Saint Elias Mountains are a rugged series of the world’s highest coastal mountains. They stand along the southeastern boundary of Alaska and Yukon. The range is nearly 300 miles (480 kilometers) long. It has a maximum width of about 90 miles (140 kilometers), excluding the coastal plain and foothill belt. The international boundary is 30 miles (48 kilometers) from the coast between Mount St. Elias and Mount Fairweather.
The second and fourth highest peaks in North America stand in the Saint Elias Mountains. They are Mount Logan (19,551 feet, or 5,959 meters) in Yukon, and Mount St. Elias (18,008 feet, or 5,489 meters) in Alaska. Twelve other peaks in the range, including Mounts Vancouver, Fairweather, and Hubbard, are higher than any other U.S. peaks outside Alaska.
The ruggedness of the range prevents extensive exploration. Many peaks are unnamed. The mountains are composed chiefly of sedimentary and volcanic rocks of the Paleozoic and Mesozoic ages. The range has frequent rains. Glaciers can be found throughout the mountain area. The largest glacier, called Malaspina, is larger than the state of Rhode Island.
See also Abruzzi, Duke of the ; Alaska (Land regions) ; Mount Logan .
