The Kichatna Mountains are a small mountain range in the northwestern part of

Matanuska-Susitna Borough Matanuska-Susitna Borough (often referred to as the Mat-Su Borough) is a borough located in the U.S. state of Alaska. Its county seat is Palmer, and the largest community is the census-designated place of Knik-Fairview. The borough is part of ...

of the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S. ...

, approximately southwest of

Denali Denali (; also known as Mount McKinley, its former official name) is the highest mountain peak in North America, with a summit elevation of above sea level. With a topographic prominence of and a topographic isolation of , Denali is the th ...

. Unlike the major snow peaks of much of the rest of the

Alaska Range The Alaska Range is a relatively narrow, 600-mile-long (950 km) mountain range in the southcentral region of the U.S. state of Alaska, from Lake Clark at its southwest endSources differ as to the exact delineation of the Alaska Range. ThBoar ...

, the Kichatnas boast short, steep

rock tower A pinnacle, tower, spire, needle or natural tower (german: Felsnadel, ''Felsturm'' or ''Felszinne'') in geology is an individual column of rock, isolated from other rocks or groups of rocks, in the shape of a vertical shaft or spire. Examples ar ...

s, which are famous both for their high-quality, highly technical

climbing Climbing is the activity of using one's hands, feet, or any other part of the body to ascend a steep topographical object that can range from the world's tallest mountains (e.g. the eight thousanders), to small boulders. Climbing is done ...

, and their terrible weather. The main peaks of the Kichatnas include: *

Kichatna Spire Kichatna Spire, sometimes called the Kichatna Spires, is a spire-shaped peak in the Kichatna Mountains of the Alaska Range, in Denali National Park and Preserve, southwest of Denali. Cul-de-sac Glacier, Cul-de-sac, Shelf Glacier, Shelf and Shado ...

, 8985 feet * Augustin Peak * Gurney Peak, 8400 feet *

Middle Triple Peak Middle Triple Peak is the second highest peak in the Kichatna Mountains, a subrange of the Alaska Range in Alaska, United States. It is a striking rock tower, with immense, sheer walls on the east and west sides. Its ''East Buttress'' route (rou ...

, 8835 feet *

The Citadel The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, commonly known simply as The Citadel, is a public senior military college in Charleston, South Carolina. Established in 1842, it is one of six senior military colleges in the United States. ...

, 8520 feet Named glaciers in the Kichatnas include * Caldwell Glacier *

Cul-de-sac Glacier Cul-de-sac Glacier is a glacier in the Alaska Range of Denali National Park and Preserve in the U.S. state of Alaska. The glacier begins in the Kichatna Mountains on the side of Kichatna Spire, moving north. Its run-off and that of neighboring S ...

* Fleischmann Glacier *

Shadows Glacier Shadows Glacier is a glacier in the Alaska Range of Denali National Park and Preserve in the U.S. state of Alaska. The glacier begins in the Kichatna Mountains on the north side of the Cathedral Spires, moving north. It receives neighboring Shelf ...

Shelf Glacier Shelf Glacier is a glacier in the Alaska Range of Denali National Park and Preserve in the U.S. state of Alaska. The glacier begins in the Kichatna Mountains on the side of Kichatna Spire, moving north. It is a tributary to neighboring Shadows G ...

* Tatina Glacier Most of the glaciers originate from the Cathedral Spires arrête.

Gallery

References

Alaska Range Mountains of Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska {{MatanuskaSusitnaAK-geo-stub