What is in a name?

The mountain is called Mt. Denali. Ask any Athabascan about Deenaalee, and they will translate Denali into the high, tall one.

Ask those who have spent 3 weeks reaching the 20,320 foot summit what mountain they climbed. And, those living in Talkeetna, who catch their breath at the adventure of seeing the tall one poke through the clouds of its own weather system. When they shout to friends with exuberance, "the mountain is out," it is Mt. Denali they are talking about.

Mt.Denali is part of their life. It would be an insult to them to call the largest peak in the world, and the tallest point in North America, the politically correct favor of promoting a presidential candidate from Ohio, William McKinley. Alaskans think different than those from Ohio, and we take great delight that President McKinley never had a thing to do with, or never set foot in, what we call Aleyeska, The Great Land.