Wilkniss Mountains

Wilkniss Mountains (78°1′S 161°7′E / 78.017°S 161.117°E / -78.017; 161.117) is a prominent group of conical mountains, 10 miles (16 km) long running north–south, located 9 miles (14 km) east-southeast of Mount Feather, Quartermain Mountains, in Victoria Land, Antarctica. The mountains are 3 miles (4.8 km) wide in the north portion where Mount Blackwelder (2,340 m) and Pivot Peak (2,450 m) rise above ice-free valleys. Except for an outlying southwest peak, the south portion narrows to a series of mainly ice-covered smaller peaks. Named by Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN) in 1992 after Peter E. Wilkniss, a chemist who from 1975 has served in various positions at the National Science Foundation, including Deputy Assistant Director of the Directorate for Scientific, Technological, and International Affairs; Director, Division of Polar Programs, 1984–93; senior science associate to the Assistant Director for Geosciences, from 1993.