Mount Juneau, a 3,576-foot mountain just east of downtown Juneau, has long been closely connected to the city through both its mining-era naming history and its physical presence. Known earlier as Gold Mountain, Bald Mountain, and Juneau Mountain, it eventually took its modern name. The mountain receives far more rain than downtown and has posed a major avalanche danger to nearby neighborhoods. In March 1962, a slide on its south side damaged 34 houses, leading officials and specialists to debate protective barriers versus relocation. Authorities ultimately limited development in avalanche zones, while the mountain remained a popular but potentially hazardous hiking destination.

Juneau, Alaska · USA