Roberts Massif () is a remarkable snow-free

massif A massif () is a principal mountain mass, such as a compact portion of a mountain range, containing one or more summits (e.g. France's Massif Central). In mountaineering literature, ''massif'' is frequently used to denote the main mass of an ...

at the head of

Shackleton Glacier Shackleton Glacier () is a major Antarctic glacier, over long and from wide, descending from the Antarctic Plateau from the vicinity of Roberts Massif and flowing north through the Queen Maud Mountains to enter the Ross Ice Shelf between Mount ...

. It rises to over and is about in area.

Discovery and naming

Roberts Massif was visited by the Southern Party of the

New Zealand Geological Survey Antarctic Expedition The New Zealand Geological Survey Antarctic Expedition (NZGSAE) describes a series of scientific explorations of the continent Antarctica. The expeditions were notably active throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Features named by the expeditions 19 ...

(NZGSAE) (1961–62), who named it for Athol Renouf Roberts (1911–1981), leader at

Scott Base Scott Base is a New Zealand Antarctic research station at Pram Point on Ross Island near Mount Erebus in New Zealand's Ross Dependency territorial claim. It was named in honour of Captain Robert Falcon Scott, RN, leader of two British exp ...

for 1961–62.

Location

Roberts Massif is to the south of the point where the

Zaneveld Glacier Shackleton Glacier () is a major Antarctic glacier, over long and from wide, descending from the Antarctic Plateau from the vicinity of Roberts Massif and flowing north through the Queen Maud Mountains to enter the Ross Ice Shelf between Mount ...

converges from the east with the

from the west, opposite Dismal Buttress and Half Century Nunatak on the northwest side of the Shackleton Glacier. The

Cumulus Hills The Cumulus Hills () are several groups of largely barren hills in Antarctica. Divided by the Logie Glacier, they are bounded by Shackleton Glacier on the west, McGregor Glacier on the north and Zaneveld Glacier on the south. Discovery and nam ...

are to the northeast, across Zaneveld Glacier. Features, from south to north, include Fluted Peak, Grass Bluff, Misery Peak and Everett Nunatak.

Features

Fluted Peak

. A fluted snow peak rising at the southeast extremity of Roberts Massif. The only snow peak on the massif, it is visible for many miles to the south as a distinctive landmark. Surveyed and named by the Southern Party of the NZGSAE (1961–62) because of its appearance.

Grass Bluff

. A wedge-shaped rock bluff northwest of Fluted Peak, in the southern part of Roberts Massif. 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 Robert D. Grass,

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) meteorologist at South Pole Station, winter 1964.

Fernette Peak

. A peak (2,700 m) that rises above the south-central part of Roberts Massif in the Queen Maud 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) from surveys and

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

air photos, 1960-65. Named by US-ACAN for Gregory L. Fernette, USARP field assistant in Antarctica during the 1968-69 season.

Munizaga Peak

. An ice-free peak, high, located east-southeast of Misery Peak in the Roberts Massif. Mapped by the USGS from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1960-65. Named by the US-ACAN for Fernando S. Munizaga, Chilean geologist who participated in the USARP Ellsworth Land Survey, 1968-69, and accompanied the Texas Technological College geological party in a survey of Roberts Massif in the same season.

Misery Peak

. A peak, high, at the extreme west side of Roberts Massif, occupied as a survey station. So named by the Southern Party of the NZGSAE (1961-62) to describe the many miserable hours spent here while waiting for clouds to disperse.

Everett Nunatak

. A massive rock nunatak standing just northeast of Roberts Massif, at the southwest side of Zaneveld Glacier. Named by the Texas Tech Shackleton Glacier Expedition (1964-65) for James R. Everett, graduate student at Texas Technological College, a member of the expedition who first explored the feature.

Nearby features

Dismal Buttress

. A mainly ice-free rock bluff, overlooking the west side of the head of Shackleton Glacier about NW of Roberts Massif. So named because of several depressing incidents experienced here by the Southern Party of the NZGSAE (1961-62), including the loss of Dismal, the party's only lead dog, which had to be destroyed.

Half Century Nunatak

. A prominent nunatak, displaying a high east-facing rock escarpment, located north of Dismal Buttress at the west side of upper Shackleton Glacier. Named by the Southern Party of the NZGSAE (1961-62) which, near this nunatak, celebrated the 50th anniversary of Amundsen reaching the South Pole.

References

Sources

* * {{Include-USGov , agency=United States Geological Survey Mountains of the Ross Dependency Dufek Coast