Last week, the tallest mountain in North America not only was renamed, but also lost a bit of stature — 10 feet. The United States Geological Survey announced Wednesday that the official height of Denali, the Alaskan mountain formerly known as Mount McKinley, is 20,310 feet. Previously, it was listed at 20,320 feet.

The mountain itself has not shrunk, of course. The old elevation was measured in 1953 using optical surveying techniques, and the new elevation reflects the refining of technology.

In some respects, the new number marks a rebound. Two years ago, sophisticated airborne radar measurements by the geological survey suggested that Denali was only 20,237 feet, a downward revision of 83 feet. However, while radar excels at revealing the patterns of topography, it does not precisely measure the elevation of specific spots, especially in steep terrain, and the official elevation remained at 20,320 feet.

To come up with a conclusive height, a team of four scientists climbed to the summit in June carrying GPS equipment. “We wanted to be as accurate as possible,” said Mark Newell, a spokesman for the geological survey, which is updating brochures, signs and other materials.