USA // Although Mt Everest is the world's highest mountain by altitude, Alaska's Denali (6190m/20,310ft) is actually 1800m (6000ft) taller because it starts from a much lower base. The Athabascans christened it the 'Great One', and few who have seen this fearsome bulk of ice and granite would disagree. Observed from the road in its eponymous national park, Denali chews up the skyline, dominating an already stunning landscape of tundra fields and polychromatic ridgelines. If you're lucky, the odd moose or bear will pop into the picture as you contemplate the scene. The mountain inspires a take-no-prisoners kind of awe, especially among climbers, more than 1000 of whom arrive each year hoping to reach the horizon-bending view of a lifetime. Mid-June to early September is the park's main season.