The Highest Mountain

Do you think that Mt. McKinley is the highest mountain in America? It is if you measure the height above sea level. Yet Mauna Loa in Hawaii, measured from its base, rises higher than any mountain in the world. It rises up through 18,000 feet of ocean to a total elevation of 32,000. Yet, don't despair! Mt. McKinley still sets a record--a world record in fact. It is the highest land-based mountain in the world measured from its base to its summit. Even Mt. Everest, although 29,028 feet above sea level, only rises about 11,000 feet above the Tibetan Plateau.

It isn't as easy to tell a mountain's height as you may think. Calculations using the known distance to Mt. McKinley and its known height indicate that the summit of the mountain should not be visible; it should be below Chena Ridge. The reason for this discrepancy is because the rays of light from McKinley's summit are bent (refracted) as they pass through the atmosphere. This effect is basically responsible for the formation of mirages and it explains why Mt. McKinley can in fact be seen above Chena Ridge from the University of Alaska campus. If the atmosphere were to suddenly disappear, Mt. McKinley would no longer be visible. This just goes to show--you can't always believe what you see.