Watkins Range
| Watkins Range | |
|---|---|
| Watkins Bjerge | |
Watkins Range
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| Highest point | |
| Peak | Gunnbjørn Fjeld |
| Elevation | 3,649 m (11,972 ft) |
| Geography | |
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| Country | Greenland |
| Municipality | Sermersooq |
| Region | GL |
| Range coordinates | 68°45′N 29°38′W / 68.75°N 29.63°WCoordinates: 68°45′N 29°38′W / 68.75°N 29.63°W |
The Watkins Range (Danish: Watkins Bjerge) is Greenland's highest mountain range. It is located in King Christian IX Land, Sermersooq municipality.
The range was named after British Arctic explorer Gino Watkins.
Made up entirely of nunataks, this remote range was formerly an unknown area. In 1912 Swiss geophysicist and Arctic explorer Alfred De Quervain crossed the Greenland ice cap from Godhavn (Qeqertarsuaq) on the west, to Sermilik Fjord on the eastern side and saw a range system that he named 'Schweizerland', marking the position and approximate height of Mont Forel, the highest point of that area Lacking accurate data, Mont Forel was then thought to be the highest mountain in the Arctic Circle area, together with Petermann Peak far to the north.
However, in 1930 Gino Watkins, leader of the British Arctic Air Route Expedition, discovered a new mountain range from the air located over 350 km to the northeast of Schweizerland that he named 'New Mountains'. This was the higher Watkins Range with the Gunnbjørnsfjeld, the actual highest summit in Greenland.
In 1935 Lawrence Wager, who had been earlier with Watkins' 1930 expedition returned to East Greenland and opened a new route inland. During his venture he made the first ascent of the range's highest point, Gunnbjorns Fjeld. He was also able to sight as well the Lemon Range, a hitherto unknown range located to the north-east of Kangerlugssuaq Fjord.
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Wikipedia