Denali Glaciers

Denali National Park and Preserve contains over 400 named glaciers covering one million acres of the Alaska Range. This list highlights the park's most significant ice formations, including the 44-mile-long Kahiltna Glacier, the longest in the range. Discover the Ruth Glacier, which flows through the Great Gorge, where granite walls rise 5,000 feet above ice that is nearly 4,000 feet thick. From the surging Muldrow Glacier on the north side to the technical climbing hubs on the south, these glaciers define the rugged topography of North America's highest peak.

Kahiltna Glacier

The longest glacier in the Alaska Range, stretching 44 miles. It serves as the primary base camp location for climbers attempting the West Buttress route on Denali.

The Great Gorge

A section of the Ruth Glacier featuring granite walls rising 5,000 feet above the ice. The glacier bed here is approximately 3,800 feet below the surface, making it one of the world's deepest gorges.

Ruth Glacier

A 40-mile-long glacier known for its dramatic 10-mile-long gorge and vertical granite cliffs. It drops 2,000 feet over 10 miles, creating a heavily crevassed icefall.

Muldrow Glacier

A 39-mile-long surge-type glacier on the northern slopes of Denali. It historically served as the main route for early mountaineering expeditions to the summit.

Eldridge Glacier

A 30-mile-long glacier on the southeastern flank of the Alaska Range, flowing south from the slopes of Mount Eldridge.

Tokositna Glacier

Flows 25 miles from the south side of the Alaska Range. It is a major tributary of the Chulitna River and is characterized by its wide, debris-covered lower section.

Foraker Glacier

Originates from the slopes of Mount Foraker and flows 28 miles north-northwest. It is a primary drainage for the park's second-highest peak.

Peters Glacier

Located on the northwestern flank of Denali, this glacier flows through a deep basin between the main peak and the Peters Dome.

Buckskin Glacier

A 14-mile-long glacier on the southeastern side of the Alaska Range, known for its surrounding granite peaks and technical climbing routes.

Polychrome Glacier

A smaller glacier visible from the Park Road near Polychrome Pass, contributing to the colorful volcanic soil and tundra landscape of the area.

Yentna Glacier

Flows 20 miles from the southwestern slopes of the Alaska Range, feeding into the Yentna River system.

Pika Glacier

A small tributary of the Kahiltna Glacier located in the "Little Switzerland" area, popular for its concentrated granite spires and technical climbing.

Herron Glacier

Flows 15 miles north from the slopes of Mount Foraker toward the interior lowlands.

Harper Glacier

A high-altitude glacier situated between the North and South peaks of Denali, forming part of the upper climbing routes.

Brooks Glacier

A 12-mile-long glacier on the northern side of the Alaska Range, adjacent to the Muldrow Glacier.

Chedotlothna Glacier

A 15-mile-long glacier flowing west from the high peaks of the central Alaska Range.

Jeffery Glacier

A tributary glacier located on the northern slopes of the Alaska Range near Peters Glacier.

Lacuna Glacier

A 25-mile-long glacier situated between the Kahiltna and Yentna glaciers on the south side of the range.

Straightaway Glacier

Flows north from the slopes of Mount Foraker, characterized by its linear path through the rugged northern foothills.

Kanikula Glacier

A 12-mile-long glacier on the southern side of the Alaska Range, south of the Ruth Glacier.