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Letter to the editor: What is the tallest peak in North Ame
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Posted by lward Sun Oct 24, 2004 21:19:00 PDT
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0 responses 0 comments I would like to start by stating that your publication fills a much needed void in local news and special interest coverage. Good luck and keep up the great work.

Would you please pass along to Dick Taylor that Mount Whitney is not the highest peak in North America. Unless I am mistaken, Mount Whitney, at 14,495 feet, is the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States. Mount McKinley in Alaska holds the honor of highest peak in North America at 20,320 feet, a full 5,825 feet taller. As a matter of fact, the next highest peak is the north summit of Mount McKinley at 19,470 feet.

Additionally, I "let" my wife ride up front once in a while.

Dave Faller

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Dave,

Thank you for your kind words about The Voice. We will continue to do our best. We asked columnist Dick Taylor to read your letter, and here is his response:

Thanks for paying attention. Let me clarify a few things. While the world's eyes were all focused on the recent eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington state, Mount McKinley in Alaska suffered a cataclysmic volcanic eruption, blowing the top 5,826 feet right off the top of it and the north summit. It blew clean off and landed in the ocean and is now part of the Aleutian Islands chain. Fortunately, I heard about this amazing story on some 3 a.m. alternative radio program, right after some guy talking about aliens from another solar system advising the presidential candidates.

So now, the area formerly known as Mt. McKinley is in fact called "McKinley's Crater" and tops out at 14,494 feet on its uppermost rim, just under Mt. Whitney's 14,495 feet. So put that in your backpack and haul it.

No, really, thanks for correcting my error. I obviously omitted the phrase "contiguous states" when referring to Mt. Whitney's status. It was a major "DOH!" moment for me. I should know better, as I always do pretty well in geography-related subjects. Not this time, though.

As a post script to our trip in my brother-in-law's pickup, the guys rode in the back seat after a while to give our wives a break. Frankly, the ride in the whole truck was so crummy that we begged our friends to let us ride with them in their Jeep Grand Cherokee for the remainder of the trip back to Lone Pine. Cheryl and I enjoyed the ride in the back seat of that Jeep. On the ride back to Bako, us men folk rode in the back seat of the Ford pickup for about half the trip. Ow.

That whole trip gave me new appreciation for what passengers must endure in the back seat of extended cab pickups. I suspect it's not unlike the ride in a NASA space capsule from the 1960s. Main thing that's different is that the rear doors on extended cab pickups don't have explosive bolts to let you out in an emergency.

Thanks again,
Dick Taylor

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