Mount Valhalla (Alaska) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mount Valhalla
Mount Valhalla Location in Alaska
Highest point
Elevation	12,135 ft (3,699 m)
Prominence	1,085 ft (331 m)
Geography
Location	Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, U.S.
Parent range	Chugach Mountains
Topo map	USGS Anchorage B-1
Climbing
First ascent	1957 by Lawrence E. Nielsen

Mount Valhalla is a very tall mountain in Alaska, standing 12,135 feet high. It is covered in snow and ice, which is why it's called a "glaciated summit." This mountain is about 34 miles northwest of a town called Valdez. It is part of the Chugach Mountains and is managed by the Chugach National Forest.

Mount Valhalla is quite remote and is the fourth-highest peak in the Chugach range. It sits about 6 miles northeast of Mount Witherspoon and 7.1 miles north of Mount Einstein.

The mountain got its name from Valhalla, a special place in Norse mythology. Valhalla was believed to be the home of the gods. In 1957, Lawrence E. Nielsen named the mountain because he thought it looked like "a fitting throne of the gods." Nielsen was part of the first group to climb the mountain on July 1, 1957. The name "Mount Valhalla" was officially accepted in 1965 by the United States Board on Geographic Names.

Climate and Weather

Mount Valhalla is in a subarctic climate zone. This means it has very long, cold, and snowy winters. The summers are usually mild.

Weather systems from the Gulf of Alaska move towards the land. When they hit the tall Chugach Mountains, the air is forced to rise. This process is called orographic lift. As the air rises, it cools down and creates a lot of rain and snow.

Temperatures on Mount Valhalla can drop very low, sometimes below −20 °C. With the wind, it can feel even colder, below −30 °C. This cold climate helps keep the large Harvard, Nelchina, and Columbia Glaciers around the mountain.

If you want to climb or just see Mount Valhalla, the best time to visit is from May through June. The weather is usually more pleasant during these months.