Saint Elias Mountains

The Saint Elias Mountains (French: Chaîne Saint-Élie) are a subgroup of the Pacific Coast Ranges. They are in southeastern Alaska in the United States, southwestern Yukon, and a small part of British Columbia in Canada.

This mountain range includes parts of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve in the United States, Kluane National Park and Reserve in Canada, and all of Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska.

In Alaska, the Saint Elias Mountains also cover parts of the city/borough of Yakutat and the Hoonah-Angoon, Copper River, and Chugach areas. The range is named after Mount Saint Elias, named in 1741 by explorer Vitus Bering. These mountains are famous for their beautiful landscapes and are a great place for people to explore and enjoy nature.

Geology

The Saint Elias Mountains are the highest mountains along the coast of Earth. They formed because of the movement of the Yakutat microplate under the North American Plate. The Yakutat microplate is a thick piece of the ocean floor moving northwest at about 50 millimetres each year. This movement pushes up the land, creating tall mountains.

The Saint Elias Mountains grew where these two plates meet. Thick layers of sediment were twisted and shaped as they moved, forming the southern parts of the mountain range. The highest peaks are found in areas covered by big glaciers, such as in Kluane National Park, including famous mountains like Mount Logan.

Ranges

The Saint Elias Mountains are divided by a valley named the Duke Depression. To the east are the shorter, rounded Kluane Ranges, and to the west are the taller Icefield Ranges. Smaller parts of the Saint Elias Mountains include the Alsek Ranges, the Fairweather Range, and the Centennial Range.

Highest mountains

The Saint Elias Mountains have some of the tallest mountains in the world. These peaks rise high above the land, which makes them popular with climbers and nature lovers.

Image

A 3D view shows the Saint Elias Mountains and the Malaspina Glacier.