Sentinel Range

Sentinel Range
Sentinel Range
Highest point
Peak	Mount Vinson
Elevation	4,892 m (16,050 ft)
Coordinates	78°31′31.74″S 85°37′01.73″W / 78.5254833°S 85.6171472°W / -78.5254833; -85.6171472
Dimensions
Length	185 km (115 mi) NNW-SSE
Width	48 km (30 mi)
Geography
Location of Sentinel Range in Western Antarctica
Continent	Antarctica
State/Province	Ellsworth Land
Range coordinates	78°10′S 85°30′W / 78.17°S 85.5°W / -78.17; -85.5Coordinates: 78°10′S 85°30′W / 78.17°S 85.5°W / -78.17; -85.5
Parent range	Ellsworth Mountains
Borders on	Heritage Range

The Sentinel Range is a major mountain range situated northward of Minnesota Glacier and forming the northern half of the Ellsworth Mountains in Antarctica. The range trends NNW-SSE for about 185 km (115 mi) and is 24 to 48 km (15 to 30 mi) wide. Many peaks rise over 4,000 m (13,100 ft) and Vinson Massif (4892 m) in the southern part of the range is the highest elevation on the continent.

Sentinel Range comprises a main ridge (featuring Vinson Massif in its southern portion) and a number of distinct heights, ridges and mountains on its east side, including (south to north) Petvar Heights, Doyran Heights, Veregava Ridge, Flowers Hills, Sullivan Heights, Barnes Ridge, Maglenik Heights, Probuda Ridge, Bangey Heights, Sostra Heights and Gromshin Heights. It is separated from Bastien Range to the southwest by Nimitz Glacier, and from Heritage Range to the south by lower Minnesota Glacier.

The range was first sighted and photographed from the air on November 23, 1935, by Lincoln Ellsworth who in naming it recognised its prominent position as a landmark on an otherwise featureless ice surface. The range was first visited and partially surveyed in January 1958 by the Marie Byrd Land Traverse party, led by Charles R. Bentley. The entire range was mapped by USGS from aerial photography taken by the U.S. Navy, 1958-61.