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The Scott Glacier () is a major glacier, long, that drains the
East Antarctic Ice Sheet The East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) lies between 45th meridian west, 45° west and 168th meridian east, 168° east longitudinally. It was first formed around 34 million years ago, and it is the largest ice sheet on the entire planet, with far gre ...
through the
Queen Maud Mountains The Queen Maud Mountains () are a major group of mountains, ranges and subordinate features of the Transantarctic Mountains, lying between the Beardmore Glacier, Beardmore and Reedy Glaciers and including the area from the head of the Ross Ice Sh ...
to the
Ross Ice Shelf The Ross Ice Shelf is the largest ice shelf of Antarctica (, an area of roughly and about across: about the size of France). It is several hundred metres thick. The nearly vertical ice front to the open sea is more than long, and between high ...
. The Scott Glacier is one of a series of major glaciers flowing across the
Transantarctic Mountains The Transantarctic Mountains (abbreviated TAM) comprise a mountain range of uplifted rock (primarily sedimentary) in Antarctica which extends, with some interruptions, across the continent from Cape Adare in northern Victoria Land to Coats L ...
, with the
Amundsen Glacier The Amundsen Glacier () is a major Antarctic glacier, about 7 to 11 km (4 to 6 nmi) wide and 150 km (80 nmi) long. It originates on the Antarctic Plateau where it drains the area to the south and west of Nilsen Plateau, then ...
to the west and the Leverett and Reedy glaciers to the east.


Geography

The Scott Glacier originates on the
Antarctic Plateau The Antarctic Plateau, Polar Plateau or King Haakon VII Plateau is a large area of East Antarctica that extends over a diameter of about , and includes the region of the geographic South Pole and the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station. Thi ...
in the vicinity of D'Angelo Bluff and
Mount Howe Mount Howe () is an elongated mountain in Antarctica, high, comprising low connecting ridges and gable-shaped nunataks. It rises at the east side of Scott Glacier, near the head, directly opposite Mount McIntyre. This mountain, including its s ...
, and descends between the
Nilsen Plateau Nilsen Plateau () is a rugged, ice-covered plateau in Antarctica. When including Fram Mesa, the plateau is about long and wide, rising to high between the upper reaches of the Amundsen and Scott glaciers, in the Queen Maud Mountains. Discovere ...
and the mountains of the
Watson Escarpment Watson Escarpment () is a major escarpment in the Queen Maud Mountains, trending northward along the east margin of Scott Glacier (Transantarctic Mountains), Scott Glacier, then eastward to Reedy Glacier where it turns southward along the glacier' ...
to enter
Ross Ice Shelf The Ross Ice Shelf is the largest ice shelf of Antarctica (, an area of roughly and about across: about the size of France). It is several hundred metres thick. The nearly vertical ice front to the open sea is more than long, and between high ...
just west of the
Tapley Mountains The Tapley Mountains () is a range of mountains fronting on the eastern side of the Scott Glacier (Transantarctic Mountains), Scott Glacier, extending eastward for between Leverett Glacier and Albanus Glacier in the Queen Maud Mountains of Antar ...
. The
Tapley Mountains The Tapley Mountains () is a range of mountains fronting on the eastern side of the Scott Glacier (Transantarctic Mountains), Scott Glacier, extending eastward for between Leverett Glacier and Albanus Glacier in the Queen Maud Mountains of Antar ...
,
Watson Escarpment Watson Escarpment () is a major escarpment in the Queen Maud Mountains, trending northward along the east margin of Scott Glacier (Transantarctic Mountains), Scott Glacier, then eastward to Reedy Glacier where it turns southward along the glacier' ...
,
Mount Blackburn Mount Blackburn (Ahtna: ''K’ats’i Tl’aadi'') is the highest peak in the Wrangell Mountains of Alaska in the United States. It is the fifth-highest peak in the United States and the twelfth-highest peak in North America. The mountain is a ...
, and the La Gorce Mountains bound the Scott Glacier on its eastern margin, while the
Karo Hills The Karo Hills () are rounded, ice-free foothills in Antarctica extending for along the west side of the terminus of Scott Glacier, from Mount Salisbury north-northwest to the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf. Discovery and naming The Karo Hills ...
, Hays Mountains,
Faulkner Escarpment Nilsen Plateau () is a rugged, ice-covered plateau in Antarctica. When including Fram Mesa, the plateau is about long and wide, rising to high between the upper reaches of the Amundsen and Scott glaciers, in the Queen Maud Mountains. Discovere ...
, and Rawson Mountains define the western edge of the Scott's drainage. According to ''Sailing Directions for Antarctica'' (1960),"Eastward of the Amundsen Glacier the foothills are more nearly submerged beneath snow and ice, and show greater evidence of glacierization than those in the vicinity of the Axel Heiberg and Liv Glaciers. About 15 miles eastward of the Amundsen Glacier is the Robert Scott Glacier (Thorne Glacier), from 5 to 15 miles wide, trending in a north-south direction about 90 miles. Thorvald Nilsen Mountains (Mount Thorvald Nilsen) (86°W' S.,158°00' W.), a mountain massif of the Queen Maud Range, rise to elevations of about 13,000 feet and lie between the upper parts of the Scott and Amundsen Glaciers. The Will Hays Mountains (85°57' S., 155°20' W.) also in the Queen Maud Range, surmount the divide between the lower ends of these two glaciers.
Mount Thorne The Hays Mountains () are a large group of mountains and peaks of the Queen Maud Mountains of Antarctica, surmounting the divide between the lower portions of Amundsen Glacier and Scott Glacier (Transantarctic Mountains), Scott Glacier and extendi ...
rises to 6,000 feet in the Will Hays Mountains.
Mount Weaver The Rawson Mountains () lie within the Queen Maud Mountains to the southeast of the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica. They are a crescent-shaped range of tabular, ice-covered mountains including Fuller Dome, Mount Wyatt and Mount Verlautz, standing so ...
(86°57' S, 152°20' W.), about 10,000 feet high, marks the southern portal of the glacier at the polar plateau. Blackburn in 1934, found at Mount Weaver extensive coal beds and fossil tree section up to 18 inches in diameter. The eastern wall of the Robert Scott Glacier is marked by a series of isolated flat-topped mountains between which tributary glaciers drain from the polar plateau into the Thorne Valley. The eastern portal of the Robert Scott Glacier is marked by a detached land mass, about 30 miles long in a southeast-northwest direction. Southward of this massif is Albanus Glacier (Phillips Glacier), which flows westward and merges with the lower heights of Robert Scott Glacier. The Albanus Glacier and the Leverett Glacier bifurcate at the eastern extremity of the detached land mass in about 85°48' S., 146° W.


History

Scott Glacier was discovered in December 1929 by the
Byrd Antarctic Expedition Richard Evelyn Byrd Jr. (October 25, 1888 – March 11, 1957) was an United States Navy, American naval officer, and pioneering aviator, polar explorer, and organizer of polar logistics. Aircraft flights in which he served as a navigator and e ...
geological party under
Laurence Gould Laurence McKinley Gould (August 22, 1896 – June 21, 1995) was an American geologist, educator, and polar explorer. He made expeditions to both the Arctic and Antarctic, and was chief scientist on Richard Evelyn Byrd's first Antarctic expediti ...
. Scott Glacier was originally called Thorne Glacier. The Scott Glacier was named by the
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) after early Antarctic explorer
Robert Falcon Scott Captain Robert Falcon Scott (6 June 1868 – ) was a British Royal Navy officer and explorer who led two expeditions to the Antarctic regions: the Discovery Expedition, ''Discovery'' expedition of 1901–04 and the Terra Nova Expedition ...
, who never saw the Scott Glacier but rather ascended the
Beardmore Glacier The Beardmore Glacier in Antarctica is one of the largest valley glaciers in the world, being long and having a width of . It descends about from the Antarctic Plateau to the Ross Ice Shelf and is bordered by the Commonwealth Range of the Queen ...
to the west en route to the
South Pole The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is the point in the Southern Hemisphere where the Earth's rotation, Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True South Pole to distinguish ...
in 1911–12. It was first ski traversed in January 1990 by
Martyn Williams Martyn Elwyn Williams, (born 1 September 1975) is a Welsh former professional rugby union player who played as a flanker. He earned 100 caps for the Wales national rugby union team, Wales national team, the most by a forward until he was surpa ...
(Canada, the leader and guide) and Jerry Corr (USA) traveling from the South Pole to the Ross Ice Shelf and then by Mike McDowell (Australia) in 1992, on a ski traverse from the South Pole to the coast. Thus Williams and Corr were the first people to traverse Antarctica under human power as described in the book ''The Snotsicle Traverse'' by Jerry Corr.


Course

The Scott Glacier forms on the Polar Plateau and flows north between Mount Wilbur and the
Davis Hills The La Gorce Mountains () are a group of mountains, long, standing between the tributary Robison Glacier and Klein Glacier at the east side of the upper reaches of the Scott Glacier, in the Queen Maud Mountains of Antarctica. Discovery and ...
. The Poulter Glacier enters from the left (west) to the north of
Mount Innes-Taylor The Rawson Mountains () lie within the Queen Maud Mountains to the southeast of the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica. They are a crescent-shaped range of tabular, ice-covered mountains including Fuller Dome, Mount Wyatt and Mount Verlautz, standing so ...
. The Klein Glacier enters from the right (east) to the north of the David Hills. The Robison Glacier enters from the right to the south of Mount Bowlin and the VanReeth Glacier enters from the right to the north of Mount Bowlin. The Scott Glacier flows past the
Watson Escarpment Watson Escarpment () is a major escarpment in the Queen Maud Mountains, trending northward along the east margin of Scott Glacier (Transantarctic Mountains), Scott Glacier, then eastward to Reedy Glacier where it turns southward along the glacier' ...
to the east, from which the Howe Glacier and Griffith Glacier join it from the right. To the north of Mount Ruth, to the west of the Scott Glacier, the Bartlett Glacier joins from the left. Tributaries of the Bartlett Glacier include the Holdsworth Glacier and the Souchez Glacier. Further north, the Scott Glacier flows past the
Tapley Mountains The Tapley Mountains () is a range of mountains fronting on the eastern side of the Scott Glacier (Transantarctic Mountains), Scott Glacier, extending eastward for between Leverett Glacier and Albanus Glacier in the Queen Maud Mountains of Antar ...
to the east, from which it receives the Albanus Glacier and the Roe Glacier. From the
Queen Maud Mountains The Queen Maud Mountains () are a major group of mountains, ranges and subordinate features of the Transantarctic Mountains, lying between the Beardmore Glacier, Beardmore and Reedy Glaciers and including the area from the head of the Ross Ice Sh ...
to the west it receives the Vaughan Glacier. The Koerwitz Glacier flows beside the Scott Glacier then pulls away at
Mount Salisbury Mount Salisbury is a peak in the Fairweather Range of Alaska, six miles (10 km) southeast of Mount Fairweather. Its east slopes feed one of the northern branches of the Johns Hopkins Glacier, which flows into Glacier Bay. On its western s ...
in the
Karo Hills The Karo Hills () are rounded, ice-free foothills in Antarctica extending for along the west side of the terminus of Scott Glacier, from Mount Salisbury north-northwest to the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf. Discovery and naming The Karo Hills ...
.


Head

The head of the Scott Glacier forms between the D'Angelo Bluff and Mount McIntyre to the west and Mount Howe to the east. The glacier flows north past Mount Early and Sunny Ridge to the west.


D'Angelo Bluff

. A prominent north-facing rock bluff, long, trending westward from Mount Mclntyre. The bluff stands at the west side of Scott Glacier, near the head, south of Mount Early. Discovered by the Byrd Antarctic Expedition geological party led by Quin Blackburn, in December 1934. The bluff was visited December 5, 1962 by a geological party of the Ohio State University Institute of Polar Studies, led by George Doumani. Named by Doumani for CWO John D'Angelo, USA, helicopter pilot who landed the party on this bluff.


Mount McIntyre

. A rocky, flat, projecting-type mountain that forms the northeast extremity of D'Angelo Bluff. It rises at the west side of Scott Glacier, near the head, directly opposite Mount Howe. Discovered in December 1934 by the Byrd Antarctic Expedition geological party led by Quin Blackburn. Named by Admiral Byrd for
Marvin H. McIntyre Marvin Hunter McIntyre (November 27, 1878 – December 13, 1943) was an American journalist and Presidential Secretary to President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR). Biography McIntyre was born in La Grange, Kentucky, 27 November 1878 and was educated ...
, secretary to the President of the United States at that time, Franklin D. Roosevelt.


Mount Howe

. An elongated mountain, high, comprising low connecting ridges and gable-shaped nunataks. It rises at the east side of Scott Glacier, near the head, directly opposite Mount Mclntyre. This mountain, including its small southern outlier, apparently is the southernmost mountain in the world. Discovered in December 1934 by the Byrd Antarctic Expedition geological party led by Quin Blackburn. Named by Admiral Byrd for
Louis McHenry Howe Louis McHenry Howe (January 14, 1871 – April 18, 1936) was an American reporter for the '' New York Herald'' best known for acting as an early political advisor (1909-1936) to future 32nd President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945, served ...
, secretary to the President of the United States at that time, Franklin D. Roosevelt.


Mount Early

. A solitary volcanic cone, high, standing north of D'Angelo Bluff, on the west side and near the head of Scott Glacier. Discovered in December 1934 from nearby Mount Weaver by the Byrd Antarctic Expedition geological party led by Quin Blackburn. Visited by the Ohio State University geological party led by George Doumani on November 21, 1962. Named by US-ACAN after Capt. Neal E. Early, USA, a member of the aviation unit that supported the USGS Topo East survey of this area, 1962-63.


Sunny Ridge

. A partly snow-free ridge that trends southward for from the western extremity of
Mount Weaver The Rawson Mountains () lie within the Queen Maud Mountains to the southeast of the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica. They are a crescent-shaped range of tabular, ice-covered mountains including Fuller Dome, Mount Wyatt and Mount Verlautz, standing so ...
. It stands at the west side of and near the head of Scott Glacier. The ridge was scaled by the Ohio State University geological party in November 1962. So named by party leader George Doumani because of very sunny conditions during the climb.


Mohn Basin

A major depression in the surface near the edge of the polar plateau. It extends southward from the western limit of
Quarles Range Quarles Range () is a high and rugged range of the Queen Maud Mountains, extending from the polar plateau between Cooper Glacier and Bowman Glacier and terminating near the edge of Ross Ice Shelf. Discovery and naming Peaks in the range were ...
for about and includes the
névé Névé is a young, granular type of snow which has been partially melted, refrozen and compacted, yet precedes the form of ice. This type of snow can contribute to glacier formation through the process of ''nivation''. Névé that survives a ...
area adjacent to the heads of the Bowman, Devils, Amundsen and Scott Glaciers, in the Queen Maud Mountains. The feature was encountered in December 1911 by the South Pole Party of the Norwegian expedition under Roald Amundsen. Named by the US-ACAN for
Henrik Mohn Henrik Mohn (15 May 1835 – 12 September 1916) was a Norwegian astronomer and meteorologist. Although he enrolled in theology studies after finishing school, he is credited with founding meteorological research in Norway, being a professor at the ...
, Norwegian meteorologist and author of the meteorological report of this expedition.


Left tributaries

Tributaries from the left (west) include from south to north:


Poulter Glacier

. A tributary glacier draining east along the south flank of the Rawson Mountains to enter Scott Glacier. Discovered by the geological party of the ByrdAE, 1933–35, and named by Byrd for Thomas C. Poulter, second in command of the expedition.


Bartlett Glacier

. A tributary glacier, about long and wide at its terminus. It flows northeast from
Nilsen Plateau Nilsen Plateau () is a rugged, ice-covered plateau in Antarctica. When including Fram Mesa, the plateau is about long and wide, rising to high between the upper reaches of the Amundsen and Scott glaciers, in the Queen Maud Mountains. Discovere ...
and joins Scott Glacier close north of Mount Gardiner. Discovered in December 1934 by the ByrdAE geological party under Quin Blackburn, and named by Byrd for Capt. Robert A. Bartlett of Brigus, Newfoundland, noted Arctic navigator and explorer who recommended that the expedition acquire the Bear, an ice-ship which was purchased and rechristened by Byrd as the Bear of Oakland. Not: Bob Bartlett Glacier.


Holdsworth Glacier

. A tributary glacier about long, flowing northeast from Fuller Dome to enter the southeast side of Bartlett Glacier. Named by US-ACAN for Gerald Holdsworth, involved in geological studies at McMurdo Station, summer of 1965-66.


Souchez Glacier

. A tributary glacier about long, flowing from
Mount Crockett The Hays Mountains () are a large group of mountains and peaks of the Queen Maud Mountains of Antarctica, surmounting the divide between the lower portions of Amundsen Glacier and Scott Glacier and extending from the vicinity of Mount Thorne on ...
south along the east side of Faulkner Escarpment and then turning southeast to parallel the southwest side of Hays Mountains. It joins Bartlett Glacier just south of Mount Dietz. Named by US-ACAN for Roland A. Souchez, involved in geological studies at McMurdo Station during the season of 1965-66.


Vaughan Glacier

. A tributary glacier, long, draining eastward from
Mount Vaughan The Hays Mountains () are a large group of mountains and peaks of the Queen Maud Mountains of Antarctica, surmounting the divide between the lower portions of Amundsen Glacier and Scott Glacier and extending from the vicinity of Mount Thorne on ...
to enter Scott Glacier just south of Taylor Ridge, in the Hays Mountains. Mapped by USGS from surveys and USN air photos, 1960-64. Named by US-ACAN in association with Mount Vaughan.


Koerwitz Glacier

. A low gradient glacier flowing northeast from Mount Griffith in the Hays Mountains to the
Karo Hills The Karo Hills () are rounded, ice-free foothills in Antarctica extending for along the west side of the terminus of Scott Glacier, from Mount Salisbury north-northwest to the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf. Discovery and naming The Karo Hills ...
. First seen and roughly mapped by the ByrdAE, 1928-30. Named by US-ACAN for Peter H. Koerwitz, biolab manager at McMurdo Station in 1965.


Right tributaries

Tributaries from the right (east) are from south to north:


Klein Glacier

. A broad glacier near the edge of the polar plateau, flowing northwest into Scott Glacier immediately south of La Gorce Mountains. Mapped by USGS from surveys and USN air photos, 1960-63. Named by US-ACAN for Lt. Cdr. Verle W. Klein, pilot with USN Squadron VX-6 on Operation Deep Freeze, 1966 and 1967.


Robison Glacier

. A broad tributary glacier flowing northwest along the north side of La Gorce Mountains to enter Scott Glacier. Discovered in December 1934 by the ByrdAE geological party under Quin Blackburn. Named by US-ACAN for Lt. Cdr. Layton E. Robison, pilot with USN Squadron VX-6 during Operation Deep Freeze 1964, 1965 and 1966.


Van Reeth Glacier

. A tributary glacier about long, draining westward to Scott Glacier between
Mount Blackburn Mount Blackburn (Ahtna: ''K’ats’i Tl’aadi'') is the highest peak in the Wrangell Mountains of Alaska in the United States. It is the fifth-highest peak in the United States and the twelfth-highest peak in North America. The mountain is a ...
and Mount Bowlin. Discovered in December 1934 by the ByrdAE geological party under Quin Blackburn. Named by US-ACAN for Cdr. Eugene W. Van Reeth, pilot with USN Squadron VX-6 in Antarctica during Operation Deep Freeze 1966, 1967 and 1968, and Squadron Commander in 1969.


Howe Glacier

. A short tributary glacier draining west into Scott Glacier immediately north of Mount Russell, in the Queen Maud Mountains. Mapped by USGS from surveys and USN air photos, 1960-63. Named by US-ACAN for Robert C. Howe of USN Squadron VX-6, photographer on Operation Deep Freeze 1966 and 1967.


Griffith Glacier

. A tributary glacier draining westward from the
California Plateau Watson Escarpment () is a major escarpment in the Queen Maud Mountains, trending northward along the east margin of Scott Glacier, then eastward to Reedy Glacier where it turns southward along the glacier's west side. Somewhat arcuate, the escarp ...
and
Watson Escarpment Watson Escarpment () is a major escarpment in the Queen Maud Mountains, trending northward along the east margin of Scott Glacier (Transantarctic Mountains), Scott Glacier, then eastward to Reedy Glacier where it turns southward along the glacier' ...
to enter Scott Glacier between Mount McKercher and Mount Meeks. Mapped by USGS from surveys and USN air photos, 1960-63. Named by US-ACAN for Lt. Cdr. Philip G. Griffith, aircraft commander on photographic flights during Operation Deep Freeze 1966 and 1967.


Sanctuary Glacier

. A glacier almost completely encircled by the Gothic Mountains. It drains west between Outlook Peak and Organ Pipe Peaks into Scott Glacier. Mapped by USGS from surveys and USN aerial photographs, 1960-64. The descriptive name was proposed by Edmund Stump, leader of a USARP-Arizona State University geological party which established a base camp on the glacier in January 1981.


Albanus Glacier

. A glacier, long, flowing west along the south side of
Tapley Mountains The Tapley Mountains () is a range of mountains fronting on the eastern side of the Scott Glacier (Transantarctic Mountains), Scott Glacier, extending eastward for between Leverett Glacier and Albanus Glacier in the Queen Maud Mountains of Antar ...
to enter Scott Glacier just north of Mount Zanuck. Discovered in December 1934 by the ByrdAE geological party under Quin Blackburn, and named by Byrd for Albanus Phillips, Jr., manufacturer of Cambridge, MD, a patron of the ByrdAE of 1928-30 and 1933-35. Not: Phillips Glacier.


Roe Glacier

. A tributary glacier, long, flowing northwest through the
Tapley Mountains The Tapley Mountains () is a range of mountains fronting on the eastern side of the Scott Glacier (Transantarctic Mountains), Scott Glacier, extending eastward for between Leverett Glacier and Albanus Glacier in the Queen Maud Mountains of Antar ...
to enter Scott Glacier just south of Mount Durham. Mapped by USGS from surveys and USN air photos, 1960-64. Named by US-ACAN for Derrell M. Roe, a member of summer parties at McMurdo Station in 1963-64 and 1964–65 and station engineer with the McMurdo winter party in 1966.


References


Sources

* * * * * * * {{Glaciers of the Ross Dependency Queen Maud Mountains Ice streams of Antarctica Glaciers of Amundsen Coast Gould Coast