Have you ever wanted to “conquer” nature and fulfill your soul and eyes with immense beauty? Then, hiking or mountain climbing could be the answer. You can go from the excitement of reaching the summit of the highest mountain, to seeing a night full of stars from the top, to finally, coexist in solitude and be embraced by its surroundings. Here are the top 5 most adventures mountain destinations in the country:
MOUNT MCKINLEY
MOUNT MCKINLEY is located in Alaska. It is also known as Denali, – a word spoken by Athabaskan people- an indigenous group that lived in North America- that means “The High One”. The summit has an elevation of 20,237 ft. above sea level (6,168 m). It is considered to be the third highest peak, after Mount Everest and Aconcagua. Denali represents one of the most arduous purposes for most climbers.
The safest and most common route is West Buttress. In summer, this pathway is full of camps and climbers from around the world. At 14,000 feet, the foot camp has been called the “tent city”, for multiple tents set here. After this, the climber needs hard work, determination, experience and glacier clothes to face high winds and very cold temperatures. Few reach the 17,000 feet of Denali.
MOUNT WHITNEY
MOUNT WHITNEY located in California and with an elevation of 14,505 feet (4,421 m); it’s considered the highest point in US lower 48 states. It’s one of the more visited and sometimes very crowded by hikers and runners. It has access the whole year. The Whitney Trail has 22 roundtrip miles, and it’s the most common route with class 1 rating and 99 spots to return. The trip can be done in 1 day, up to 12 to 18 hours and can be strenuous. Once on the pinnacle, visitors can see spectacular views of the Sequoia National Park. On winter there is a snow and cold temperature, but the rest of the time, is very accessible.
SMOKY MOUNTAINS
SMOKY MOUNTAINS located in Tennessee, are a range of 6,000 ft. mountain. The Great Smoky Mountain National Park within, it’s one of the most visited in United States, with approximately 9 million visitors per year. There are some incredibly scenic drives through the Smoky Mountains if you prefer riding to hiking.
EAGLE MOUNTAIN
EAGLE MOUNTAIN is located in Minnesota, with an elevation of 2,301 ft. (701 m). Visitors can experience amazing beauty from this mountain, after seeing the magnificent Great Lakes. Reaching the summit could take a gentle hike of about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) in one day, with an elevation gain of 550 ft. People can see the extraordinary view of Whale Lake, half way along the rocky trail. The hiking can be somehow strenuous but there are two campsites. The pinnacle of the mountain has a plaque and to go there a permit is required. It can be obtained at Superior National Forest ranger. There are plenty of great things to do out in the America’s Midwest.
MAUNA KEA
MAUNA KEA It’s an inactive volcano located in Hawaii, with an elevation of 13,803 ft. (4,207 m) from sea level, but 33,100 ft. (10,100 m) from its base in the ocean, twice than Mount Everest’s base to the peak high. Mauna Kea last erupted 4,600 years ago and its name means “White Mountain”, and is considered a sacred place by Hawaiians. The summit has observatories that represent the largest collection of telescopes in the world. The visitors can use the Mauna Kea trail, which it’s paved up to the Center for International Astronomy at 9.199ft.
