Mount Hubbard

Mount Hubbard

🏔️ Overview

Mount Hubbard is a massive, glacier-covered peak in the Saint Elias Mountains, standing directly on the international boundary between Alaska in the United States and Yukon in Canada. Rising to 14,950 feet (4,556.8 meters), it is one of the great high mountains of North America and one of the most prominent summits in the Saint Elias region.

The mountain rises amid an extraordinary landscape of icefields, glaciers, steep ridges, and other towering peaks. Its surroundings are divided between Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve on the American side and Kluane National Park and Reserve on the Canadian side.

Mount Hubbard is particularly notable for its enormous vertical relief. Its heavily glaciated slopes descend rapidly toward the Hubbard Glacier system and the coastal lowlands of southeastern Alaska, giving the mountain a much more dramatic appearance than its elevation alone suggests.

Unlike an accessible hiking peak, Mount Hubbard is an expedition mountaineering objective. Reaching the summit involves remote glacier travel, crevasse hazards, severe weather, and complex logistics.

⚡ Fast Facts

Fact	Details
Continent	North America
Countries	United States and Canada
State/Province	Alaska / Yukon
County/Region	Yakutat / Yukon
Mountain Range	Saint Elias Mountains
Parent Peak (line parent)	Mount Steele
Elevation	14,950 ft / 4,556.8 m
Prominence	7,995 ft / 2,437 m
Isolation	21.02 mi / 33.83 km
Nearest Higher Neighbor (NHN)	Mount Vancouver – Good Neighbor Peak
Coordinates	Approximately 60.3194° N, 139.0726° W
Alternate Designation	Boundary Peak 179
First Ascent	1951
First-Ascent Team	Walter Wood, Peter Wood, Nicholas Clifford, and Robert H. Bates

📍 Location

Mount Hubbard stands on the Alaska–Yukon boundary in one of the wildest mountain regions of North America.

The American side lies within Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve in southeastern Alaska. Across the border, the Canadian side lies within Kluane National Park and Reserve in southwestern Yukon.

This places Mount Hubbard within a remarkable concentration of protected wilderness encompassing enormous glaciers and some of the continent’s highest mountains.

The summit is roughly north of the Gulf of Alaska and northeast of Yakutat. There are no roads to the mountain and no conventional trail leading toward its summit. Access to this part of the Saint Elias Mountains is largely an expedition undertaking, typically involving aircraft and glacier travel.

Mount Hubbard is surrounded by several other major peaks. Mount Alverstone and Mount Kennedy form part of the same general high-mountain complex, while Mount Vancouver rises to the west across the glacial landscape.

📏 Elevation & Prominence

Peakbagger lists Mount Hubbard at 14,950 feet (4,556.8 meters) above sea level.

Its topographic prominence is 7,995 feet (2,437 meters), making it an ultra-prominent mountain—a summit with at least 1,500 meters of prominence.

Mount Hubbard’s prominence is particularly impressive because it measures how independently the mountain rises above the surrounding terrain rather than simply how high the summit stands above sea level.

Its true isolation is approximately 21.02 miles (33.83 kilometers).

The nearest higher terrain is associated with Good Neighbor Peak, the southern boundary summit of Mount Vancouver, lying west of Mount Hubbard. Peakbagger therefore identifies:

Nearest Higher Neighbor (NHN): Mount Vancouver – Good Neighbor Peak

This is an important distinction because Good Neighbor Peak is a subsidiary summit of the larger Mount Vancouver massif rather than Mount Vancouver’s principal northern summit.

Published mountain databases sometimes give slightly different figures for Mount Hubbard. For consistency, the elevation, prominence, isolation, parent, and NHN figures used here follow Peakbagger, with elevation rounded to 4,557 meters where appropriate.

🪨 Geology

Mount Hubbard belongs to the geologically active Saint Elias Mountains, one of the youngest and most dynamic high mountain systems in North America.

The extraordinary elevation of the Saint Elias region is closely connected with the collision of the Yakutat terrane against the North American margin.

Over millions of years, crustal fragments moving toward southern Alaska have been compressed, folded, faulted, and uplifted. The resulting deformation helped create the Saint Elias Mountains and their exceptional combination of high elevations and tremendous local relief.

Wrangell–St. Elias National Park contains a complex assemblage of geological terranes that originated in different locations before becoming attached to the North American continent.

Tectonic uplift is still only one part of the story. Mount Hubbard and the surrounding mountains are simultaneously being reshaped by:

Glacial erosion
Avalanches
Freeze-thaw weathering
Landslides
Rivers and meltwater
Ongoing tectonic activity

The combination of rapid uplift and extremely powerful erosion has produced the steep, deeply carved mountain landscape visible today.

🧊 Glaciers & Ice

Ice dominates the landscape surrounding Mount Hubbard.

The Saint Elias Mountains receive enormous amounts of snowfall because moisture arriving from the Gulf of Alaska is forced upward over extremely high terrain. At elevation, much of that precipitation falls as snow, feeding one of North America’s greatest concentrations of mountain glaciers and icefields.

Mount Hubbard is closely associated with the vast Hubbard Glacier system, while the Lowell Glacier lies to the east of the mountain.

The enormous Hubbard Glacier descends from the interior Saint Elias icefields toward Disenchantment Bay and Yakutat Bay. It is one of the most famous glaciers in Alaska and one of the great tidewater glaciers of North America.

The mountain itself is surrounded by steep snowfields, glacier basins, icefalls, séracs, and crevasses.

These features make Mount Hubbard spectacular—but they also create serious mountaineering hazards.

🌿 Flora & Fauna

The upper reaches of Mount Hubbard are dominated almost entirely by snow, ice, exposed rock, and extreme alpine conditions. Very little plant life can survive near the summit.

At lower elevations within the surrounding Kluane and Wrangell–St. Elias ecosystems, conditions become much more favorable for vegetation.

Depending on elevation and location, the greater region includes boreal forests, subalpine vegetation, alpine tundra, grasses, sedges, dwarf shrubs, mosses, and lichens.

Wildlife within the wider Saint Elias ecosystem includes:

Dall sheep
Mountain goats
Grizzly bears
Black bears
Moose
Caribou
Wolves
Wolverines
Arctic ground squirrels
Hoary marmots
Golden eagles
Bald eagles
Ptarmigan

Wildlife is naturally concentrated in the lower valleys and more productive alpine habitats rather than the heavily glaciated upper mountain.

The enormous protected landscapes surrounding Mount Hubbard are particularly valuable because they preserve wildlife habitat across an international boundary with relatively little modern development.

🧗 First Ascent & Climbing History

Mount Hubbard attracted mountaineers long before its first successful ascent.

In 1935, a National Geographic Society expedition led by Bradford Washburn investigated the region. The expedition included Robert H. Bates, Adams Carter, and Ome Daiber. Although Mount Hubbard was considered as a climbing objective, the team’s main task involved surveying largely unmapped terrain, and no summit attempt was completed.

Walter Wood also examined the mountain during expeditions in the region.

The breakthrough came in 1951, when an Arctic Institute of North America expedition returned to the Saint Elias Mountains.

The expedition combined mountaineering with scientific work, including glaciological research and the testing of equipment.

The climbing team approached Mount Hubbard from the southeast. Aircraft support allowed climbers and supplies to be positioned on what they called the Cathedral Glacier.

From there, the team negotiated heavily crevassed glacier terrain and several major icefalls before establishing a high camp on the approximately 13,000-foot plateau between Mount Hubbard and Mount Alverstone.

Walter Wood, Peter Wood, Nicholas Clifford, and Robert H. Bates ultimately reached the summit of Mount Hubbard, completing its first ascent in 1951.

The expedition subsequently climbed nearby Mount Alverstone as well.

🥾 Hiking & Climbing Routes

There is no ordinary hiking route to the summit of Mount Hubbard.

This is an exceptionally remote high-altitude mountaineering objective surrounded by glaciers. Even routes that may be described as comparatively nontechnical still require skills and judgment far beyond normal hiking.

Southeast Approach

The historic first-ascent route approached from the southeast using the Cathedral Glacier.

The expedition encountered:

Extensive crevasses
Multiple icefalls
Snow bridges
Séracs
Deep snow
High-altitude conditions
Rapidly changing weather

The climbers eventually reached the high Hubbard–Alverstone plateau before continuing toward Mount Hubbard’s summit.

Modern conditions can differ greatly from those encountered in 1951 because glaciers constantly move and change.

Expedition Challenges

Any attempt on Mount Hubbard requires serious preparation for:

Glacier travel
Crevasse rescue
Avalanche hazards
Whiteouts
Severe cold
High winds
High altitude
Aircraft-supported access
Remote wilderness camping
Limited rescue options
Extended weather delays

Parks Canada specifically emphasizes advanced glacier, crevasse-rescue, avalanche-rescue, wilderness first-aid, and winter mountaineering skills for expeditions into the Kluane icefields.

🏔️ Field Guide Tip: Mount Hubbard should never be treated as a conventional “14er.” Although some descriptions call its easier approach nontechnical, the mountain involves immense glaciers, hidden crevasses, remote access, severe weather, and very limited rescue options. Anyone considering an expedition should consult current Parks Canada and National Park Service information and work with experienced expedition mountaineers or qualified guides.

🌤️ Best Time to Visit

The best season depends greatly on whether the goal is seeing the Saint Elias region or actually attempting Mount Hubbard.

For general sightseeing and hiking in more accessible parts of Kluane or Wrangell–St. Elias, June through August usually provides the most practical conditions. Summer brings long daylight hours, warmer valley temperatures, and better access to visitor services.

Conditions on Mount Hubbard itself remain alpine and potentially severe even in summer.

Mountaineering expeditions require much more specialized seasonal planning based on snow conditions, glacier conditions, aircraft access, avalanche risk, and weather.

On the Canadian side, Parks Canada regulates access to the Kluane icefields. Icefield travel is not permitted between November 15 and April 9, and mountaineering permits are required for applicable expeditions.

Because requirements and closures can change, expedition climbers should always check current park regulations before making travel arrangements.

🧭 Nearby Mountains & Attractions

Mount Alverstone

Mount Alverstone rises immediately north of Mount Hubbard and forms part of the same great massif.

Mount Alverstone is also historically connected with the 1951 expedition, whose climbers ascended it after reaching Mount Hubbard.

Mount Kennedy

Mount Kennedy lies near Mount Hubbard and Mount Alverstone on the Canadian side of the Saint Elias Mountains.

Together, the three peaks create one of the most imposing high-mountain groups in the region.

Mount Vancouver

Mount Vancouver rises west of Mount Hubbard and reaches approximately 15,787 feet (4,812 meters) at its highest summit.

Its southern summit, Good Neighbor Peak, is Mount Hubbard’s nearest higher neighbor.

Mount Logan

Farther into Yukon rises Mount Logan, Canada’s highest mountain and the highest summit of the Saint Elias Mountains.

At 19,551 feet (5,959 meters), Mount Logan is also the second-highest mountain in North America.

Saint Elias Mountains

The broader Saint Elias Mountains contain an extraordinary concentration of giant peaks and glaciers extending across Alaska, Yukon, and northwestern British Columbia.

Hubbard Glacier

The Hubbard Glacier is one of the region’s defining natural features. Although most visitors will never approach Mount Hubbard itself, cruise ships and sightseeing excursions near Yakutat and Disenchantment Bay provide opportunities to experience the spectacular glacier-filled landscape associated with the mountain.

Kluane National Park and Reserve

Kluane National Park and Reserve protects much of the Canadian Saint Elias Mountains and contains some of Canada’s highest peaks and largest icefields.

Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve

On the Alaska side, Wrangell–St. Elias protects an immense wilderness of mountains, glaciers, rivers, forests, and tundra. It is America’s largest national park.

💡 Fun Facts

Mount Hubbard reaches 14,950 feet (4,556.8 meters).
It stands directly on the international boundary between Alaska and Yukon.
The mountain is also identified as Boundary Peak 179.
Its topographic prominence exceeds 7,900 feet, qualifying it as an ultra-prominent mountain.
Mount Hubbard’s nearest higher neighbor is Good Neighbor Peak, a southern summit of Mount Vancouver.
The mountain’s Peakbagger line parent is Mount Steele.
Mount Hubbard is commonly listed among the ten highest major mountain peaks in the United States.
The mountain was named in 1890 by geologist Israel Russell for Gardiner Greene Hubbard, the first president of the National Geographic Society.
Bradford Washburn’s 1935 expedition investigated Mount Hubbard years before its successful ascent.
The first ascent was completed in 1951.
Mount Hubbard, Mount Alverstone, and Mount Kennedy form a spectacular group of high peaks in the eastern Saint Elias Mountains.
The mountain lies within protected national park landscapes on both sides of the international boundary.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How high is Mount Hubbard?

Mount Hubbard has an elevation of 14,950 feet (4,556.8 meters) according to Peakbagger. The figure is commonly rounded to 4,557 meters.

Where is Mount Hubbard?

Mount Hubbard stands on the international border between Alaska, United States, and Yukon, Canada, in the Saint Elias Mountains.

What mountain range is Mount Hubbard in?

Mount Hubbard is part of the Saint Elias Mountains, one of the highest and most heavily glaciated mountain ranges in North America.

What is Mount Hubbard’s prominence?

Peakbagger gives Mount Hubbard a clean topographic prominence of 7,995 feet (2,437 meters).

What is Mount Hubbard’s isolation?

Its true topographic isolation is approximately 21.02 miles (33.83 kilometers).

What is the nearest higher neighbor of Mount Hubbard?

The nearest higher neighbor is Mount Vancouver – Good Neighbor Peak, the southern summit of the Mount Vancouver massif.

This is more precise than simply listing Mount Vancouver because Peakbagger identifies Good Neighbor Peak itself as the nearest higher summit.

What is the parent peak of Mount Hubbard?

Peakbagger identifies Mount Steele as Mount Hubbard’s line parent.

Who first climbed Mount Hubbard?

Mount Hubbard was first climbed in 1951 by a team consisting of Walter Wood, Peter Wood, Nicholas Clifford, and Robert H. Bates during an Arctic Institute of North America expedition.

Can you hike Mount Hubbard?

No conventional hiking route leads to Mount Hubbard’s summit. It is an expedition-scale mountaineering objective involving glaciers, crevasses, snow and ice, remote access, severe weather, and high altitude.

Is Mount Hubbard in the United States or Canada?

It is in both countries. The summit sits directly on the Alaska–Yukon international boundary.

Is Mount Hubbard related to Hubbard Glacier?

Both are prominent features of the same Saint Elias landscape and both were named in honor of Gardiner Greene Hubbard. The great glacier system lies southwest of the mountain and flows toward Alaska’s coast.

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📚 Sources

Peakbagger — Mount Hubbard — elevation, prominence, isolation, line parent, NHN, coordinates, and geographic classification.
Wikipedia — Mount Hubbard — location, naming history, geographic context, and first-ascent cross-check.
American Alpine Club — Mount Hubbard and Mount Alverstone — Robert H. Bates’s historical account of the 1951 first-ascent expedition.
National Park Service — Geology of Wrangell–St. Elias — geology, terranes, tectonics, and formation of the surrounding mountain landscape.
Parks Canada — Kluane Mountaineering Permits — current icefield access and mountaineering permit information.

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