The Shackleton Range is a

mountain range A mountain range or hill range is a series of mountains or hills arranged in a line and connected by high ground. A mountain system or mountain belt is a group of mountain ranges with similarity in form, structure, and alignment that have arise ...

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest co ...

. Rising at Holmes Summit to , it extends in an east–west direction for about between the Slessor and Recovery glaciers. The range was named after Sir

Ernest Shackleton Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton (15 February 1874 – 5 January 1922) was an Anglo-Irish Antarctic explorer who led three British expeditions to the Antarctic. He was one of the principal figures of the period known as the Heroic Age of A ...

, leader of the British

Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914–1917 is considered to be the last major expedition of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. Conceived by Ernest Shackleton, Sir Ernest Shackleton, the expedition was an attempt to make the ...

(or "Shackleton's Expedition") of 1914–16.

Surveys

The

Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition The Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition (CTAE) of 1955–1958 was a Commonwealth-sponsored expedition that successfully completed the first overland crossing of Antarctica, via the South Pole. It was the first expedition to reach the South ...

(CTAE), which in 1956 saw the range from the air, conducted a ground-level survey of its western part in 1957. The

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

photographed the range from the air in 1967. In 1968–69 and 1969–70, the

British Antarctic Survey The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is the United Kingdom's national polar research institute. It has a dual purpose, to conduct polar science, enabling better understanding of global issues, and to provide an active presence in the Antarctic on ...

(based at

Halley Station Halley Research Station is a research facility in Antarctica on the Brunt Ice Shelf operated by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). The base was established in 1956 to study the Earth's atmosphere. Measurements from Halley led to the discov ...

) conducted further ground surveys with support from US Navy

C-130 Hercules The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally des ...

aircraft.

Geology

The Haskard Group and Turnpike Bluff Group rest unconformably on the

Archean The Archean Eon ( , also spelled Archaean or Archæan) is the second of four eon (geology), geologic eons of History of Earth, Earth's history, representing the time from . The Archean was preceded by the Hadean Eon and followed by the Proterozo ...

-Middle

Proterozoic The Proterozoic () is a geological eon spanning the time interval from 2500 to 538.8million years ago. It is the most recent part of the Precambrian "supereon". It is also the longest eon of the Earth's geologic time scale, and it is subdivided ...

Shackleton Range

Metamorphic Metamorphic rocks arise from the transformation of existing rock to new types of rock in a process called metamorphism. The original rock ( protolith) is subjected to temperatures greater than and, often, elevated pressure of or more, cau ...

Complex. The

Ordovician The Ordovician ( ) is a geologic period and system, the second of six periods of the Paleozoic Era. The Ordovician spans 41.6 million years from the end of the Cambrian Period million years ago (Mya) to the start of the Silurian Period Mya. ...

-Early

Devonian The Devonian ( ) is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic era, spanning 60.3 million years from the end of the Silurian, million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Carboniferous, Mya. It is named after Devon, England, w ...

Blaiklock Glacier Group (475 Ma) also unconformably overlies the Shackleton Range Metamorphic Complex. This group is composed of

sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates ...

s and conglomerates, and is unconformably overlain by the Beacon Supergroup.

Features

Geographical features include:

Herbert Mountains

Read Mountains

Du Toit Nunataks

Other features

La Grange Nunataks

Other features

* Aronson Corner * Baines Nunatak * Bergan Castle * Blaiklock Glacier * Blanchard Hill * Chevreul Cliffs * Clarkson Cliffs *

Clayton Ramparts The Clayton Ramparts () are a line of east–west cliffs rising to over at the southern margin of Fuchs Dome, Shackleton Range. They were surveyed by the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, 1957, photographed from the air by the U.S. Navy, ...

* Cornwall Glacier * Crossover Pass * Flat Top *

Freshfield Nunatak Shotton Snowfield () is a large snowfield between Herbert Mountains and Pioneers Escarpment on the north and Read Mountains on the south, in the Shackleton Range of Antarctica. Location The Shackleton Range is an ice-covered plateau between h ...

Fuchs Dome Fuchs Dome is a large ice-covered dome rising over , between Stratton Glacier and Gordon Glacier in the central part of the Shackleton Range, Antarctica. It was first mapped in 1957 by the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition The Commonwea ...

Genghis Hills The Genghis Hills () are hills rising to to the south of Fuchs Dome and west of Stephenson Bastion, in the Shackleton Range, Antarctica. They were photographed from the air by the U.S. Navy, 1967, and surveyed by the British Antarctic Survey (B ...

Gordon Glacier Gordon Glacier () is an Antarctic glacier of at least in length flowing in a northerly direction beginning in the Crossover Pass, flowing through the Shackleton Range to finally meet the Slessor Glacier. The glacier was first mapped in 1957 b ...

Guyatt Ridge Guyatt Ridge () is a ridge southwest of Wedge Ridge in the southern part of the Haskard Highlands, in the Shackleton Range, Antarctica. It was surveyed by the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, 1957, photographed from the air by the U.S. Navy ...

Haskard Highlands The Haskard Highlands () are a range of peaks and ridges between Blaiklock Glacier and Stratton Glacier in the northwest of the Shackleton Range, Antarctica, rising to at Mount Weston and including features between Mount Provender and Pointer Nun ...

Honnywill Peak Honnywill Peak () is a rock peak, high, immediately southeast of Williams Ridge on the west side of Stratton Glacier in the Shackleton Range of Antarctica. It was first mapped in 1957 by the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition and was named f ...

Jackson Tooth Jackson Tooth () is a nunatak rising to at the western end of Pioneers Escarpment, in the Shackleton Range, Antarctica. In association with the names of pioneers of polar life and travel grouped in this area, it was named by the UK Antarctic Plac ...

Lewis Chain The Lewis Chain () is a chain of four rock nunataks on the west side of Gordon Glacier in the Shackleton Range of Antarctica. It was first mapped by the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition (CTAE) in 1957, and was photographed by the U.S. Navy ...

Lindqvist Nunatak Shotton Snowfield () is a large snowfield between Herbert Mountains and Pioneers Escarpment on the north and Read Mountains on the south, in the Shackleton Range of Antarctica. Location The Shackleton Range is an ice-covered plateau between hig ...

Lister Heights The Lister Heights () are rock heights on the east side of Stratton Glacier, southwest of Flat Top in the western part of the Shackleton Range, Antarctica. They were first mapped in 1957 by the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition (CTAE) and ...

Lord Nunatak Lord Nunatak () is a nunatak southwest of Baines Nunatak, midway between the Herbert Mountains and Pioneers Escarpment in the Shackleton Range, Antarctica. It was photographed from the air by the U.S. Navy, 1967, and surveyed by the British Ant ...

Lundström Knoll Lundström Knoll () is a rock knoll rising to about to the northeast of the Chevreul Cliffs in Pioneers Escarpment, Shackleton Range, Antarctica. It was photographed from the air by the U.S. Navy, 1967, and surveyed by the British Antarctic Survey ...

MacQuarrie Edge MacQuarrie Edge () is a rock scarp rising to about in the northern part of the Otter Highlands, in the western Shackleton Range, Antarctica. It was named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee after Alister S. MacQuarrie (1935–1970), a B ...

M'Clintock Bastion M'Clintock Bastion () is a mountain rising to about to the west of Mount Kelsey in the Pioneers Escarpment, Shackleton Range, Antarctica. It was photographed from the air by the U.S. Navy in 1967, and was surveyed by the British Antarctic Surve ...

Meade Nunatak Meade Nunatak () is a nunatak north of Blanchard Hill, rising to in the Pioneers Escarpment, Shackleton Range, Antarctica. It was photographed from the air by the U.S. Navy, 1967, and was surveyed by the British Antarctic Survey, 1968–71. In a ...

Mount Dewar Mount Dewar () is a mountain rising to about to the southwest of Aronson Corner in the Pioneers Escarpment, Shackleton Range. It was photographed from the air by the U.S. Navy in 1967 and surveyed by the British Antarctic Survey from 1968 to 1971 ...

Mount Greenfield Mount Greenfield () is an ice-free mountain rising to and surmounting the western extremity of Stephenson Bastion in the Shackleton Range of Antarctica. It was mapped in 1957 by the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition The Commonwealth T ...

Mount Haslop Mount Haslop () is a mountain, high, which stands south of Mount Lowe (Antarctica), Mount Lowe at the western extremity of the Shackleton Range in Antarctica. It was first mapped in 1957 by the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition (CTAE) and n ...

* Mount Homard * Mount Lowe (Antarctica) *

Mount Pivot Mount Pivot () is a conspicuous mountain, 1,095 m, with steep rock slopes on its west side, standing between Mount Haslop and Turnpike Bluff in the west part of the Shackleton Range. It was first mapped in 1957 by the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic E ...

* Mount Provender *

Mount Sheffield Mount Sheffield () is a rocky mountain, 915 m, at the junction of Gordon and Slessor Glaciers on the north side of the Shackleton Range. It was first mapped in 1957 by the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition and named for Alfred H. Sheffield, t ...

Mount Skidmore Mount Skidmore () is a mountain (865 m) on the east side of the mouth of Stratton Glacier in the Shackleton Range. It was first mapped in 1957 by the CTAE, and it was photographed in 1967 by U.S. Navy trimetrogon aerial photography. It was named ...

Mount Weston Mount Weston () is the highest peak (1,210 m) of Haskard Highlands, in the west part of the Shackleton Range. It was first mapped in 1957 by the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition and named after Flight Sgt. Peter D. Weston, RAF The R ...

Mummery Cliff Mummery Cliff () is a cliff situated in Antarctica rising to about 1,250 m to the southeast of Whymper Spur in the Pioneers Escarpment, Shackleton Range. In association with the names of pioneers of polar life and travel grouped in this area, name ...

Nostoc Lake Nostoc Lake is a lake lying 1 nautical mile (1.9 km) southwest of Mount Provender in the west part of the Shackleton Range. It was first mapped in 1957 by the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition The Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Exp ...

Petersen Peak Petersen Peak () is a rock peak (1,215 m) standing 6 nautical miles (11 km) southwest of Morris Hills in the north-central part of Shackleton Range. It was first mapped in 1957 by the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition and named for Ha ...

* Pioneers Escarpment *

Pointer Nunatak Pointer Nunatak () is a conspicuous nunatak, 1,245 m, immediately east of Wedge Ridge in the west part of the Shackleton Range. First mapped in 1957 by the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition and so named because it is an important landmark on ...

* Pratts Peak *

Ram Bow Bluff Stephenson Bastion is a mountain massif with steep rock cliffs on its south side, rising to 1,850 m in the south-central part of Shackleton Range. It was first mapped in 1957 by the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, and it was photographe ...

* Recovery Glacier * Sauria Buttress *

Shotton Snowfield Shotton Snowfield () is a large snowfield between Herbert Mountains and Pioneers Escarpment on the north and Read Mountains on the south, in the Shackleton Range of Antarctica. Location The Shackleton Range is an ice-covered plateau between hig ...

Slessor Glacier The Slessor Glacier is a glacier at least 140 km (75 nmi) long and 90 km (50 nmi) wide, flowing west into the Filchner Ice Shelf to the north of the Shackleton Range. First seen from the air and mapped by the Commonwealth Trans-Antarct ...

Stephenson Bastion Stephenson Bastion is a mountain massif with steep rock cliffs on its south side, rising to 1,850 m in the south-central part of Shackleton Range. It was first mapped in 1957 by the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, and it was photographe ...

Stratton Glacier Stratton Glacier () is a glacier 20 nautical miles (37 km) long, flowing north from Pointer Nunatak and then northwest to the north of Mount Weston, in the Shackleton Range. First mapped in 1957 by the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedit ...

* Turnpike Bluff *

Warden Pass Warden Pass () is a snow pass at about 1,000 m trending east–west between the northwest side of Fuchs Dome and Flat Top in the Shackleton Range. The area was surveyed by Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition in 1957. Named by the United ...

* Wedge Ridge * Whymper Spur *

Williams Ridge Williams Ridge () is a conspicuous rock ridge, 1,060 m, extending east–west between Blaiklock and Stratton Glaciers, 1 nautical mile (1.9 km) northwest of Honnywill Peak in the west part of the Shackleton Range. First mapped in 1 ...

References

Mountain ranges of Coats Land {{CoatsLand-geo-stub