The Eland Mountains () are a range of mountains which rise above and extend about in a northeast–southwest direction along the south side of

Clifford Glacier Clifford Glacier () is a broad glacier, about long, flowing in an east-northeast direction to the gap between Mount Tenniel and the Eland Mountains, and then east to Smith Inlet on the east coast of Palmer Land Palmer Land () is the portion of ...

, on the east coast of

Palmer Land Palmer Land () is the portion of the Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica that lies south of a line joining Cape Jeremy and Cape Agassiz. This application of Palmer Land is consistent with the 1964 agreement between the Advisory Committee on Antarctic N ...

, Antarctica.

Location

The Eland Mountains are near the

Wilkins Coast Wilkins Coast is that portion of the east coast of the Antarctic Peninsula between Cape Agassiz and Cape Boggs. Name Wilkins Coast was named by the United States Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN) for Sir Hubert Wilkins, who in a pion ...

of central

, which borders the

Weddell Sea The Weddell Sea is part of the Southern Ocean and contains the Weddell Gyre. Its land boundaries are defined by the bay formed from the coasts of Coats Land and the Antarctic Peninsula. The easternmost point is Cape Norvegia at Princess Martha C ...

to the east. They are west of the Eielson Peninsula, north of the

Welch Mountains Welch Mountains () is a group of mountains that dominate the area, the highest peak rising to , located north of Mount Jackson on the east margin of the Dyer Plateau of Palmer Land, Antarctica Location The Welch Mountains are near the Black ...

, east of the

Dyer Plateau Dyer Plateau () is a broad ice-covered upland of north-central Palmer Land, bounded to the north by Fleming Glacier and Bingham Glacier, and to the south by the Gutenko Mountains. It is buttressed by Goettel Escarpment. History The plateau was ...

, southeast of the

Columbia Mountains The Columbia Mountains are a group of mountain ranges along the Upper Columbia River in British Columbia, Montana, Idaho and Washington (state), Washington. The mountain range covers 135,952 km² (52,491 sq mi). The range is bounded by th ...

and southwest of

Hughes Ice Piedmont Hughes Ice Piedmont () is the ice piedmont between Cordini Glacier and Smith Inlet on the east coast of Palmer Land, Antarctica. Location Hughes Ice Piedmont is on the Wilkins Coast of central Palmer Land, facing the Weddell Sea. It is south of ...

. They run along the south side of the

above the point where it enters Smith Inlet.

Discovery and name

The Eland Mountains were discovered in 1936 by the British Graham Land Expedition (BGLE), and they appear in aerial photographs taken by the

United States Antarctic Service The United States Antarctic Program (or USAP; formerly known as the United States Antarctic Research Program or USARP and the United States Antarctic Service or USAS) is an organization of the United States government which has a presence in the ...

(USAS) in September 1940. During 1947 they were photographed from the air by members of the

Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition The Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition (RARE) was an expedition from 1947–1948 which researched the area surrounding the head of the Weddell Sea in Antarctica. Background Finn Ronne led the RARE which was the final privately sponsored exp ...

(RARE), who in conjunction with the

Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey The Falkland Islands and Dependencies Aerial Survey Expedition (FIDASE) was an aerial survey of the Falkland Islands Dependencies The Falkland Islands Dependencies was the constitutional arrangement from 1843 until 1985 for administering the v ...

(FIDS), charted them from the ground. The name Eland, Lady Clifford's maiden name, was given in 1952 by Sir

Miles Clifford Sir Geoffrey Miles Clifford, KBE, CMG, ED (16 February 1897 – 21 February 1986) was the Governor of the Falkland Islands from 1946 to 1954. Life Clifford served in the British Army in World War I, and then in the Colonial Service in Nigeria. I ...

Governor of the Falkland Islands The governor of the Falkland Islands is the representative of the British Crown in the Falkland Islands, acting "in His Majesty's name and on His Majesty's behalf" as the islands' Viceroy in the absence of the British monarch. The role and power ...

, at the request of members of the FIDS staff.

Features

Features and nearby features include Peters Bastion, Mount Strong, Hall Ridge, Clark Hills, Kelley Massif, Reynolds Bench, Temnikow Nunataks and Daniels Hill.

Peters Bastion

. The large, mainly ice-free mountain forming the northernmost summit of the Eland Mountains. Mapped by the

United States Geological Survey The United States Geological Survey (USGS), founded as the Geological Survey, is an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior whose work spans the disciplines of biology, geography, geology, and hydrology. The agency was founded on Mar ...

(USGS) in 1974. Named by the United States

Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names The Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (ACAN or US-ACAN) is an advisory committee of the United States Board on Geographic Names responsible for recommending commemorative names for features in Antarctica. History The committee was established ...

(US-ACAN) for Commander Vernon W. Peters, United States Navy, Commanding Officer of Squadron VXE-6 in Antarctica during

Operation Deep Freeze Operation Deep Freeze is the code name for a series of United States missions to Antarctica, beginning with "Operation Deep Freeze I" in 1955–56, followed by "Operation Deep Freeze II", "Operation Deep Freeze III", and so on. (There was an init ...

, 1974.

Mount Strong

. A ridge-like mountain about east of the Eland Mountains. Mapped by USGS in 1974. Named by US-ACAN for Frank E. Strong, USARP biologist at Palmer Station in 1971-72.

Hall Ridge

. A low, snow-covered ridge south of the Eland Mountains. Mapped by the USGS in 1974. Named by US-ACAN for Captain Phillip L. Hall, United States Army, Assistant Civil Engineering Officer on the staff of the Commander, Naval Support Force, Antarctica, during Operation Deep Freeze, 1969 and 1970.

Clark Hills

. A cluster of low, mainly snow-covered hills of about extent, located southwest of the Eland Mountains. Mapped by USGS in 1974. Named by US-ACAN for Kerry B. Clark,

United States Antarctic Research Program The United States Antarctic Program (or USAP; formerly known as the United States Antarctic Research Program or USARP and the United States Antarctic Service or USAS) is an organization of the United States government which has a presence in the ...

(USARP) biologist on the

International Weddell Sea Oceanographic Expedition The International Weddell Sea Oceanographic Expeditions or IWSOE are a series of scientific research expeditions to the Weddell Sea began in 1967, involving cooperation among Norway, Canada, Chile and the United States. The Weddell Sea, part of t ...

in 1968 and 1969.

Kelley Massif

. A rugged mountain massif, long, located immediately west of the Eland Mountains and along the south side of Clifford Glacier. Mapped by the USGS in 1974. Named by US-ACAN for Captain Hugh A. Kelley, United States Navy, Commander of Antarctic Support Activities during Operation Deep Freeze 1968 and 1969.

Reynolds Bench

. A nearly flat bench, or mesa-like feature, long and wide, that has a smooth, snow-covered surface but has rock outcroppings along its steep sides. The feature stands at the north side of the Kelley Massif, to which it appears to be joined, along the south side of the upper Clifford Glacier. Mapped by USGS in 1974. Named by US-ACAN for Richard L. Reynolds, geologist with the USGS Lassiter Coast geologic and mapping party in 1970-71.

Temnikow Nunataks

. A rather scattered group of low rock outcroppings over an area of about , located at the east margin of Dyer Plateau and west of Kelley Massif. Mapped by the USGS in 1974. Named by US-ACAN for Nicolas Temnikow, USARP biologist at Palmer Station in 1974.

Daniels Hill

. A prominent solitary nunatak that rises above the ice in the eastern part of the Dyer Plateau, approximately west of the head of Clifford Glacier. Mapped by USGS in 1974. Named by US-ACAN for Robert Daniels, USARP biologist at Palmer Station, 1975.

References

Sources

* * {{Include-USGov , agency=United States Geological Survey Mountain ranges of Palmer Land