The Cathedral Rocks () are a series of four abrupt cliffs interspersed by short glaciers and surmounted by sharp peaks. The cliffs extend for along the south side of

Ferrar Glacier Ferrar Glacier ()is a glacier in Antarctica. It is about long, flowing from the plateau of Victoria Land west of the Royal Society Range to New Harbour in McMurdo Sound. The glacier makes a right (east) turn northeast of Knobhead, where it whe ...

and form part of the north shoulder of the

Royal Society Range The Royal Society Range () is a majestic range of mountains in Victoria Land, Antarctica, rising to along the west shore of McMurdo Sound between the Koettlitz, Skelton and Ferrar Glaciers. They are south of the Kukri Hills, southeast of the Q ...

, in

Victoria Land Victoria Land is a region in eastern Antarctica which fronts the western side of the Ross Sea and the Ross Ice Shelf, extending southward from about 70°30'S to 78th parallel south, 78°00'S, and westward from the Ross Sea to the edge of the Ant ...

, Antarctica.

Exploration and name

The Carhedral Rocks were discovered and named on December 7, 1902 by Lieutenant

Albert Armitage Albert Borlase Armitage (2 July 1864 – 31 October 1943) was a Scottish polar explorer and officer in the Merchant Navy. Early life Armitage was born in Balquhidder, near Loch Lubnaig in Perthshire on 2 July 1864. He was one of eight ch ...

, leader of a party of the

British National Antarctic Expedition, 1901–04 The ''Discovery'' Expedition of 1901–1904, known officially as the British National Antarctic Expedition, was the first official British exploration of the Antarctic regions since the voyage of James Clark Ross sixty years earlier (1839–184 ...

(BrNAE), that explored this area. The name is descriptive of the feature.

Location

The Cathedral Rocks are in the north of the Royal Society Range, to the south of

and the west of Briggs Hill. Emmanuel Glacier flows along their west side, and Condit Glacier flows along their east side. Zoller Glacier, Darkowski Glacier and Bol Glacier flow through the formation. The Camels Hump and The Pimple are south of the rocks.

Features

Mount Windle

. An ice-covered peak rising to high on the south side of Ferrar Glacier. It surmounts the most western massif of Cathedral Rocks. Named in 1992 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) in association with

Chaplains Tableland Mount Lister () is a massive mountain, high, forming the highest point in the Royal Society Range of Victoria Land, Antarctica. It was discovered by the British National Antarctic Expedition (1901–1904) which named it for Lord Joseph Lister, ...

after Lieutenant D.L. Windle, United States Navy, chaplain with the 1963 winter party at

McMurdo Station McMurdo Station is an American Antarctic research station on the southern tip of Ross Island. It is operated by the United States through the United States Antarctic Program (USAP), a branch of the National Science Foundation. The station is ...

Mount Fuller

. A peak in Cathedral Rocks, Royal Society Range, rising to high between the lower portions of Zoller Glacier and Darkowski Glacier. Named in 1992 by US-ACAN in association with Chaplains Tableland (q.v.) after Lieutenant Commander William C. Fuller, United States Navy, chaplain with the 1964 winter party at McMurdo Station.

Mount Mignone

. A peak in Cathedral Rocks rising to high between Darkowski Glacier and Bol Glacier. Named in 1992 by US-ACAN in association with Chaplains Tableland after Lieutenant John C. Mignone, United States Navy, chaplain with the 1966 winter party at McMurdo Station.

Mount Essinger

. A peak rising to high, surmounting the most eastern massif of Cathedral Rocks. Named in 1992 by US-ACAN in association with Chaplains Tableland after Lieutenant Commander Jesse W. Essinger, United States Navy, chaplain with the 1968 winter party at McMurdo Station.

Camels Hump

. Dark bare knob, high, standing south of Cathedral Rocks. Discovered and given this descriptive name by the

British National Antarctic Expedition The ''Discovery'' Expedition of 1901–1904, known officially as the British National Antarctic Expedition, was the first official British exploration of the Antarctic regions since the voyage of James Clark Ross sixty years earlier (1839–1 ...

(BrNAE) under Scott, 1901-04.

Kamb Glacier

A broad elevated glacier, long, flowing northeast from Fogle Peak to enter Condit Glacier. Named in 1992 by US-ACAN after glaciologist Barclay Kamb of the California Institute of Technology; from the 1980's, a principal investigator in USARP studies of the West Antarctic ice sheet, including the drilling of deep boreholes to the base of Siple Coast ice streams; research in order to determine the mechanisms by which the ice streams are able to move at relatively greater speeds than the surrounding ice sheet.

Fogle Peak

A distinctive pointed peak, high, standing at the head of Kamb Glacier. Named in 1992 by US-ACAN after Benson Fogle, Program Manager for Upper Atmospheric Research, Division of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 1976-85.

Lettau Peak

. A triangular peak, high, west-northwest of Fogle Peak. Named in 1992 by US-ACAN after Bernhard Lettau, Program Manager for Polar Ocean and Climate Sciences in the Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, from 1976.

The Pimple

. Small cone-shaped peak, high, midway between

Mount Lister Mount Lister () is a massive mountain, high, forming the highest point in the Royal Society Range of Victoria Land, Antarctica. It was discovered by the British National Antarctic Expedition (1901–1904) which named it for Lord Joseph Lister, ...

and Camels Hump. Discovered and named by the BrNAE under Scott, 1901-04.

References

Sources

* * {{Include-USGov , agency=United States Geological Survey Cliffs of Victoria Land Scott Coast