OT? My Just Published Opinion Piece RE: Naming of Mt. McKinley + Photos of McKinley Over the Years

[Alaskawildkat]

I guess this at least tangentially on topic with regard to the naming of our stadium and university with the transition from Dyche Stadium to Ryan Field and what it will be named after the renovation.

Thankfully our school remains Northwestern University instead of having become Midwestern University as the nation expanded westward.

My Letter to the Editor regarding the naming of Denali back to Mount McKinley as Published this weekend followed by photos I have taken of Mount McKinley over the years:

This photo I took as a high school student circa 1965 when the commercial pilot flying us to Fairbanks circled Mt. McKinley enroute just to give us a great view. They haven't done that for decades since, at least on the numerous subsequent commercial flights I have flown:

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Then in 1973 I had the privilege of spending a summer as a tour guide which included taking visitors from Japan into then named Mount McKinley Park:

This was a photo I took near Talkeetna with my camera for our wedding announcement in 1975. I mounted the camera on a tripod:

In November of 2022 Flying from O'Hare in Chicago to Tokyo I captured these views of Mount McKinley from over 30,000 feet:

 

[Alaskawildkat]

This photo taken this past summer at now Denali National Park memorializes that the name McKinley has continued to live on despite the mountain having been temporarily renamed Denali for the past decade. (The National Park itself remains Denali.)

And here is photo I took this past summer within Denali National Park at a location just before reaching Polychrome Pass. Polychrome Pass, hidden deep in the Park, is arguably the most scenic spot in the State of Alaska. It currently remains unreachable by the Park's road due to a rock slide.

A Calendar View of Polychrome Pass, along with an artist's interpretation:

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Mount McKinley as depicted in a mural at the Park's visitor Center:

An exhibit at the center noting the significance of the Park's Dall Sheep followed by my photo taken in the Park of the Dall Sheep:

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Departing the Park with views of Denali National Park's Train Depot:

 

[hdhntr1]

Mount McKinley as depicted in a mural at the Park's visitor Center:

An exhibit at the center noting the significance of the Park's Dall Sheep followed by my photo taken in the Park of the Dall Sheep:

Great pics and thanks for history lesson. Only question is how did the camera survive with you in the photo?

 

[Catreporter]

Puts it all in perspective. Park name will remain the same, right?

 

[fcmchi]

Alaska,

Nice shots. Thanks for sharing.

The photo of you are your beautiful future wife… you were definitely hitting above your weight.

 

[its_the_sauce]

Hope they don't rename Lynx Creek Pizza.

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Puts it all in perspective. Park name will remain the same, right?

Correct. It was changed from Mount McKinley National Park to Denali National Park in 1980. Both prior to and after 1980 there separately existed, and exists, Denali State Park. Denali State Park is located along the Parks Highway and often has better views of Mount McKinley than the National Park has. The State Park was established in 1970 and consists of approximately 325,000 acres. That compares to Denali National Park with its over six million acres.

 

[Ilvolino]

Departing the Park with views of Denali National Park's Train Depot:

 

[Ilvolino]

Can you inform me what significance does McKinley have to the mountain that results in his name being used. Wouldn’t Seward be a better name since he was the driving force for our purchase of Alaska from Russia if we are not using the word Denali or a more correct Native name

 

[NUCat320]

🤷‍♂️🤣🤷‍♂️🤣🤷‍♂️🤣

OT, with a period, I think.

 

[hdhntr1]

Can you inform me what significance does McKinley have to the mountain that results in his name being used. Wouldn’t Seward be a better name since he was the driving force for our purchase of Alaska from Russia if we are not using the word Denali or a more correct Native name

McKinley assassinated and was a gold standard guy so it was named in his honor

Denali vs. Mount McKinley: A Historical and Cultural Perspective

Uncover the history of Denali’s name change to Mount McKinley, its significance, and why this mountain remains a symbol of Alaska’s heritage.

alaskaitinerary.com

The Renaming to Mount McKinley​

How the Name “Mount McKinley” Began​

1896, gold prospector William Dickey passed through Alaska and encountered the towering peak. Inspired by his support for then-presidential candidate William McKinley, Dickey declared the mountain should be named after him. McKinley’s political stance in favor of the gold standard resonated with miners like Dickey, making the naming a symbolic nod to the economic debates of the time.

 

[Hungry Jack]

Denali sounds much cooler

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Denali sounds much cooler

I guess Ohio State fans might be won over if was expanded to "Da-Mount Denali." As it is Mount McKinley wins for alliteration.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

AlaskaCat, can you provide some hard hitting analysis on the real big question here: what impact will the executive order have on the frequency and quality of moose sightings and sighting opportunities? I am concerned our basketball team is suffering from a paucity of Moose sightings and that moose sightings have been down the last 5 quarters, will the EO reverse this trend?