Founders Peaks

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The Founders Peaks are a cluster of sharp peaks and ridges located just east of Founders Escarpment and between Minnesota Glacier and Gowan Glacier, in the Heritage Range of the Ellsworth Mountains in Antarctica. The peaks were mapped by the United States Geological Survey from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1961–66. The name was applied by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names is association with the name Heritage Range. [1]

Founders Escarpment is a prominent escarpment located west of the Founders Peaks in the Heritage Range of Antarctica, extending from Minnesota Glacier to Splettstoesser Glacier. It was named after the nearby Founders Peaks by the University of Minnesota Geological Party, 1963–64.

Minnesota Glacier glacier in Antarctica

Minnesota Glacier is a broad glacier, about 40 nautical miles long and 5 nautical miles wide, flowing east through the Ellsworth Mountains in Antarctica, separating the Sentinel Range and the Heritage Range. It is nourished by ice from the plateau west of the mountains and by Nimitz Glacier and Splettstoesser Glacier, and merges into the larger Rutford Ice Stream at the eastern margin of the Ellsworth Mountains.

Gowan Glacier glacier in Antarctica

Gowan Glacier is a glacier about 15 nautical miles long in the Heritage Range of the Ellsworth Mountains of Antarctica, flowing north from the vicinity of Cunningham Peak in the Founders Escarpment to enter Minnesota Glacier just east of Welcome Nunatak. It was mapped by the United States Geological Survey from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1961–66, and was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names for Lieutenant Jimmy L. Gowan, U.S. Navy Medical Corps, officer in charge and doctor at Plateau Station in 1966.

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See also

Geographical features include:

Smith Ridge

Other features

Muir Peak

Muir Peak is a conspicuous rock peak near the middle of Frazier Ridge in the Founders Peaks, Heritage Range. It was mapped by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos from 1961-66. It was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN) for Hugh M. Muir, a United States Antarctic Research Program (USARP) auroral scientist and member of the winter party at the Plateau Station in 1966.

Pipe Peak is a sharp peak on a ridge, 1,720 m, rising 1.5 nautical miles (2.8 km) north of Matney Peak in the Founders Peaks, Heritage Range. It was named so by members of the University of Minnesota Geological Party of 1963–64 because a pipe was left here after a visit to the area.

Reuther Nunataks is a ridgelike line of nunataks 4 nautical miles (7 km) long, located 3 nautical miles (6 km) west of Landmark Peak in the Founders Peaks, Heritage Range. Named by the University of Minnesota Geological Party to these mountains, 1963–64, for Charles J. Reuther, who served that season as helicopter technical representative with the 62nd Transportation Detachment.

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Heritage Range mountain range

The Heritage Range is a major mountain range, 160 km (99 mi) long and 48 km (30 mi) wide, situated southward of Minnesota Glacier and forming the southern half of the Ellsworth Mountains in Antarctica. The range is complex, consisting of scattered ridges and peaks of moderate height, escarpments, hills and nunataks, with the various units of relief set off by numerous intervening glaciers.

Bastien Range

The Bastien Range is an Antarctic mountain range of moderate height which extends in a NW-SE direction for about 64 kilometres (40 mi), flanking the SW side of Nimitz Glacier and the Sentinel Range, in the Ellsworth Mountains.

Usarp Mountains

The Usarp Mountains is a major Antarctic mountain range, lying westward of the Rennick Glacier and trending N-S for about 190 kilometres (118 mi). The feature is bounded to the north by Pryor Glacier and the Wilson Hills. Its important constituent parts include Welcome Mountain, Mount Van der Hoeven, Mount Weihaupt, Mount Stuart, Mount Lorius, Smith Bench, Mount Roberts, Pomerantz Tableland, Daniels Range, Emlen Peaks, Helliwell Hills and Morozumi Range.

The Anderson Massif is a prominent ice-covered massif about 10 nautical miles (20 km) across and rising to a height of 2,190 metres (7,190 ft), located at the junction of Splettstoesser Glacier and Minnesota Glacier in the Heritage Range of the Ellsworth Mountains, Antarctica. It was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names for John J. Anderson, a geologist who was field leader of the University of Minnesota Ellsworth Mountains Party, 1961–62.

Webster Glacier is a glacier in the Founders Peaks of the Heritage Range, flowing generally north between Frazier Ridge and Pipe Peak to enter Minnesota Glacier. Mapped by United States Geological Survey (USGS) from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1961-66. Named by Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN) for Charles W. Webster, United States Antarctic Research Program (USARP) meteorologist and member of the winter party at Wilkes Station in 1963.

Cunningham Peak is a mainly ice-covered peak, 2,170 metres (7,120 ft) high, at the head of Gowan Glacier along the Founders Escarpment, in the Heritage Range. It was mapped by the United States Geological Survey from surveys and from U.S. Navy air photos, 1961–66, and named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names for Ship's Serviceman John B. Cunningham, U.S. Navy, in charge of the McMurdo Station ship's store and laundry during U.S. Navy Operation Deep Freeze 1966.

Pioneer Heights is a group name in the Heritage Range, Ellsworth Mountains, encompassing the large area of hills, ridges and peaks located eastward of Schneider and Schanz Glaciers and between Splettstoesser and Union Glaciers. Among these features are the Inferno Ridge, the Nimbus Hills, Gross, Buchanan and Collier Hills. The Pioneer Heights were mapped by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) from ground surveys and U.S. Navy air photos from 1961-66. The name was applied by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN) in association with the name Heritage Range.

Frazier Ridge is a sharp ridge on the west side of Webster Glacier, extending north from Founders Escarpment to Minnesota Glacier, in the Heritage Range of Antarctica. It was named by the University of Minnesota geological party, 1963–64, for Sergeant Herbert J. Frazier, a radioman with the 62nd Transportation Detachment who was of assistance to the party.

Hall Peak is a peak, 2,170 metres (7,120 ft) high, in the Heritage Range of Antarctica, surmounting the dividing ridge at the upper reaches of Rennell Glacier, Schmidt Glacier and Larson Valley. It was named by the University of Minnesota Geological Party to these mountains in 1963–64 for Walter D. M. (Mike) Hall, a geologist with the party.

Herrin Peak is a large snow-covered peak, 1,755 metres (5,760 ft) high, standing 6 nautical miles (11 km) south of Landmark Peak on the east side of Gowan Glacier, in the Heritage Range of Antarctica. It was named by the University of Minnesota Geological Party of 1963–64 for John M. Herrin, a helicopter crew chief with the 62nd Transportation Detachment, who assisted the party.

Hutto Peak is a sharp peak, 1,620 metres (5,300 ft) high, standing just below the Founders Escarpment on the ridge separating the upper portions of Gowan Glacier and Splettstoesser Glacier, in the Heritage Range of mountains in Antarctica. It was mapped by the United States Geological Survey from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos from 1961–66, and was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names for Chief Yoeman Grey H. Hutto of the U.S. Navy who was a participant in Operation Deep Freeze in two austral seasons in Antarctica in the period 1964–66.

Matney Peak is a mostly ice-free peak, 1,810 metres (5,940 ft) high, near the middle of the line of peaks at the east side of Webster Glacier in the Heritage Range of the Ellsworth Mountains, Antarctica. It was mapped by the United States Geological Survey from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1961–66, and was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names for Chief Aviation Boatswain's Mate William R. Matney of the U.S. Navy who contributed significantly to improving fuel operations in Antarctica and for a portion of Operation Deep Freeze 1966, acted as fuels officer.

Splettstoesser Glacier glacier in Antarctica

Splettstoesser Glacier is a glacier, 35 nautical miles long, draining from the plateau just south of Founders Escarpment and flowing east-northeast through the Heritage Range to the south of Founders Peaks and Anderson Massif to enter the Minnesota Glacier. Named by the University of Minnesota Ellsworth Mountains Party which explored the area in 1961-62 for John F. Splettstoesser, geologist with that party.

Landmark Peak is a very prominent peak, 1,840 metres (6,040 ft) high, standing 5 nautical miles (9 km) south of Minnesota Glacier on the east side of Gowan Glacier, in the Heritage Range, Antarctica. It was named by the University of Minnesota Geological Party to these mountains in 1963–64 because the peak is a well used reference point for pilots flying in the area.

Schmidt Glacier (Antarctica)

Schmidt Glacier is a glacier, 20 nautical miles long, in the Pioneer Heights of the Heritage Range, Ellsworth Mountains in Antarctica. The glacier originates near Hall Peak and drains north along the west side of Thompson Escarpment and Gross Hills to coalesce with the lower part of Splettstoesser Glacier, north of Mount Virginia. It was named by the University of Minnesota Ellsworth Mountains Party, 1961-62, for Paul G. Schmidt, geologist with the party.

References

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates  public domain material from the United States Geological Survey document "Founders Peaks" (content from the Geographic Names Information System ).

United States Geological Survey Scientific agency of the United States government

The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology, geography, geology, and hydrology. The USGS is a fact-finding research organization with no regulatory responsibility.

Geographic Names Information System geographical database

The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) is a database that contains name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features located throughout the United States of America and its territories. It is a type of gazetteer. GNIS was developed by the United States Geological Survey in cooperation with the United States Board on Geographic Names (BGN) to promote the standardization of feature names.

Coordinates: 79°10′S86°15′W / 79.167°S 86.250°W / -79.167; -86.250

Geographic coordinate system Coordinate system

A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system that enables every location on Earth to be specified by a set of numbers, letters or symbols. The coordinates are often chosen such that one of the numbers represents a vertical position and two or three of the numbers represent a horizontal position; alternatively, a geographic position may be expressed in a combined three-dimensional Cartesian vector. A common choice of coordinates is latitude, longitude and elevation. To specify a location on a plane requires a map projection.