Mount Russell is one of the major peaks of the central Alaska Range, approximately 35 mi (56 km) southwest of Mount McKinley (Denali). Though much lower than McKinley or its neighbor Mount Foraker, Russell is a steep, dramatic peak and a significant mountaineering challenge in its own right. To give a sense of its size and steepness, note that its summit rises 6,560 ft (2,000 m) over the Chedotlothna Glacier to the northwest in only 1.8 mi (3 km), and almost 10,000 ft (3,048 m) above the lower Yentna Glacier to the south in only 8 mi (13 km).