Orpheus Gate

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Location of Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands Livingston-Island-location-map.png
Location of Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands
Orpheus Gate, with Pliska Ridge on the right Orpheus-Gate.jpg
Orpheus Gate, with Pliska Ridge on the right
Topographic map of Livingston Island and Smith Island Livingston-Island-Map-2010-15.png
Topographic map of Livingston Island and Smith Island
Topographic map of Bowles Ridge and central Tangra Mountains Bowles Ridge and Tangra Mountains.png
Topographic map of Bowles Ridge and central Tangra Mountains

Orpheus Gate (Orfeeva Porta \or-'fe-e-va 'por-ta\), also Orpheus Pass, is the 548 m high and 380 m wide pass in eastern Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, bounded by Pliska Ridge on the southeast and Polanco Peak in Burdick Ridge on the northwest, Huntress Glacier on the southwest and Perunika Glacier on the northeast.

Contents

The pass forms part of the overland routes from Hurd Peninsula via Willan Saddle, the southern foothills of Burdick South Peak, and Orpheus Gate to upper Perunika Glacier, Wörner Gap and Camp Academia area, upper Huron Glacier, Tangra Mountains and Bowles Ridge.

Orpheus, a name of world and national culture, was originally applied in 1995 to a nearby peak but, due to the priority of the existing British nameform Willan Nunatak, was subsequently transferred to the present feature. [1]

Location

The midpoint is located at 62°38′35″S60°14′31″W / 62.64306°S 60.24194°W / -62.64306; -60.24194 , which is 6.3 km east of St. Kliment Ohridski base, 7.84 km east-northeast of Juan Carlos I base, 1.77 km east-northeast of Willan Saddle, 2.21 km southeast of Rezen Saddle, 3.87 km southwest of Omurtag Pass, 6.82 km west-southwest of Pirdop Gate, 3.61 km west of Camp Academia site, 5.29 km west of Lozen Saddle and 5.48 km northwest of Catalunyan Saddle (Detailed Spanish mapping in 1991, elevation and distances according to the Bulgarian topographic survey Tangra 2004/05).

First crossed by the Bulgarian Kuzman Tuhchiev from St. Kliment Ohridski Base during the 1993/94 season.

Maps

Notes

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gurev Gap</span>

Gurev Gap is a flat ice-covered saddle of elevation 450 m extending 3 km in south-north direction between Hemus Peak and Gleaner Heights in eastern Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. The gap separates the glacial catchments of Kaliakra Glacier to the east, and Saedinenie Snowfield and Perunika Glacier to the west. It is part of the overland route from the St. Kliment Ohridski Base via the Balkan Snowfield, Rezen Saddle and Perunika Glacier to Varna Peninsula. The saddle was first trekked on 24 December 2004 by the Tangra 2004/05 Survey team from Camp Academia, and was named for Vasil Gurev, physicist at St. Kliment Ohridski in 1994/95 and subsequent seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kuzman Knoll</span>

Kuzman Knoll is a solitary ice-covered knoll rising to 620 m in eastern Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. The knoll forms a conspicuous landmark in Wörner Gap area, overlooking Huron Glacier and upper Perunika Glacier. It was named after Kuzman Tuhchiev, participant in the 1993/94 Bulgarian Antarctic campaign and base commander at St. Kliment Ohridski during the 1994-96 seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lozen Saddle</span>

Lozen Saddle is a 437 m high saddle situated between Lozen Nunatak and Zograf Peak in Tangra Mountains, eastern Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica which provides overland access from the Wörner Gap area to the Shipka Valley. The saddle was first crossed by the Bulgarian Lyubomir Ivanov from Camp Academia on 17 December 2004, and takes its name from the adjacent Lozen Nunatak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montana Bluff</span> Ice-covered peak in Antarctica

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nesebar Gap</span> Nesebar Gap, eastern Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

Nesebar Gap is a 1.3 km wide gap in eastern Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica bounded to the west by Pliska Ridge and to the east by the northern slope of Mount Friesland, Tangra Mountains. It is part of the divide between the glacial catchments of Perunika Glacier to the north and Huntress Glacier to the south. The gap is part of an overland route between Orpheus Gate to the west, and Camp Academia locality and Lozen Saddle to the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Omurtag Pass</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perunika Glacier</span> Glacier in Antarctica

Perunika Glacier is an 8 km long and 3 km wide (average) roughly crescent-shaped glacier in eastern Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica situated east of Pimpirev Glacier, south of Saedinenie Snowfield, southwest of Kaliakra Glacier, west of Huron Glacier, and north of Balkan Snowfield and the head of Huntress Glacier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pliska Ridge</span> Three-peaked ridge in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

Pliska Ridge is a three-peaked ridge rising to 667 m (2,188 ft) in eastern Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Its central and highest summit, Pliska Peak, is located 2.48 km (1.54 mi) east-northeast of Willan Nunatak, 1.81 km (1.12 mi) southeast of Burdick Peak, 3.53 km (2.19 mi) south-southwest of Mount Bowles, 3.68 km (2.29 mi) west-southwest of Kuzman Knoll, and 3.61 km (2.24 mi) northwest of Mount Friesland. The feature is 1.6 km (0.99 mi) long and 500 m (1,600 ft) wide, its axis trending due east-west, with precipitous southern slopes. It is ice-covered except for segments of its easternmost peak and is bounded to the northwest by Orpheus Gate, to the north by the head of Perunika Glacier, to the east by Nesebar Gap, and to the south and west by the head of Huntress Glacier, the latter flowing 6 km (3.7 mi) southwestwards into False Bay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rezen Saddle</span> Geographical feature in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

Rezen Saddle is a geographical feature on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. The 600 m long horseshoe-shaped flat saddle of elevation 420 m lies between Rezen Knoll and Burdick Ridge in eastern Livingston Island, affording overland access from Balkan Snowfield to upper Perunika Glacier and Bowles Ridge area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Svoge Knoll</span>

Svoge Knoll is an ice-covered peak rising to 560 m in Bowles Ridge, Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Surmounting Perunika Glacier to the south and west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wörner Gap</span>

Wörner Gap is a flat saddle extending 3 km in the south-north direction between Friesland Ridge and Bowles Ridge in eastern Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Its elevation decreases from 585 m in the south to 541 m in the middle, and 525 m in the north. The gap separates the glacial catchments of Perunika Glacier to the west and Huron Glacier to the east, and is linked to the east to Kuzman Knoll, a conspicuous landmark in the area. The gap is visited by field parties from St. Kliment Ohridski Base and Juan Carlos I Base and is subject to Spanish and Bulgarian glaciological studies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yankov Gap</span> Saddle on Livingston Island, Antarctica

Yankov Gap is an ice-covered saddle linking Melnik Ridge and Bowles Ridge in eastern Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. The gap is at an elevation of 575 m and extends 1 km in the north-south direction from Samokov Knoll in Melnik Ridge to Asparuh Peak in Bowles Ridge. Yankov Gap is part of the divide between the glacial catchments of the head of Kaliakra Glacier to the west and Struma Glacier to the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zograf Peak</span> Peak in Antarctica

Zograf Peak rises to 1,010 m (3,310 ft) at the northeast extremity of Friesland Ridge in Tangra Mountains, Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. The peak is heavily glaciated and crevassed, with precipitous and partly ice-free northern slopes. The peak surmounts Huron Glacier to the north and Shipka Valley to the east, and is accessible via the saddle of elevation 975 m linking it to the north rib of Lyaskovets Peak. The peak is linked to the northeast by Lozen Saddle to Lozen Nunatak, Erma Knoll and Aheloy Nunatak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Camp Academia</span> Antarctic camp

Camp Academia is a geographical locality in eastern Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, named for the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in appreciation of the Academy’s contribution to Antarctic exploration. The site was first occupied in the 2004/05 austral summer, and has been designated since 2004 as the summer post office Tangra 1091, the southernmost branch of the Bulgarian Posts Plc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bowles Ridge</span> Central ridge of eastern Livingston Island

Bowles Ridge is the central ridge of eastern Livingston Island. The ridge extends 6.5 km in the east-west direction and is 1.5 km wide. The summit of the ridge is Mount Bowles which rises to 822m and is located 9.77 km northwest of Great Needle Peak, 6.08 km north by west of Mount Friesland, 8.77 km east-northeast of St. Kliment Ohridski base and 9.25 km south by west of Miziya Peak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Friesland</span> Mountain in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

Mount Friesland is a mountain rising to 1,700.2 metres (5,578 ft) in the homonymous Friesland Ridge, one of the two summits of Tangra Mountains and Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica along with neighbouring St. Boris Peak. Its north rib is connected to Pliska Ridge by Nesebar Gap on the west, and to Bowles Ridge by Wörner Gap on the north. On the east, Mount Friesland is connected to Presian Ridge and further on to Catalunyan Saddle and Lyaskovets Peak. On the south-southwest, it is connected by a short saddle to ‘The Synagogue’ a sharp-peaked rock-cored ice formation abutting St. Boris Peak. The peak is heavily glaciated and crevassed, surmounting Huntress Glacier to the west, Perunika Glacier to the north-northwest, Huron Glacier to the northeast and Macy Glacier to the southeast. The local weather is notoriously unpleasant and challenging; according to the seasoned Antarctic mountaineer Damien Gildea who climbed in the area, 'just about the worst weather in the world'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Huntress Glacier</span> Glacier in Antarctica

Huntress Glacier is a glacier 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) long and 3.7 kilometres (2.3 mi) wide flowing into the head of False Bay, Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. It is situated east of Johnsons Glacier, southeast of Contell Glacier and Balkan Snowfield, south of upper Perunika Glacier, southwest of Huron Glacier and northwest of Macy Glacier, and is bounded by Friesland Ridge and the Tangra Mountains to the southeast, Nesebar Gap, Pliska Ridge, Burdick Ridge and Willan Nunatak to the north, and Charrúa Gap and Napier Peak to the northwest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burdick Ridge</span> Feature in South Shetland Islands, Antartica

Burdick Ridge is a ridge rising to an elevation of 773 metres (2,536 ft) on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands. Extending for 1.9 kilometres (1.2 mi) between Orpheus Gate in the southeast and Rezen Saddle in the northwest, it is bounded by Perunika Glacier to the northeast and Balkan Snowfield to the southwest. It takes its name from its highest point, Burdick Peak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polanco Peak</span> 721m peak in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

Polanco Peak is the ice-covered peak rising to 721 m on the northwest side of the pass Orpheus Gate on eastern Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. It surmounts Perunika Glacier on the north-east, Huntress Glacier on the south, and Balkan Snowfield on the west. First ascent by a team from the Spanish base Juan Carlos I led by Àlex Simón i Casanovas on 20 November 2003.

References


This article includes information from the Antarctic Place-names Commission of Bulgaria which is used with permission.