North America

Introduction

North America has an incredibly wide variety of mountains, including ice- covered giants worthy of the Himalaya, huge ranges of craggy rock pinnacles, gentle, rolling, forest-covered hills, and exotic volcanoes on small tropical islands. Among the continents, only Asia has more mountains, mountain ranges, and variety of peaks.

Superlatives

The highest peak in North America is Mt. McKinley (20,320'/6194m), also called Denali, in the Alaska Range in the U.S. state of the same name. The longest and most extensive range in North America is the Rocky Mountains, although the entire western third of the continent could be considered one enormous mountainous area, perhaps the largest "mega-range" in area on the planet.

Sections

Due to the abundance of mountains in North America, it has been divided into six main regions:

Alaska and the St. Elias Range: Big, high, and serious peaks behind only the greater Himalaya and the Andes as challenges for mountaineers. High point: Mt. McKinley (Denali) (20,320'/6194m).

Canada and Greenland: Diverse ranges, from the Coast Mountains of B.C. to the icy, remote crags of Greenland. Excludes the St. Elias-Fairweather Range, grouped with Alaska. High point: Mt. Waddington (13,176'/4016m).

The USA--48 States: Not much here for serious big mountain jocks, but a paradise for hikers, backpackers, scramblers, and rock climbers. High point: Mt. Whitney (14,494'/4418m).

Mexico: The high volcanoes and miscellaneous lower ranges of Mexico. High point: Orizaba (18,700'/5700m).

Central America: Rainforest-covered volcanoes running ruggedly from Guatemala to Panama. High point: Tajumulco, Guatemala (13,845'/4220m).

The Caribbean: Mostly volcanic peaks dominating tiny, jewel-like islands. High point: Pico Duarte, Dominican Republic (10,417'/3175m).

Individual Peak Information

Click here for peaks in the 48 contiguous U.S. States

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