McGinnis Peak is an elevation glaciated summit located at the head of McGinnis Glacier in the eastern Alaska Range, in Alaska, United States.Dictionary of Alaska Place Names, Donald J. Orth author, United States Government Printing Office (1967), page 609. It is the eighth-highest peak in the Hayes Range, a subset of the Alaska Range. This remote peak is situated southeast of Mount Hayes, and southeast of Fairbanks. Mount Moffit, the nearest higher neighbor, is set to the northwest, and Mount Shand is positioned to the west. The Richardson Highway is to the east, with Hayes, McGinnis, and Moffit dominating the landscape along the drive south.

Enormous rockslides fell from McGinnis Peak during the 2002 Denali earthquake, which had an epicenter 35 miles to the west.Ned Rozell, McGinnis Glacier surges in Alaska Range The slides released a significant volume of deposits.

Climate Based on the Köppen climate classification, McGinnis Peak is located in a subarctic climate zone with long, cold, snowy winters, and mild summers. This climate supports the Trident, Black Rapids, and McGinnis Glaciers surrounding this peak. Temperatures can drop below −20 °C with wind chill factors below −30 °C. The months May through June offer the most favorable weather for climbing or viewing. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into tributaries of the Tanana River drainage basin.

Climbing All established climbing routes are technical, and include the Northeast Ridge (WI3), The Southeast Ridge, and the Cut-throat Couloir (WI5). The first ascent of this peak was made August 5, 1964, by Larry Muir and Tom Knott via the West Ridge.Michael Wood and Colby Coombs, Alaska: A Climbing Guide, The Mountaineers Books, 2001, page 118. The second ascent was made June 21, 1976, by John Garson and James Brady via the knife-edge Northeast Ridge.McGinnis Peak, Northeast Ridge American Alpine Club The first ascent via the Southeast Ridge was made May 5, 1980 by Walter Palkovitch and Dan Gray.McGinnis Peak, Southeast Ridge American Alpine Club The first ascent via Cut-throat Couloir was made in March 1985 by Roman Dial and Chuck Comstock.McGinnis Peak, rockclimbing.com The standard descent route is the Northeast Ridge.

Gallery

See also

List of mountain peaks of Alaska Geology of Alaska

References

External links Weather forecast: McGinnis Peak