Denali in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska — Northwest (North America)

Tall Mountain, Taller Tales

Photographed by Leslie Eudy

1. Tall Mountain, Taller Tales Marker

Inscription.
Tall Mountain, Taller Tails

Mt. McKinley has been under a cloud of controversy since the first summit attempts in the early 1900s. Many mountaineers saw this wild and uncharted territory with one thought in mind – being the first to stand atop America’s tallest mountain.

Attempts Fall Short
Dr. Frederick Cook led two expeditions to Mt. McKinley. The first expedition in 1903, successfully circumnavigated the mountain and attempted the summit, reaching approximately 11,000 feet. The second expedition in 1906, made another summit attempt. After failing to find a route up the icy slopes of the south side, Cook and his six traveling companions decided to disperse and head home.

Cooking Up Controversy
Then Cook did a curious thing; he sent a telegram to New York alerting the press of his “final attempt” at the summit. He and horse packer Ed Barrill returned to the Alaska Range from Cook inlet, supposedly climbed Mt. McKinley, and met teammate Belmore Browne in Seldovia only 12 days later. To support his claim, Cook had a photo of Barrill standing on the “summit” and cropped the background for publication. Browne was

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initially suspicious of this claim because of how fast Cook and Barrill made it back to Seldovia.

Double Prints
The public immediately accepted Cook as a hero, but his teammates Belmore Browne and Herschel Parker suspected he had not made the summit. They led their own expedition in 1910, and while they did not reach the summit, they used Cook’s maps and photos to find his supposed summit. They deemed Cook’s “summit photo” had been taken 20 miles from the real summit and over 15,000 feet below it. Despite Parker-Browne’s photographs, the debate over Cook’s claims raged for decades. Some people still believe Cook was the first one to reach the top of Mt. McKinley, although Hudson Stuck’s 1913 party is generally credited with the first ascent.

(Companion Marker:)

Creating Troublesome Weather
The peaks of the Alaska Range are so high they create their own severe, unpredictable weather, which often hides the scenery. Is Denali out today?

Dangerous Weather
The ridges and passes within the Alaska Range concentrate and channel air movement into powerful winds. Sometimes, quickly changing weather can sneak up the opposite side

Creating Troublesome Weather marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Leslie Eudy, July 24, 2026

2. Creating Troublesome Weather marker

of the mountains catching climbers and backpackers by surprise. Often climbers miss signs of severe weather or underestimate its magnitude… to their regret.

You Can Run From This Shadow
These peaks are so high they create a “rain shadow” affecting the climate over interior Alaska. Moist air moving northwards encounters the high peaks and cools as it’s forced up. This causes moisture to condense, clouds to form, and rain or snow to fall. The air descending the north side is so dry there is little moisture left for rain or snow. This creates a “rain shadow” over the interior.

Origins of Ice
The clouds that often mantle these high peaks hint at events of the Pleistocene ice age. Then, as now, most precipitation fell on the south side of these mountains, resulting in massive glaciers which continue to sculpt that side of the Alaska Range. Interior Alaska, on the north side, received so little precipitation there was minimal glaciation.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Exploration • Natural Features.

Location. 62° 35.574′ N, 150° 14.442′ W.

Tall Mountain, Taller Tales Marker Wide View image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Leslie Eudy, July 24, 2026

3. Tall Mountain, Taller Tales Marker Wide View

Marker is in Denali, Alaska, in Matanuska-Susitna Borough. It can be reached from Parks Highway. At the Denali Viewpoint South overlook on the west side of the Park Highway. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Trapper Creek AK 99683, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Alaska Railroad Corridor,

in the Athabascan Region,

in the Mat-Su Valley,

and in Southcentral Alaska.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Russian Empire.

Other nearby markers. At least 6 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Denali or Mt. McKinley? (a few steps from this marker); Walter Harper (approx. 2.4 miles away); wolves find room to roam (approx. 2½ miles away); Luscombe Silvaire (approx. 2½ miles away); Alaska's Bush Pilots (approx. 2½ miles away); Cliff Hudson (approx. 2½ miles away).

Denali from the Overlook, obscured by clouds image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Leslie Eudy, July 24, 2026

4. Denali from the Overlook, obscured by clouds

Denali from the North Side image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Leslie Eudy, July 24, 2026

5. Denali from the North Side

Credits. This page was last revised on September 21, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 19, 2026, by Leslie Eudy of Golden, Colorado. This page has been viewed 5 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on September 19, 2026, by Leslie Eudy of Golden, Colorado. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.