Nature
Ruth Glacier is a vast glacier on Denali’s southeast side in Denali National Park and Preserve, set about three vertical miles below the mountain’s summit. Its most famous section, the Great Gorge, is about a mile wide, drops nearly 2,000 feet over 10 miles, and is enclosed by granite walls rising roughly 4,900 feet above the ice, creating total relief greater than the Grand Canyon. A 2024 research project estimated the Grand Gorge to be North America’s deepest gorge at 8,085 feet. Explored in 1903 by Frederick Cook, it is also known for its great thickness, steady movement, surrounding climbing peaks, and continued use for authorized aircraft landings.
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Petersville, Alaska · United States
