Ellsworth Mountains

Ellsworth Mountains
The central part of Ellsworth Mountains with Mount Tyree, Mount Shinn and Mount Vinson; Nimitz Glacier in the foreground
Highest point
PeakMount Vinson
Elevation4,892 m (16,050 ft)
Coordinates78°31′31.74″S 85°37′01.73″W / 78.5254833°S 85.6171472°W / -78.5254833; -85.6171472
Dimensions
Length360 km (220 mi) NNW-SSE
Width48 km (30 mi) WE
Geography
Ellsworth Mountains is located in Antarctica
Ellsworth Mountains
Ellsworth Mountains
Location of Ellsworth Mountains in Antarctica
Location of Ellsworth Mountains in Antarctica
ContinentAntarctica
LandEllsworth Land
Range coordinates78°45′S 85°00′W / 78.750°S 85.000°W / -78.750; -85.000[1]

The Ellsworth Mountains are the highest mountain ranges in Antarctica, forming a 350 km (217 mi) long and 48 km (30 mi) wide chain of mountains in a north to south configuration on the western margin of the Ronne Ice Shelf in Marie Byrd Land. They are bisected by Minnesota Glacier to form the Sentinel Range to the north and the Heritage Range to the south. The former is by far the higher and more spectacular with Mount Vinson (4,892 meters (16,050 ft)) constituting the highest point on the continent.[1][2] The mountains are located within the Chilean Antarctic territorial claim but outside of the Argentinian and British ones.

  1. ^ a b "Ellsworth Mountains". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 6 May 2004.
  2. ^ Bockheim, J.G., Schaefer, C.E., 2015. Soils of Ellsworth Land, the Ellsworth Mountains. In: Bockheim, J.G. (Ed.), The Soils of Antarctica. World Soils Book Series, Springer, Switzerland, pp. 169–181.