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ANTARCTICA  ULTRA-PROMINENCES
Ultima Ultrae of the Antipodes

39 Summits in Antarctica and Antarctic Isles
with Prominence of 1500 meters and greater


PROVISIONAL LIST - see FOOTNOTES

Antarctica and Greenland are the two most difficult parts of the world for the measurement of ultra-prominent summits.  SRTM gives us consistent 3-arc second digital elevation data for the world between 60ºN and 60ºS.  For Antarctica we have to rely on a 200 meter spaced DEM, and 1:250,000 or smaller topographic maps, or nothing at all.  There is a possibility that there are a few mountains missing from this list in areas for which digital data was not available.  In particular there is a question about the topography of Alexander Island.  Nonetheless, we are confident that the peaks on this list are all indeed ultras.

minor revision:  May 10, 2007
Rank Summit Name Location Latitude Longitude Elevation
(m.)
Prominence
(m.)
Saddle DEM
(m.)
Elevation
(ft.)
Prominence
(ft.)
Footnotes

1 Vinson Massif HP Antarctica 78º31'32" S 85º37'02" W 4892 4892 0 16050 16050 [1]
2 Mt. Erebus HP Ross Island 77º32' S 167º10' E 3794 3794 0 12447 12447 [2]
3 Mt. Siple HP Siple Island 73º15' S 126º06' W 3110 3110 0 10203 10203 [3]
4 Mt. Stephenson HP Alexander Island 69º49' S 69º43' W 2987 2987 0 9800 9800
5 Mt. Francais HP Anvers Island 64º38' S 63º27' W 2760 2760 0 9055 9055 [5]
6 Mt. Minto Admiralty Mtns. 71º47' S 168º45' E 4165 2616 1549 13665 8583
7 Mt. Kirkpatrick HP Queen Alexandra Range 84º20' S 166º25' E 4528 2601 1927 14855 8533
8 Mt. Parry HP Brabant Island 64º16' S 62º25' W 2520 2520 0 8268 8268
9 Mt. Sidley HP Executive Committee Range 77º02' S 126º06' W 4285 2517 1768 14058 8258
10 Mt. Miller Holland Range 83º20' S 165º48' E 4160 2354 1806 13648 7723 [10]
11 Mt. Lister HP Royal Society Range 78º04' S 162º41' E 4025 2325 1700 13205 7628
12 Mt. Gaudry HP Adelaide Island 67º32' S 68º37' W 2315 2315 0 7595 7595
13 Mt. Irving HP Clarence Island 61º17' S 054º08' W 2300 2300 0 7546 7546 [13]
14 Mt. Jackson
71º23' S 063º22' W 3184 2187 997 10446 7175 [14]
15 Mt. Takahe Marie Byrd Land 76º17' S 112º05' W 3460 2144 1316 11352 7034
16 Mt. Foster HP Smith Is. (S. Shetlands) 63º00' S 62º33' W 2105 2105 0 6906 6906
17 Mt. Markham Queen Elizabeth Range 82º51' S 161º21' E 4350 2103 2247 14271 6900
18 Gora Georgia Pobedonosca
69º S 71º E 2896 2058 838 9501 6752 [18]
19 Mt. Murphy Marie Byrd Land 75º20' S 110º44' W 2705 2055 650 8875 6742
20 Hawkes Heights HP Coulman Island 73º32' S 169º42' E 2000 2000 0 6562 6562
21 Richmond Peak (Toney Mtn.)
75º48' S 115º49' W 3595 1946 1649 11794 6384
22 (unknown) (Alexander Island)
70º35' S 70º10' W 2486 1939 547 8156 6361 [22]
23 Mt. Murchison Mountaineer Range 73º25' S 166º18' E 3501 1927 1574 11486 6322
24 Mt. Supernal
73º04' S 165º42' E 3655 1804 1851 11991 5919
25 Mt. Kaplan Hughes Range 84º33' S 175º19' E 4230 1783 2447 13878 5850 [25]
26 Mt. Frakes Crary Mountains 76º48' S 117º42' W 3675 1780 1895 12057 5840
27 Mt. Friesland HP Livingston Island 62º40'15" S 60º11'10" W 1700 1700 0 5578 5578 [27]
28 Mt. Melbourne Victoria Land 74º21' S 164º42' E 2730 1699 1031 8957 5574
29 Mt. Terror (Ross Island) 77º31' S 168º32' E 3230 1696 1534 10597 5564
30 Mt. Elizabeth
83º54' S 168º23' E 4480 1657 2823 14698 5436
31 Lars Christiansen Peak HP Peter I Island

1640 1640 0 5381 5381 [31]
32 Dome Argus - "Dome A"
HP Antarctic Plateau 80º22' S
77º21' E
4091 1639 2452 13422 5377 [32]
33 Mt. Discovery
78º22' S 165º01' E 2680 1637 1043 8793 5371
34 Mt. Verne HP Pourquoi Pas Island 67º40' S 67º30' W 1632 1632 0 5354 5354 [34]
35 Mt. Haddington HP James Ross Island 64º13' S 57º38' W 1630 1630 0 5348 5348
36 Mt. McClintock Britannia Range 80º13' S 157º26' E 3490 1621 1869 11450 5318
37 Mt. Brewster
72º57' S 169º23' E 2025 1598 427 6644 5243
38 Mt. Morning
78º31' S 163º35' E 2725 1515 1210 8940 4970
39 (unknown)
86º18' S 158º00' E 3938 1500 2438 12920 4921 [39]

FOOTNOTES:

Mountains were researched from a variety of sources:

Elevations of summits and saddles were checked against the 200m DEM data made available by NSIDC (National Snow and Ice Data Center) Boulder, Colorado. The OSU version (nil sea level) was used.

Locations and names have been checked against available printed topographic maps, published by the Americans, British, Australians, and Russians, as well as the GNIS data for Antarctica (see below).  A variety of supplemental information, including trip reports, and articles appearing in mountaineering journals are referenced below.

We should not assume accuracy greater than ±100 meters for saddle (and thus prominence) values unless otherwise noted.

There are probably a handful of true ultras missing from this list.  We believe there may be two more ultras lurking on Alexander Island.  Topographic maps are not available for most of the island, and due to the rugged, exposed saddles, the 200m spacing of the DEM is inconclusive.

As always, we would appreciate help with regard to data sources, recent surveys, and name and location corrections.

--

[1]  Vinson:  Vinson Massif has a widely known elevation of 4897m/16066'.  In December 2004 a team of mountaineers, led by Damien Gildea. conducted a 10 hour continuous Trimble GPS survey of the summit.  The survey, which was processed by Geoscience Australia using the EGS96 geoid model, provides us with a new definitive elevation of 4892m/16050'.  (This confirms Vinson Massif's position at number 8 in World prominence.)
[2]  Erebus is an active volcano, ranking 34th in World Prominence.  A 2004 Trimble differential GPS survey conducted by the Mount Erebus Volcano Observatory, confirms the elevation of 3,794 meters to one meter accuracy.
[3]  Siple:  Although Mt. Siple has probably been climbed, there is no known record.  If it has not been climbed, Siple will certainly be the most prominent unclimbed mountain in the world.
[5]  Francais:  Alternate elevation of 2,758m also found on the internet.
[10]  Miller:  Most prominent unclimbed on list (with possible exception of Siple above.)
[13]  Irving:  Elevation is approximate, and taken from U.S. Navy publication.  The DEM appears to be inaccurate for the area.
[14]  Jackson:  Elevation from American Alpine Journal (1999).  GNIS offers elevation of 3050m.
[18]  Georgia Pobedonosca:  This name was taken from a Russian map and can not be corroborated.  Mountains in the region do not appear in the GNIS, and we assume that this is not a widely recognized name.  The 200m DEM confirmed the elevation of summit and saddle nicely.
[22]  Unknown:  No map information.  Values taken entirely from DEM.
[25]  Kaplan:  Elevation from USGS 1:250,000.
[27]  Friesland:  1700.2m is the result of a highly accurate GPS survey conducted by Damien Gildea (2003).  Data conforms to EGS96 geoid.   1684m was an earlier value.
[31]  Lars ChristiansenArticle about planned first ascent for 2005.

[32]  Dome Argus:  The highpoint of the Antarctic plateau has a wide divergence of published elevation values (including 4300m, 4200m, 4100m, 4039m, 4030m, 4000m.)  A claimed first ascent was made in January 2005 by a 12-man Chinese Team.  The press report repeated the 4,039m elevation, which is from GTOPO30 data.  However, they also report a preliminary GPS reading of 4091m that corresponds well with the 200m DEM reading of 4083m.  We will look forward to the final report.

[34]  VerneArticle about 1991 first ascent.
[39]  Unknown:  No map information.  Values taken entirely from DEM.

REFERENCES:

Gildea, Damien: Antarctic Mountaineering Chronology, 1998.  Copies available from the author at dageogil[at] tpgi.com.au
The American Alpine Journal
U.S. Board of Geographic Names Advisory Committee on Antarctica.


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