1970; Naoimi Uemura
First winter ascent: February 28, 1967; Johnston, Davidson,
Genet
First winter solo ascent: February 12, 1984; Uemura (died
on descent)
First successful winter solo ascent completed: March 7, 1988;
Tejas
Oldest person to summit: July 5, 2004; Mario Locatelli, 71
years, 6 months old
Youngest person to summit: June 17, 2001; Galen Johnston,
11 years old
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