Saint Elias Mountains

The Saint Elias Mountains are a high, glaciated mountain range spanning southeastern Alaska and the adjacent Yukon and British Columbia in Canada. The range contains some of North America’s highest coastal and inland peaks.

The range’s defining features are steep, heavily glaciated peaks such as Mount Saint Elias (18,008 ft / 5,489 m) and Mount Logan (5,959 m), along with extensive icefields and valley glaciers that dominate local scenery. Access is frequently by long overland routes, floatplane or lodge-supported expeditions, and recreational activity is focused on high-mountain climbing, glacier travel and backcountry skiing.

The mountains were named and charted during European exploration of Alaska and the North Pacific in the 18th and 19th centuries; Indigenous peoples have long histories in and around the range. In the 20th century the area became a focus for mountaineering and scientific glacier study.

The Saint Elias range stretches from the Gulf of Alaska inland across southeastern Alaska into the Yukon and northwestern British Columbia, forming a rugged borderland between the United States and Canada.

• Glaciation and remoteness: The range contains extensive icefields and large valley glaciers; many approaches are remote and require glacier travel skills.
• Protected lands: Parts of the range fall within protected areas, including Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in Alaska and national parks in Yukon.

What to See #

• Mount Saint Elias: Mount Saint Elias, a prominent peak on the range's coastline with an elevation of 18,008 feet (5,489 metres), noted for rapid vertical relief above the Gulf of Alaska.
• Mount Logan: Mount Logan, the highest peak in Canada at 5,959 metres, lies within the same mountain system and features extensive glaciation.