Wilkniss Mountains

Wilkniss Mountains (78°1′S 161°7′E / 78.017°S 161.117°E / -78.017; 161.117Coordinates: 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.  This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Geological Survey document "Wilkniss Mountains" (content from the Geographic Names Information System).