Wrangell Mountains, S Alaska, extending c.100 mi (160 km) SE from the Copper River to the Canadian border, where they meet the St. Elias Mts. Mt. Blackburn (16,523 ft/5,036 m) is the highest peak. There is a cosmic radiation observatory on Mt. Wrangell (14,006 ft/4,269 m). Minerals such as gold, copper, and zinc are mined in the area. Named for the Russian explorer Baron Ferdinand von Wrangel, the mountains comprise a portion of the Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve.
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