Mount Bona facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mount Bona |
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 16,550 ft (5,040 m) NAVD88 |
| Prominence | 6,900 ft (2,100 m) |
| Isolation | 49.7 mi (80.0 km) |
| Listing |
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| Geography | |
 Mount Bona
Location in Alaska
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| Location | Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska, U.S. |
| Parent range | Saint Elias Mountains |
| Topo map | USGS McCarthy B-2 |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Stratovolcano |
| Last eruption | 847 AD |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | July 2, 1930 by Allen Carpé, Terris Moore, Andrew Taylor |
| Easiest route | Glacier climb (Alaska Grade 2) |
Mount Bona is a very tall mountain in the Saint Elias Mountains in eastern Alaska. It is the fifth-highest independent peak in the United States.
Mount Bona and its neighbor, Mount Churchill, are both huge volcanoes covered in ice. These types of volcanoes are called stratovolcanoes. Mount Bona is special because it is the highest volcano in the United States. It is also the fourth-highest in North America, only shorter than three volcanoes in Mexico. These Mexican volcanoes are Pico de Orizaba, Popocatépetl, and Iztaccíhuatl. The very top of Mount Bona is a small stratovolcano sitting on a high base of rock.
A Mountain of Ice
Mount Bona is almost completely covered by huge areas of ice and glaciers. It is the main source of ice for the Klutlan Glacier. This glacier flows east for over 40 miles (64 km) into the Yukon Territory in Canada.
The mountain also sends a lot of ice to the Russell Glacier system. This glacier flows north.
How Mount Bona Got Its Name
Mount Bona was named in 1897 by Prince Luigi Amedeo, Duke of the Abruzzi. He saw the peak while climbing Mount Saint Elias for the first time. Mount Saint Elias is about 80 miles (129 km) to the southeast.
The Prince named the mountain after his racing yacht, which was called Bona.
The First Climb
The first people to successfully climb Mount Bona were Allen Carpé, Terris Moore, and Andrew Taylor. They reached the top on July 2, 1930. They started their climb from the Russell Glacier on the west side of the mountain.
Today, the most common way to climb Mount Bona is along its East Ridge. If climbers use this route, it's also fairly easy to climb nearby Mount Churchill at the same time.
Images for kids
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Mount Bona seen from the south.
