Rennick Glacier
Encyclopedia
Rennick Glacier is broad glacier
, nearly 200 miles long, which is one of the largest in Antarctica. It rises on the polar plateau westward of Mesa Range
and is 20 to 30 miles wide, narrowing to 10 miles near the coast. It takes its name from Rennick Bay
where the glacier reaches the sea. The seaward part of the glacier was photographed by U.S. Navy (USN) Operation Highjump, 1946-47. The upper reaches of the Rennick Glacier were discovered and explored by the U.S. Victoria Land Traverse (VLT) in February 1960, and the first ascent made of Welcome Mountain by John Weihaupt, Alfred Stuart, Claude Lorius and Arnold Heine of the VLT party. On February 10,1960, Lieutenant Commander Robert L. Dale, pilot of U.S. Navy (USN) Squadron VX-6
, evacuated the VLT from 7238S, 16132E, on this glacier, and then conducted an aerial photographic reconnaissance to Rennick Bay on the coast before returning the VLT team to NAF McMurdo.
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
, nearly 200 miles long, which is one of the largest in Antarctica. It rises on the polar plateau westward of Mesa Range
Mesa Range
Mesa Range is a range of remarkable flat-topped mesas comprising the Sheehan, Pain, Tobin and Gair Mesas, situated at the head of the Rennick Glacier in Victoria Land. Given this descriptive name by the northern party of New Zealand Geological Survey Antarctic Expedition , 1962-63....
and is 20 to 30 miles wide, narrowing to 10 miles near the coast. It takes its name from Rennick Bay
Rennick Bay
Rennick Bay is an embayment of the coastline at the terminus of Rennick Glacier. It is bounded on the west and east by Belousov Point and Stuhlinger Ice Piedmont. The eastern part of the bay was discovered from the ship Terra Nova, of the British Antarctic Expedition under Scott. Named by the...
where the glacier reaches the sea. The seaward part of the glacier was photographed by U.S. Navy (USN) Operation Highjump, 1946-47. The upper reaches of the Rennick Glacier were discovered and explored by the U.S. Victoria Land Traverse (VLT) in February 1960, and the first ascent made of Welcome Mountain by John Weihaupt, Alfred Stuart, Claude Lorius and Arnold Heine of the VLT party. On February 10,1960, Lieutenant Commander Robert L. Dale, pilot of U.S. Navy (USN) Squadron VX-6
VX-6
Air Development Squadron Six was a United States Navy Air Development Squadron based at McMurdo Station, Antarctica...
, evacuated the VLT from 7238S, 16132E, on this glacier, and then conducted an aerial photographic reconnaissance to Rennick Bay on the coast before returning the VLT team to NAF McMurdo.