Billy Lobley, age 13, of Ambler, Penna., or his question:

Which is the highest mountain in the United States?

The highest mountain in the 48 states of America is Mt, Whitney. If we include Alaska, which is also a state, the highest mountain is Mount McKinley. And Mount McKinley is the tallest peak in the whole of North America.

Mount Whitney is in California, just over 80 miles from Death Valley, which is the lowest spot in the United States. Its massive slopes act as a backdrop to the tall trees of Sequoia National Park. In the past, Mount Whitney was crowned with a massive glacier. The mountain sides still bear the skuffs and scars of the heavy ice. Nowadays it keeps only a few patches of snow throughout the year.

Mount McKinley, up in the frozen north, is always buried under a thick glacier. There is usually snow blowing around its sharp peak and jagged crags. The icy crown of the tallest mountain in North America stands 20,320 feet above sea level ‑ almost four miles high. Mount Whitney, tallest peak in the U.S., is 14,495 feet high. Whitney is a high and massive mountain, but proud McKinley stands over a mile taller.