Above the clouds, the Alaska Range presents a spectacular view of Denali (or Mt. McKinley in white man's parlance).  At 20,320 feet, Denali is one of the most massive mountains in the world.  When measured from its base at only 2,000 feet above sea level, Denali is much higher than Mt. Everest, which starts at 14,000 feet above sea level.
The Talkeetna Mountains on the edge of the Alaska Range are a stretch of long-extinct coastal volcanos that got pushed inland through millions of years of geologic activity.
There are more than 100,000 glaciers in Alaska, although ice covers only 5 percent of the state.  If weather permits, the flight from Seattle to Anchorage provides clear views of many of these huge ice fields.
Alaska's two largest cities -- Anchorage and Fairbanks -- are connected by the Parks Highway through 358 miles of Alaska's most rugged terrain.  The highway, completed in 1971, is the state's widest and best  year-round road.  (The most spectacular view of Denali is at Mile Post 134.5.)
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